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Google and Skype in Startup to Link Hotspots
An anonymous reader writes "Google and Skype are investing in a new startup (FON, the Spanish startup) that plans to help hotspot owners charge for Wi-Fi access points. The plan outlines two different classes of customer; "Linus" members, named after Linus Torvalds, will share their hotspot with other Linus members for free and "Bill" members, named after Microsoft's Bill Gates, will charge for access to their hotspot. FON will get some of that revenue, and share it with ISPs."
Linus & Bill. I love it. Glad to know someone still has a sense of humour out there.
I just don't understand what they could offer that would make me switch.
They can't compete on price, nor anonymity.
it's a blue bright blue Saturday hey hey
Agreed. The usual Deluxe and Premium please my macho pride much better.
And Balmer members will throw their wi-fi equipment at each other and threaten to fucking kill the linus members.
There will be a Larry model released later, but it's expected to remain in beta for the first 15 years, and unusuable for the first 15 weeks due to overwhelming underestimates of how many people would use something by Google.
Like the Linus model, it will be free to use. However it will log everything you do for non-evil purposes.
The launch of this service wouldn't be in seven weeks from now, would it?
;P
Like just after March 31st?!?
To Terminate, or not to Terminate, that's the question - SCSIROB
I can only wonder what a "Steve" member is.
In Soviet Russia, backwards is everything.
The "Steve" membership will cost twice as much as the "Bill" membership, but will require no configuration, have longer uptimes, and all of its interfaces will be so damn pretty.
They should have called the Aliens "Steve".
In Soviet America the banks rob you!
I wonder if anyone will release a Darl model too.
That would be the hotspot that is not connected to the internet, yet it broadcasts an SSID and automatically files computer hacking charges against you when you connect.
In Soviet America the banks rob you!
The "Jobs" class of connections.
You open your laptop, attempt to sign onto the wireless network, and a man in a black turtleneck walks up to you, swipes your credit card and hands you a glass of Kool-Aid.
It takes 30 minutes for the first ping...but after that you can connect to anyone in the world for the next 12 hours. In fact, the connection is so good, you can leave your laptop and just move your life-spirit to the actual server you are connecting to, and savor the magnetic aura of the hard drives, whilst having full access to your iTunes library...even the songs that won't be written for another 20 years.
Beat that shit.
Haven't you heard? Deluxe is the new Premium. Gold has been downgraded to normal, and Platinum is the new Gold.
Now excuse me, I have to fill out my application for an Unobtainium MasterCard.
Corollary to Hanlon's razor: Any significantly advanced stupidity is indistinguishable from malice.
No, actually. My first thought was Steve the Wraith from Stargate Atlantis. They like to give Sesame Street names to their badass alien dudes.