[MLB-WIRELESS] FW: [ptp-general] Startup advice.

[Dan Flett]

Here's a great post from the PersonalTelco list about how to get a community
wireless group started...

Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: general-bounces at lists.personaltelco.net
[mailto:general-bounces at lists.personaltelco.net] On Behalf Of Casey
Halverson
Sent: Friday, 4 March 2005 10:50
To: barber at pbarber.com
Cc: general at lists.personaltelco.net
Subject: RE: [ptp-general] Startup advice.

> at the beginning of PTP...  but, I think you hit the nail on 
> the head when you mentioned having a few core people 
> incolved.  Half a dozen excited, tech-abled people would be 
> more effective in the beginning than 50 people who are "just 
> interested."

Go to a SeattleWireless "General Meeting", and you'll see exactly why
this is the case.

Nearly all of the core SeattleWireless p2p network and other ventures
were a direct product of something we call HackNight.  While a couple
people from time to time show up to ask questions, this is generally the
night of core SWN people to actually accomplish something.  HackNight
over the last year has accomplished more than all other SeattleWireless
years combined.  Its amazing what a small, dedicated core group can do.

I would suggest building as large of a network you possibly can,
documenting your cause on the internet, meeting regularly in a coffee
shop/meeting space with core members, and financing this one on your
own.  Don't waste too much time marketing vapor and advertising.  While
a lot of groups (including SWN) uses these techniques to gain this long
sought after "critical mass", ultimately it was a waste of time.

In the beginning, nobody had line of sight to one another.  That's why
you have to find high places to put antennas.  This should not be a
holding point, never say "well, as soon as we find someone line of
sight, we'll do it...".

Be careful who you give gear to and the arrangements you make.  You
never know if they will quickly lose interest, don't truly have the
authority to offer collocation or it may even come back to haunt you
(seattlewireless.com).  Some people may have great locations, great
line-of-sight, but make your moves wisely.

Finding the best/highest sites will not be easy.  Its non-technical and
more political.  You will need to make good friends and find people
sympathetic to your cause to gain free roof space.  After that, your
financing and technical skills will follow.  And if you ever need any
help, there are a billion other community networks that will answer your
questions.

There is no one magic technology.  Don't ever wait for the next,
greatest technology around the corner that will save your network.  When
it comes, it wont save your network.  The technology today is good
enough.

You will need to dedicate lots of time to your project, at 4-6 hours a
week.  Make use of weekends to gather people for installs...during
install campaigns, it will eat your weekends too.

I don't ever regret venturing into this madness.  Its interesting, and
you learn a little bit on your way.  I could care less about "freeing
the internet from corporate America$#@#", "OPEN SOURCE AND DOWN WITH
MICROSOFT", or "down with the phone company/man/etc/whatever".  I do it
for the thrill and technical aspect.

I hate being long winded on mailing lists, but if I was any help to you,
feel free to ask more.

- Casey Halverson
-- 
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