Hi EUGLUGgers. I've been reading the mail since late August as I
struggle to get my wheels down in my new home, Eugene, OR.
I'm from Buffalo, NY, where I was instrumental in founding what is now
NFLUG and giving a boost to the formation of BFLUG (in the form of an
equipment donation) just before leaving. I've been involved in learning
Linuix for over three years. I am very happy to find an active LUG here
in Eugene.
I have a question for you. Is anyone interested in establishing a free,
public access wireless network in downtown Eugene. What I have in mind
is the kind of project groups like Seattle Wireless
(http://seattlewireless.net/), pdxwirless.org
(http://www.pdxwireless.org/faq.html), and yyy () are into? See
http://seattlewireless.net/index.cgi/SimilarProjectLinks for a more
complete list of such projects.
A place I'd like to see a wireless "docking port" is The Broadway
Bistro/Market, one of my favorite watering holes in Eugene (and just
downstairs from where I live, hummmmmm...) I'd like to be able to take
my PowerBook down there and surf while having breakfast. And it sure
would be nice if some of the more comfortable public spaces downtown
offered wireless access. You get the picture.
I got a mailing from the newly formed "Downtown Eugene Neighborhood
Association" yesterday. They might be worth approaching in this regard.
I plan to contact Clipper Net (the ISP that provides LAN access at
Broadway Place, which is where I live) and also talk to the management
at Broadway Bistro. I don't know at this point if Clipper Net is willing
to or even can hook up Broadwaly Bistro, but if they can and we can
figure out how to pay the $40/month they charge for a connection, I
would be willing to donate an appropriate wireless base station and
server.
There is also nothing to say hardwired links to the net might be useful
in some locations. In that regard, I have a couple of Computone terminal
servers (i.e., multiple high speed serial ports that flow over a 10 Mbps
Ethernet connection to a RADIUS server, etc.) that I would be willing
... to consider, hmmmm ... donating to such a project. I would thing
that by next Fall we could have most of the downtown blanketed with free
public access to the net.
This would be a terrific way to promote rejuvination of the downtown. I
don't think that much of the thinking I've heard expressed on
revitalizing Eugene's downtown makes much sense. I don't think that
merely opening up a street like Broadway will have anything but negative
impact. And I don't think that pitting the artistic community against
the business community is the way either.
Rather, I think we should think in terms of what makes being downtown
something someone enjoys, looks forward to, etc.For example, my
apartment is a second floor (albeit large) studio without a balcony or
terrace. (First floor 1 bedrom units here have small patios where one
can sit outside and plunk away at a laptop while getting some fresh
air.) Personally, I would really like being able to take a "mini office"
outside where a wireless link to the Internet would allow me to connect
to the Internet, even to connect to my printer in my apartment...why
not?! This is the Millenium.
Dennis Eberl,
Creator of the Rascally Penguin Mascot, Blinky Foobar, Himself,
~:>(X){=================== <-- the Flying, Methane-powered Linux
Advocate and Fish Eater!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaargh! Hello...?
