[ale] Speedfactory now requires mail contents to be readable

[runman]

My ISP is Speedfactory and I chose them primarily because I
really wanted just a plain pipe - a static ip that worked, a
few email boxes and some disk space for a really small 
family web site.  Nothing more.  No AOL-isms no Compu-Serve
proprietary browser, no Bell South taking me for an
expensive ride, nothing else - just a simple IP.

Recently I attempted to send a friend an email with a
password protected zip file as an attachment.  The file
created an error on the mailserver - something about not
being able to examine the contents of the attachment.  I
called Speedfactory and talked first to a technician who
soon referred me to her supervisor (odd as most of the folks
who in the past have answered my calls were really
knowledgeable).  I was then told that Speedfactory's virus
checker choked on any attachment that it could not read. 
What the h-e-double toothpicks ?????  Why is my ISP suddenly
having this requirement to "read my attachments" ???  I am
running both Norton AV and AVG (as well as MS Outlook) and
*none of them* has a problem with password protected files. 
I would thought that my programs would be the most likely
culprits.

While I don't usually password protect my attachments I
would certainly like the opportunity to do so if I want/need
to do so.  I don't think that this was a requirement when I
signed up and I have not been told since then that my ISP is
now in the mail-reading business.  Pres. Bush, the NSA, and
the Homeland Security bunch I understand, but my ISP ????? 
(or are they all together now ??)

Is anyone else aware of this ?? Any Speedfactory customers
out there perfectly happy with this ? ... am I (and possibly
Aaron) the only ones upset over this ?  Is this a case of a
stupid anti-virus program / stupid ISP or "homeland
non-security" gone wild or  am I just being paranoid /
expecting too much ???

I can understand some idiots who expect an ISP to do what
should be the responsibility of the enduser but this is
crazy.  All ISP's should know that there are folks who will
encrypt mail as well as send stuff in crazy formats.  And
Speedfactory should know that they have many customers who
want a plain vanilla IP and no interference.  Has their
customer base changed or have they been taken over ???

I guess if Speedfactory will continue this nonsense I will
be building my own mailserver and/or going somewhere else. 
Somehow I get the feeling that they (Speedfactory) are going
downhill much like Mindspring did when they merged with
Earthlink.