--mark B.
On 26 Oct 2004, at 09:51, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
"Allen Fear" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
If SF wants to fund community broadband, they should start supporting those
with experience in the area, like Tim Pozar and Matt Peterson of BAWUG.
Imagine what these fellas could do with $300,000, not to mention the
millions of dollars that have been proposed to follow. Three years ago, when
SFWireless offered to help the city's libraries setup wireless access on a
volunteer basis, we were politely ignored. My neighborhood library still
doesn't offer wireless access to the public, though it spent a few thousand
dollars on new flat panel displays for its public computers. The disconnect
between city government and SF's digirati is stunning.
Interesting. Why do you suppose the city would ignore you?
When I heard about the Mayor's plan for free Wi-Fi, http://www.techweb.com/wire/networking/51000345, I thought, why don't they just make a donation to http://www.sflan.org?
I'm trying to fathom this. Governments seem to like dealing with companies
more than volunteer groups. Perhaps because many companies are established,
have a track record, gaurantee their work, have verifiable resources, and
provide income back to the city in the form of taxes. And I wonder how many local government
reps have received campaign contributions from SBC and Comcast?
If we are to have any influence here we need to organize and lobby as companies do.
Truth and reason always win out in the end. But we are powerless if we do not unite.
Perhaps this could be a topic for the next meeting.
Thoughts?
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