[wplug] Wi-Fi Mapping in the Press [rant included] [more ranting]

Michael P. O Connor mpop at mikeoconnor.net
Mon Feb 21 14:09:54 EST 2005


Billings was not talking against free Wi-Fi, he was talking about the
person that spoke against me (The person billings was repling to said he
could not believe some one in a Linux group would speak against free [as
in cost] stuff)

Linux is not about free [as in cost] software, it is about better
software that is free [as in speech] software.

And when I said I am not sure free Wi-Fi is not a good idea, I am
talking about all the costs [not just money, but time, effort, human,
etc] involved.  Yes I would love to have access to the internet while
walking down the street, and not have to use my cell phone for it [this
I already do with the Bluetooth stuff I got] But I am just questioning
that a business owner may not want to have an open Wi-Fi access point. 
I sent it out as food for thought.

Also I agree with Billings on the pirating issue, if something costs
money, we have no right to obtain it for free over the internet [yes I
agree that the RIAA and MPAA are abusing people and their artists but we
have other ways of "revolting" against that do not involve stealing]

Now excuse me while I go put on my flame retardant suit, I am going to
need it.

> > I think that you might be confused about the complex definition of
> > "Free" in terms of open source.  In simple terms, making copies of bits
> > of information has so little overhead that it can be considered zero
> > cost, so giving people that information at no cost is fine.  However,
> > the media used to give the information is not free.  It is a real,
> > physical structure that costs money to maintain and support.  In the
> > example mentioned, it costs money to pay for the networking equipment,
> > the ISP account and people to maintain the system.  If you believe that
> > spending that money will increase revenue overall, then it makes sense.
> >   If it won't, then it doesn't make sense to give it out for free, or to
> > even offer it at all.
> 
>     Again, leeches asside, we are careening towards the concept of
> "ubiquitous computing", when our Internet truly is available everywhere,
> wirelessly, and for free. Whether or not it costs this much for a T1 or a
> DSL line is not the point -- it will be here anyway, in the face of cost,
> administrative and technical challenges.
> 
>     We can band together, and fight this, ensuring that only we can
control
> the Internet, but it's a losing battle -- besides, there's too much to
gain
> from pervasive computing -- for everyone.
> 
>     The simple-mindedness of DSL that Verizon has instilled within us
needs
> to go. We have outgrown our unshielded and untwisted copper pairs
long, long
> ago.
> 
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> 
> 

-- 
Michael P. O'Connor
mpop at mikeoconnor.net
http://www.mikeoconnor.net



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