"There is software available, which could be on end-user machines, that would allow my ISP, as I log in, to check that I have my firewall turned on, that I have an antivirus that [it] approves or recommends installed on my computer, and that my operating system and browser are patched. And if those things aren't met, then [my ISP would not] give me [access],"
How are you supposed to patch your machine without an internet connection?
The only percieved plus I can see in this is that it will destroy IE6 once and for all!