Comments on: Board of Supes Delays Free WiFi for SF http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/ Just another actlocallysf.org weblog Sat, 17 May 2008 05:59:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Allison_ed2@yahoo.com Ed http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-392 Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:58:12 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-392 Free Wi-fi won't benefit the poor who can't afford the technology or replace it when it's stolen, lost, broken. I have an airport card and can barely keep a steady signal IN THE PUBLIC library in SF. Safety... show me the research, before you beam me and my kids with more radio waves. Also, before contaminating the air, why not clean up our water supply and take out the cloramine that we endure daily, bioaccumulating in our tissues.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> Free Wi-fi won’t benefit the poor who can’t afford the technology or replace it when it’s stolen, lost, broken. I have an airport card and can barely keep a steady signal IN THE PUBLIC library in SF.

Safety… show me the research, before you beam me and my kids with more radio waves.

Also, before contaminating the air, why not clean up our water supply and take out the cloramine that we endure daily, bioaccumulating in our tissues.

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]]> by: rob bregoff http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-383 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:52:12 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-383 Scott-nearly all the IT professionals that I have spoken to think the Google/Earthlink proposal is bunk. It will be very slow, have spotty coverage, won't reach above the 3rd floor of buildings, won't work inside many buildings, will probably still exclude most of the folks on the wrong side of the 'digital divide', and will subject us to more crass advertising, data mining, and security risks. Personally I'm glad that our supervisors haven't swallowed the same pill that the mayor has. There are many superior systems out there. If the mayor wants support for his city-wide ideas, it would serve him to meet with the elected supervisors. 70% of the voters want him to, and he still refuses. Refusing to work with the Supes and then complaining about their lack of enthusiasm for his ideas makes him look like a major fool, and a first class prima donna. What is he afraid of? Rob<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> Scott-nearly all the IT professionals that I have spoken to think the Google/Earthlink proposal is bunk. It will be very slow, have spotty coverage, won’t reach above the 3rd floor of buildings, won’t work inside many buildings, will probably still exclude most of the folks on the wrong side of the ‘digital divide’, and will subject us to more crass advertising, data mining, and security risks. Personally I’m glad that our supervisors haven’t swallowed the same pill that the mayor has. There are many superior systems out there.
If the mayor wants support for his city-wide ideas, it would serve him to meet with the elected supervisors. 70% of the voters want him to, and he still refuses. Refusing to work with the Supes and then complaining about their lack of enthusiasm for his ideas makes him look like a major fool, and a first class prima donna.
What is he afraid of?
Rob
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]]> by: Scott Sjoberg http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-364 Tue, 05 Jun 2007 11:28:13 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-364 Anybody who is concerned that Wi-Fi signals may cause health problems are just alarmist who's fears are not based in any Scientific fact. If you actually do some research, you will know that cell phone signals are more powerful than Wi-Fi signals, and after years of study, nobody has been able to link an increase in heath problems due to cell phone use... and that is with cell phone signals being broadcast only an inch or two away from people's brains every time they make a call. When you walk outside, you are getting far more radiation from the Sun than you are receiving from any surrounding Wi-Fi signals, so if you really fear radiation so much, you should live in a cave deep underground... and never come out.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> Anybody who is concerned that Wi-Fi signals may cause health problems are just alarmist who’s fears are not based in any Scientific fact. If you actually do some research, you will know that cell phone signals are more powerful than Wi-Fi signals, and after years of study, nobody has been able to link an increase in heath problems due to cell phone use… and that is with cell phone signals being broadcast only an inch or two away from people’s brains every time they make a call.

When you walk outside, you are getting far more radiation from the Sun than you are receiving from any surrounding Wi-Fi signals, so if you really fear radiation so much, you should live in a cave deep underground… and never come out.

