It's a bit like brothels really. If you can't get rid of them, tax them. Making money is what companies are about and I reckon this traffic shaping is a step along that road.
Unlimited legal downloading of video content for say £30-£40 quid is on the horizon, or "coming soon" as ntl like to say. Bit like their pvr... In a few years we'll look back on this time with fondness. Oh, how we'll miss those pars and rars..so clinical downloading a film in a few seconds/minutes...now back to the present and Mr Emule