<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">
<TITLE>RE: [MLB-WIRELESS] grumpy people - get a move on</TITLE>
<META content="MSHTML 5.00.3315.2870" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=471521804-09012002>Hear
Hear</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV align=left class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> ABBENHUYS, Ryan
[mailto:rabbenhuys@mfbb.vic.gov.au]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, January 09,
2002 2:36 PM<BR><B>To:</B>
'melbwireless@melbwireless.dyndns.org'<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [MLB-WIRELESS]
grumpy people - get a move on<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>
<P><FONT size=2>Alex,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>I think the main thing slowing people down at the moment are
access to wireless cards and other equipment.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>I mean
look at all the people who jumped up and down when I said I could get 20
Orinoco Silvers for AU$115 each from the states. These are all people
who are obviously not active but want to be and just needed some motivation
like this.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I think if we can strike up some deals to obtain cheaper
cards, antennas and anything else required then things will move along
faster. A good idea for antennas might be for a couple of enthusiastic
people to go and find as many Galaxy antennas as possible and sell them to
list members for $25-35 after they have been modified to work for
802.11.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I'm sure when you ask most people who aren't yet operating
what is holding them back, most of them are going to say, ah well, it's just
getting equipment and stuff together. So the solution is, make it easier
for them to obtain some or all of the equipment.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Then interest will surely increase exponentially as their
friends see something in operation and want to jump on the wireless bandwagon
too. </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>I've got many friends who i've crapped on about wireless stuff
to since I became interested and most of them say the same thing, "Sounds
pretty cool, but I'd like to see it going."</FONT></P><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>-----Original Message-----</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>From: Alex
F [<A
href="mailto:alexf@optushome.com.au">mailto:alexf@optushome.com.au</A>]</FONT>
<BR><FONT size=2>Sent: Wednesday, 9 January 2002 13:50</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>At 12:44 PM 9/01/2002, you wrote:</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>I agree with this.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Has anyone else had
a look at the statistics on the node database & map?</FONT> <BR><FONT
size=2>Total of 301 nodes registered.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>There are about
18 nodes "operational", let's say 20 to count those who </FONT><BR><FONT
size=2>haven't updated their status.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>What's the point
here?</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>A pretty sparse node map and not many
operational nodes after many months </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>in Melb Wireless'
existence?</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>I think there is some lack of motivation to get this thing up
and running, </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>even as a community based network without
leeches and internet </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>access. There are
many nodes which are interested, but won't commit to </FONT><BR><FONT
size=2>buying anything unless their nearest node (or someone else in range)
</FONT><BR><FONT size=2>becomes operational to give them someone to connect
to. We get into a </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>cycle just with this.
Some people probably wouldn't even fork out $50 for </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>an
antenna or go to the effort of setting up, even if you gave them a
</FONT><BR><FONT size=2>wireless network card for FREE, in the chance that
there won't be anyone to </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>connect to.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Now let's say that every node becomes "operational", there are
still plenty </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>of nodes on the fringes who would out of
range to someone. What's the </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>motivation for
these people to get set up?</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Have I missed anything?</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>We have to
find a way of achieving critical mass and moving forward.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Alex F</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>BGI, operational</FONT>
</P><CODE><FONT
size=3><BR><BR>___________________________<BR><BR>WARNING<BR>This email and
any attachment may contain confidential information. If you are not the
intended recipient you are not authorised to copy or disclose all or any part
of it without the prior written consent of the Metropolitan Fire and Emergency
Services
Board.<BR>___________________________<BR></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></CODE></BODY></HTML>