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]]> by: Allison_ed2@yahoo.com Ed http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-363 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 17:11:00 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-363 In Great Britian, people are pulling back from wi-fi, concerns about wi-effect on the human brain and children exhibiting hyperactivity. Studies need to be done.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> In Great Britian, people are pulling back from wi-fi, concerns about wi-effect on the human brain and children exhibiting hyperactivity. Studies need to be done.
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]]> by: Ann Stovel http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-361 Thu, 31 May 2007 14:51:52 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-361 I own and rent a loft in Portland's Pearl District. The free WiFi recently reached this neighborhood and you can get a signal. It is a slow connection so my tenants choose to pay Comcast for speed. Likewise, I want fast, 100% reliable and secure service so here in San Francisco, I pay Comcast. A city owned system is a poor choice for where our government should be spending money and time - leave it to the experts - Google and Earthlink. I don't think anyone is saying you still won't have a choice to pay the cable company or phone company for a DSL line if you don't want free service.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> I own and rent a loft in Portland’s Pearl District. The free WiFi recently reached this neighborhood and you can get a signal. It is a slow connection so my tenants choose to pay Comcast for speed. Likewise, I want fast, 100% reliable and secure service so here in San Francisco, I pay Comcast. A city owned system is a poor choice for where our government should be spending money and time - leave it to the experts - Google and Earthlink. I don’t think anyone is saying you still won’t have a choice to pay the cable company or phone company for a DSL line if you don’t want free service.
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]]> by: Scott Sjoberg http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-360 Sun, 27 May 2007 02:12:46 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-360 To Tim... I have no idea what might be wrong with the Portland Wi-Fi system, but that does not mean the system Google/Earthlink is proposing will not work here. A Google sponsored system is already up and running in Mountain View, and although it may not be perfect... it works. If you want to access an outdoor Wi-Fi system inside a building, you just need to get a Wi-Fi modem which can be placed close to a window. If you are in the small percentage of people who do not have access to a single window in your building, I am sorry, you will just have to keep using whatever wired connection you are currently using now, or you can relocate. Nobody can please all the people all the time. I personally do not want the city to spend tens of millions of our tax dollars to make sure that every single SF citizen has indoor access to some kind of city-run fiber internet connection. Do you expect to have access to this dream fiber system without paying a monthly fee? If you do expect you would have to pay something, why should the city waste money on a new fiber system if we already have the option to pay for DSL or Cable access? If you expect our tax dollars to cover the cost of building and maintaining a FREE Internet fiber connection for all citizens... it would be far cheaper to just have the city pay Comcast a negotiated per person price to give everyone free internet with the cable infrastructure that already exist. The city would have to pay an outrageous amount of tax dollars to install new fiber system, while Google/Earthlink would actually be GIVING the city money to supply us with free Wi-Fi. To Rob... tell me exactly why you think "Gavin’s WiFi is far from free"? And as far as your suggestion that we should... "look around at some of the successful city-owned hi-speed WiFi systems?" You will not be able to find a single American city that is nearly as large as SF that has a city-owned system. Only a few small cities where bureaucracy is minor, and a large majority of the citizens are affluent, have been able to afford a city-owned Wi-Fi system. Also you say "Let the experts design a great system"... Google/Earthlink are experts, so why should we have yet another "Citizens Advisory Committee" argue and delay the implementation of any kind of city-wide Wi-Fi system for who knows how many more years. It is thinking like that that keeps so many good ideas from ever becoming a reality in our city.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> To Tim… I have no idea what might be wrong with the Portland Wi-Fi system, but that does not mean the system Google/Earthlink is proposing will not work here. A Google sponsored system is already up and running in Mountain View, and although it may not be perfect… it works. If you want to access an outdoor Wi-Fi system inside a building, you just need to get a Wi-Fi modem which can be placed close to a window. If you are in the small percentage of people who do not have access to a single window in your building, I am sorry, you will just have to keep using whatever wired connection you are currently using now, or you can relocate. Nobody can please all the people all the time.

I personally do not want the city to spend tens of millions of our tax dollars to make sure that every single SF citizen has indoor access to some kind of city-run fiber internet connection. Do you expect to have access to this dream fiber system without paying a monthly fee? If you do expect you would have to pay something, why should the city waste money on a new fiber system if we already have the option to pay for DSL or Cable access? If you expect our tax dollars to cover the cost of building and maintaining a FREE Internet fiber connection for all citizens… it would be far cheaper to just have the city pay Comcast a negotiated per person price to give everyone free internet with the cable infrastructure that already exist. The city would have to pay an outrageous amount of tax dollars to install new fiber system, while Google/Earthlink would actually be GIVING the city money to supply us with free Wi-Fi.

