A16 - North Shore News - Wednesday, February 13, 2013
HOME
VPNs let users virtually travel to the USA Practical Geek Barry Link
IN any conversation about Netflix, someone inevitably says the following: “It’s better in the U.S.” For the most part, they’re right. Since my recent column offering tips on how to find content, several readers noted the disparity in Netflix offerings in the U.S., where Netflix got its start, and Canada, which was the first country outside the States to which Netflix expanded. Exact numbers are hard to come by, but the U.S. version has by various estimates five to 10 times the titles the Canadian version offers. It has more recent movies and definitely more U.S. television. Why is that? Let’s bust a myth: it has nothing to do with the CRTC, which does not regulate Internet content as it does television and radio programming. But it has everything to do
with Canada being a separate market to which TV and film producers, who are largely American, sell separately in the quest for additional revenue beyond what they’ve received for selling their content in the U.S. If Netflix doesn’t offer an American TV show in Canada, it’s because it hasn’t yet, or can’t, purchase that show’s Canadian online broadcast rights. Negotiating those rights takes time and money, and sometimes it likely doesn’t make good business sense in the case of individual shows. A more limited Netflix experience in Canada doesn’t bother me. At $7.99 a month, it’s still a good deal. It’s also the price of being a sovereign country, one with better health care. But if you want U.S. Netflix, simply travel to America. If you drive with your laptop to Bellingham, connect to wifi at a Starbucks there and fire up Netflix with your Canadian subscription, you will suddenly find yourself looking at the American version. This is by design: as a benefit to travellers, Netflix allows its subscribers to use their home subscription credentials in any of the markets in which it operates and receive the local version of Netflix. Once this travel feature was discovered, it didn’t take long before geekier subscribers outside of the
U.S. began using VPNs to virtually travel to the USA. A VPN, or virtual private network, is often described as a private “tunnel” to the Internet that sets up a secure connection between your computer or device and another computer or server in a separate location. Businesses use VPNs to allow employees on the road or working at home to connect securely with corporate servers. Commercial services offer VPNs to private individuals who want an extra layer of security while online, especially at public wifi hotspots. People in countries like China, where the Internet is heavily censored, use VPNs to access governmentblocked sites like Twitter or foreign news. Since commercial VPNs usually offer server connections all over the world, online media geeks use VPNs to connect to servers in the U.S. so that, as far as the Internet is concerned, they are “travelling” in America and can happily watch The Vampire Diaries. Commercial VPNs popular among Canadians include Witopia, StrongVPN and Unblockus, which is not really a VPN but provides similar access to foreign sites. Most offer monthly or annual subscriptions with yearly prices roughly $50 and up.
Whispers are discreet. So is your new hearing device. Great savings on select models.
NEWS photo illustration
ONLINE media geeks use virtual private networks, or VPNs, to access the U.S. version of Netflix, which offers far more selection than its Canadian counterpart. As with anything geeky, mileage varies. None of these services are particularly user friendly, but some do provide dedicated apps to simplify your experience. The Witopia app for Windows, for example, gives users a relatively easy method of connecting with servers around the world, from Seattle to Stockholm. Is it legal? I’m no lawyer, but I can’t see that it’s not. Does Netflix wink at
this activity? It must. Its engineers are not stupid and online forums are full of information about how to do this. But because of the additional cost and relative complexity involved with VPNs, Netflix likely recognizes that the number of people who are border jumping this way is a tiny fraction of its subscriber base. To thwart VPNs would only alienate its most dedicated fans in geekdom,
which — because it is both vocal and influential with mainstream consumers — you provoke at your peril. Next column: Reader questions, including reader suggestions for Netflix viewing. Barry Link is editor of the Vancouver Courier newspaper and a geek enthusiast. Email him at blink@vancourier.com or follow him on Twitter @ trueblinkit.
CITY COUNCIL:
publicnotice
CITY CLERK:
Mayor Darrell Mussatto Councillor Don Bell Councillor Pam Bookham Councillor Linda Buchanan Councillor Rod Clark Councillor Guy Heywood Councillor Craig Keating Robyn G. Anderson randerson@cnv.org
2013 HERITAGE REGISTER PUBLIC MEETING
Advanced technology now exceptionally priced at less than a $1*per day. *Life span of hearing aid conservatively estimated at 5 years.
North Vancouver 604.983.4377
1248A Lynn Valley Road Next to Dairy Queen
Vancouver 604.437.4327
2681 East 49th Ave. Killarney Centre, next to Starbucks
Proudly non-manufacturer owned since 1993 Registered under the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC
To learn more about hearing, hearing loss, tinnitus and to find other Expert Hearing locations, visit www.experthearingsolutions.com
NOTICE is hereby given that a Public Meeting will be held on MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2013 AT 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC, to receive representation in connection with the adoption of a new 2013 Heritage Register. The City of North Vancouver is updating its Heritage Register. The Heritage Register is a listing of buildings that are deemed to have significant architectural, historical and cultural heritage merit. The inclusion of a property on the Heritage Register signifies that the property has been identified as having heritage significance. It does not mean that it is legally protected. A building is only legally protected from demolition or alteration if the property has been formally “Designated” by bylaw with a separate Public Hearing or has had a legal agreement such as a covenant signed with the consent of the owner. As part of this update, the City has moved to having two categories in the new Register which will be referenced as Category “A” and “B”. Category “A” buildings are considered to have a higher level of heritage significance and, as part of this policy, will continue to be monitored more closely by the City. All persons who believe they may be affected by the new 2013 Heritage Register will be afforded an opportunity to be heard in person and/or by written submission. Written or electronic (email) submissions should be sent to the City Clerk at randerson@cnv.org or by mail to City Clerk, City Hall, 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC, V7M 1H9. Electronic submissions must be received no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, February 18, 2013. The proposed 2013 Heritage Register and relevant background material may be inspected at the office of the City Clerk between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, except Statutory Holidays, from February 6, 2013. If you wish to view the material online please go to www.cnv.org/ publichearings. Please direct inquiries to Jocelyne Piercey, Planning Technician 2, at 604-990-4236 or jpiercey@cnv.org. North Vancouver City Hall | 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver, BC | V7M 1H9 Tel: 604.985.7761 | Fax: 604.985.9417 | www.cnv.org