When Pigs Wifi

ratell writes "The New York Times has an editorial entitled When Pigs Wi-fi. It describes a 600 square mile free wi-fi network in Hermiston Oregon, and it argues that wi-fi should be a utility." From the article: "Mr. Puzey, who says wireless broadband is central to the port's operations, argues persuasively that broadband is just the next step in expanding the national infrastructure, comparable to the transcontinental railroad, the national highway system and rural electrification. Indeed, we need to envision broadband Internet access as just another utility, like electricity or water. Often the best way to provide that will be to blanket a region with Wi-Fi coverage to create wireless computer networks, rather than running D.S.L., cable or fiber-optic lines to every home."

Comments

NY Times editorials...

[Anonymous Coward]

Morons telling other morons their moronic ideas. And Slashdot grabs hold of the "story"!!!

Police

[Cliff.Braun]

I saw this headline and thought I was gonna be reading an article about wifi in police cars in order to communicate or something, oh well.

Great Article!

[Mr. Underbridge]

You know, I was just thinking, I haven't seen enough articles about municipal wi-fi on slashdot. This is incredible.

Re:WiMax

[Anonymous Coward]

But things like cell phone signals, pager signals, FM/AM radio signals, TV signals, consumer frequency signals, etc. I have no choice in letting permeate my body.

Nor neutrinos...450 billion per cm2 of your body every second. Didya hear they have mass? And energy? Better get out the tinfoil and fashion a hat.

Re:WiMax

[k31bang]

What if you Laptop is using a fuel cell?

Re:WiMax

[Afrosheen]

This is all operating on a basic assumption that people are honest.

  People are not honest.

  You'd get some people expecting a free ride (high maintenance ladies) who have zero class. You'd get lesbian markers over girls who know it turns alot of guys on. You'd get stupid guys wearing Von Dutch hats with 'enjoys reading Keats' bubbles. Deception between the sexes is almost a part of the bargain.

  Then again, if you could tag people's bubble with your own assessment of them, THEN it would be useful. Tag someone with 'angry drunk- avoid' or 'good conversationalist after two shots' for your own records.

  Take it one step further and allow others to wiki-ize your notes, adding or subtracting comments leading to a ratings system. Eventually you could have whole data files on people and funny anecdotal stories. Imagine meeting someone for the first time and knowing alot about them. Sure, it would take alot of the fun out of it, but by browsing a few stories, you could decide for yourself whether or not they're interesting or useful to you. That'd add a whole new dimension.

l

Re:WiMax

[k31bang]

Honestly I have no idea why someone marked that as a troll. I suppose if I had said somthing along the lines of "I'll probobly be modded down for this", I would of been modded better. Slashdot sure is a funny place.