To Rob… tell me exactly why you think “Gavin’s WiFi is far from free”? And as far as your suggestion that we should… “look around at some of the successful city-owned hi-speed WiFi systems?” You will not be able to find a single American city that is nearly as large as SF that has a city-owned system. Only a few small cities where bureaucracy is minor, and a large majority of the citizens are affluent, have been able to afford a city-owned Wi-Fi system. Also you say “Let the experts design a great system”… Google/Earthlink are experts, so why should we have yet another “Citizens Advisory Committee” argue and delay the implementation of any kind of city-wide Wi-Fi system for who knows how many more years. It is thinking like that that keeps so many good ideas from ever becoming a reality in our city.

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]]> by: lik roper http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-354 Wed, 23 May 2007 16:31:48 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-354 i mean, let's face it; if you have a 1/4 acre of land in SF, you all put a skyscaper on it, so where are you all going to find decent parrot habitat?...<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> i mean, let’s face it; if you have a 1/4 acre of land in SF, you all put a skyscaper on it, so where are you all going to find decent parrot habitat?…
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]]> by: lik roper http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-353 Wed, 23 May 2007 16:01:38 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-353 why don't you guys do a segment about the SF parrots, and the supervisors recent ass-backwards decision to outlaw feeding them when they have no real natural 24-7/365 day a year food source and/or habitat? what's the matter? don't you want to get the most blog postings ever in the history of humankind, or what?<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> why don’t you guys do a segment about the SF parrots, and the supervisors recent ass-backwards decision to outlaw feeding them when they have no real natural 24-7/365 day a year food source and/or habitat?

what’s the matter? don’t you want to get the most blog postings ever in the history of humankind, or what?

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]]> by: rob bregoff http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-350 Tue, 22 May 2007 16:16:41 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-350 The Mayor's "Free" inferior WiFi that fulfills a deal he made with Google and Earthlink? Why not look around at some of the successful city-owned hi-speed WiFi systems? How about a local Citizens Advisory Committee comprised of the IT people from our top local hi-tech companies? Let the experts design a great system. Gavin's WiFi is far from free, and who wants Google and (Scientologist run)Earthlink harvesting our personal info? Rob<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> The Mayor’s “Free” inferior WiFi that fulfills a deal he made with Google and Earthlink?
Why not look around at some of the successful city-owned hi-speed WiFi systems?
How about a local Citizens Advisory Committee comprised of the IT people from our top local hi-tech companies? Let the experts design a great system.
Gavin’s WiFi is far from free, and who wants Google and (Scientologist run)Earthlink harvesting our personal info?
Rob
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]]> by: Tim Trautmann http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-349 Tue, 22 May 2007 16:16:38 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/talkingpoints/2007/05/18/board-of-supes-delays-free-wifi-for-sf/#comment-349 I am just finishing up a week long trip to Portland Oregon where they already operate a municipal wifi network called MetroFi. My experience with this network was utterly disappointing. During my stay I have not been able to connect using MetroFi once! Chris Daly is right on this issue. This project is a complete waste of resources and effort. The City would have to install WiFi INSIDE buildings and residences for this technology to really work right. Is this going to happen? I think not. A Municipal Fibre Network makes much more sense to me especially as we are moving into an increasingly bandwidth hungry era.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 1</li> </ul> I am just finishing up a week long trip to Portland Oregon where they already operate a municipal wifi network called MetroFi. My experience with this network was utterly disappointing. During my stay I have not been able to connect using MetroFi once!

Chris Daly is right on this issue. This project is a complete waste of resources and effort. The City would have to install WiFi INSIDE buildings and residences for this technology to really work right. Is this going to happen? I think not.

A Municipal Fibre Network makes much more sense to me especially as we are moving into an increasingly bandwidth hungry era.

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