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Three-wheeled Wireless Internet

Posted by timothy on from the three-rounde-tyres dept.

An anonymous reader writes "I just found this article which describes how a group of people in the UK built a 3 wheeled trike-type rickshaw to give visitors to a festival mobile Internet access. An interesting read for those /.ers into wireless networks, it also gives good information about the use of satellite for net connectivity and renewable energy sources. They do a good job of lightening a dry subject with a dash of humour." (The festival here is The Big Green Gathering, which sounds like a low-key, English version of Burning Man.)

7 of 111 comments (clear)

  1. Portability perhaps? by commie_pig · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't know if I'm too keen to rent a little bike with an internet connection. I'd much rather have wireless connection points scattered over the festival terrain which would allow a PDA to connect - that way, I can even walk.

    One day, when technology is dirt cheap (if that ever happens), then I wouldn't mind having a little computer loaded on a little bike like that.

    Until then, I first need personal connectivity

    Save the whales! - collect the whole set

    --

    "I hate people who fabricate unintelligent quotes to add to their work seemingly by some 'anon' sage" -- anon

  2. uh by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Do you think maybe you can go to a freaking festival, and not have to check your freaking email? How about just chilling out and having fun for a few hours? And I'm not even going to mention the demeaning aspects of the rickshaw. Its shameful history should not be resurrected under any circumstances.

    --
    Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    1. Re:uh by TomV · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Bear in mind that the BGG was always had a very strong contingent of the activist community, and a lot of these people have ongoing campaigns to run Commitment doesn't necessarily stop just becasue you're at a festival.

      Also, it wasn't just a few hours, it was five full (and very fabulous) days for the punters, and a lot of the workers were there for a week beforehand and a week afterwards.

      The rickshaw technology is not demeaning. For that matter, the opportunity it gives to grindingly poor people to feed their families rather than starving is not in itself demeaning either. Now, the culture which allows this to happen, that's another matter. And it's not a matter of history so it's not really a case of resurrection.

      tomV

  3. Just took my laptop .... by taniwha · · Score: 3, Insightful
    at least to Burningman this year, turned it on, grabbed a wifi lease and hey presto I was connected. Thanks to the playanet folks.

    Then I realized "I'm in the middle of the desert I don't want my email to find me", quickly checked slashdot and turned it off ....

  4. Sorry. by turgid · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I feel so sorry for you. You're obviosuly quite young and earnest, and probably a very Nice Guy(TM). You've made the fundamental mistake that many young men make (myself included), amd that is that everyone else is just like you. Bitter experience will tech you otherwise. Go out, chat up loads of other young women and have a good time. Don't take things so seriously jsut now. I know, it's easier said than done, but this is advice from someone who's been there and done it. If only I'd known 10 years ago what I know now. In a few years' time, you'll probably meet someone you love much more and in a different way and it will all become moot.

    --
    Stick Men
  5. Costs. by adelayde · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Here are the costs for this (in Euros):

    - Satellite terminal and dish: 5,000
    - Buffalo Tech Base stations x 5: 750
    - Assorted cabling: 50
    - Home made wireless bits: 150
    - Home built rack-mount firewall: 1,000
    - Dodge D50 s/h: 3,5000
    - Rickshaw: 1,000 (guessed)
    - Speakers and Amp, Mixer, Batteries: 1,000
    - Solar+Wind+Batteries: 10,000 (guess)
    - Other bits and bobs: 100

    So quite expensive really, obviously you could this for a lot cheaper.

  6. Re:Green Gathering by TomV · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Sure there were healers. And sure they took payment. But there's a big difference between Katrina from Oxford getting in for free because she was offering Shiatsu for whatever amount seemed affordable (or in several cases for free) and fair rather than the 30 an hour she charges me as a regular client outside the festival, and huge Coke, Vodaphone and Carlsberg logos everywhere. There were plenty of small stallholders doing business. There were no major listed companies doing business. I think that's the distinction which was being drawn.

    Hahahah....he loves the trees so much he chops up their rotting corpses and sells them for profit. Nice.

    Trees have been known to benefit from pruning. trees have been known to drop branches in storms. And knowledge about woodwork can enable people to become more self-sufficient to a greater extent than knowledge about metalwork (also on offer at the BGG) or how plastic factories work.)

    What's so evil about making some money? Making money isn't evil, it's essential. Certain approaches to making money are more or less unpleasant than others, that's all.

    tV