vision2020
RE: moscow wireless
Thanks, Shahab, for these insights. In particular, I wish to comment
on your remark about the City Administrator's discomfort at allowing
citizens access to more information on city affairs. Assuming this
statement is fully accurate, I am persuaded that the lack of adequate
information about governmental process, policy formulation,
organizational matters, decision-making and the like, is at the root
of the increasing disillusionment by the public with our elected
representatives. I have served, over the past 50 years, at Federal,
State and Local levels of government and can attest to the fact that
over the years, openness of government has declined, while the
influences of special interests and money have greatly increased.
While we encounter, as citizens, more and more problems requiring
uses of tax dollars, our government officials have become less
accessible, less open, and more partisan than ever before. From my 27
years in academia, university governance has followed a similar
pattern. People are more and more "closed out" of the very system
they pay for and "control".
What is the real motivation for a city employee to want to
restrict information to the public? Personnel actions, yes. But
management, policy review, budget, safety, zoning, etc. -- who is
going to suffer?
If these trends continue, the average citizen will be shut
out of most of the major decisions affecting their lives, and the
power of lobbies and special interest money will steadily increase.
If citizens refuse to engage in town meetings and the like, they must
face the bitter truth: Democracy is dying as we know it
constitutionally. Campaign reform and reform of the lobby system are
essential, at all levels of government. Who really care about this
issue?
>Dear friends,
>
>Since this is my area I will explain it a bit. 802.11b is a variety of
>Ethernet. Ethernet is the predominant networking medium for today's
>networks. Just like the wired variety the wireless gives much better access
>speeds than the slow wireless internet and allows for full services of a
>complete network. You can do everything that you could if you were wired to
>the network but you are not limited by having a wire dangle off you!
>Typically, 802.11b allows you to have a 10Mbs access which is the same as
>the older wired variety.
>
>In the comprehensive information technology plan for the city I used 802.11b
>technology which would have blanketed the whole city but that whole plan was
>scraped by the city administration since other sections of it would give the
>residents of this area way more access to public information than they were
>comfortable with! If you have more detailed questions feel free to ask.
>
>Shahab...
>
>Shahab Mesbah
>Technical Director
>Meteor Light Labs
>Voice (208) 883-9765
>Fax (208) 883-2678
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Sam Scripter [mailto:MoscowSam@moscow.com]
>Sent: Monday, October 30, 2000 1:43 PM
>To: Ry Jones; vision2020@moscow.com
>Subject: Re: moscow wireless
>
>This is an all-new concept to me. I find it hard to
>respond without knowing more.
>
>E.g., what does "802.11b" access mean?
>
>Who is employing it; where? Why does anyone think
>it is worthwhile?
>
>Do I read this correctly to mean that if installed
>somewhere, I can open up my notebook computer, on
>my lap, while sitting on the infamous white porcelain
>monument to great efforts, and if in "radio" range,
>view web pages??? !!!!
>
>Is there some reason that I, or others need this?
>
>Like I have been a computerist for 37 years and
>10 months, but ....... I guess I am falling behind
>in my technical awareness. ;(
>
>Sam Scripter
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Ry Jones" <rjones@airgap.net>
>To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
>Sent: Monday, October 30, 2000 1:17 PM
>Subject: moscow wireless
>
>
>> Hello,
>> I am involved in a project in Seattle which has as a goal spreading
>> 802.11b access to the Seattle area (http://www.seattlewireless.net).
>> This is not the same as wireless internet access; think of it more as
> > wireless community network access.
>
>(Snip)
Back to TOC