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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This has been brought to my attention
already...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have sent email to both the editor and the
"journalist" in regards to how the quotes he used have been twisted to make us
look like the bad guys. There are numerous factual and contextual problems with
the article as published... This leads the reader to the wrong impression. I am
still waiting for their reply.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At no point did I say that we're trying to provide
an internet service to members. I said that it's under investigation, and when
asked if it will be connected to the internet, I said "Not yet, but you never
know what happens" it might be one day.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></EM></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><EM><FONT face=Arial size=2>"However, Melbourne
Wireless' approach has drawn ire from other community organisations and wireless
gear suppliers."</FONT></EM></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=storyText><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would like to see where this claim
comes from? We have had a lot of support from lots of companies, individuals,
and have been well received by other community groups. Hardware manufacturers
have been offering their support and asking how they can make some products more
suitable to our needs. The only 'ire' I am aware of is that of certain members
of particular groups in Sydney - none of which have attended any meetings or
given any input to working groups, but frequently fire shots at our mailing list
on how things should be run. I don't know exactly how AWA / Sydney Wireless is
run or operated, so I don't fire shots at them on their lists. I think the same
is fair to expect from Sydney-siders, don't you?</FONT></P>
<P class=storyText>The article also quoted: </P>
<P class=storyText><EM><FONT face=Arial size=2>"In Melbourne, Haigh said
spectrum pollution complaints made against the Melbourne Wireless by
Adelaide-based Integrity Data Systems were dismissed by the ACA, claiming that
none of the access points that were the subject of complaints were found to be
operating illegally. "Everything we do is compliant with the class licence," he
said"</FONT></EM></P>
<P class=storyText><FONT face=Arial size=2>This is also untrue. No complaints
have been received by Melbourne Wireless from IDS. IDS have however claimed that
some individual operators - that have no relation what-so-ever with Melbourne
Wireless - had been exceeding the class license limits, yet from our discussions
with the ACA, all parties that IDS have informed the ACA about, have been
operating within the class license limits. The ACA has not contacted Melbourne
Wireless regarding *any* possible breaches of the class license.</FONT></P>
<P class=storyText>I'm willing to put this article down as bad journalism at the
moment, but as I said, am still waiting for a reply from it-news regarding the
article. As they say, badly written and controversial articles give more
hits and mean more advertising dollars, so I'm not expecting them to change it
anytime soon...</P>
<P class=storyText></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>Signed,<BR>Steven
Haigh<BR>President - Melbourne Wireless<BR><A
href="http://www.wireless.org.au">www.wireless.org.au</A><BR></P></FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=xfesty@computeraddictions.com.au
href="mailto:xfesty@computeraddictions.com.au">xfesty</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=syd-wireless@lists.sydneywireless.com
href="mailto:syd-wireless@lists.sydneywireless.com">syd-wireless@lists.sydneywireless.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=melbwireless@wireless.org.au
href="mailto:melbwireless@wireless.org.au">melbwireless@wireless.org.au</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, July 23, 2002 3:48
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [MLB-WIRELESS] ITNews
Story.</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.itnews.com.au/story.cfm?ID=10341"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"
size=3>http://www.itnews.com.au/story.cfm?ID=10341</FONT></A><BR><BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman" size=3>Just read that URL. I'm a slight bit
peeved after reading it. I don't<BR>understand how one man could
make Melb Wireless look so freakin' bad.<BR><BR>I think this one
quote is relevant, where the incompetency shines out:<BR><BR>> Melbourne
Wireless president Steven Haigh said his organisation is not<BR>trying to
undercut the ISPs. "At the moment, we are not trying to rival the<BR>ISPS at
all," he said.<BR>> "Not yet, but you never know what happens," he
added.<BR><BR>....thankyou for the great representation of community networks,
Mr. "War on ISP's".<BR><BR>I've not heard a lot from Haigh, but I've heard him
*continually* contradict<BR>himself, and generally make Melbourne Wireless
(and community wireless<BR>groups in general) look very taunting to
telecommunication corporations.<BR>Its evident even in that one article.
Thank god Duane has half a clue on<BR>how to explain things, which stopped the
article from going the way it<BR>seemed to be headed.<BR><BR>I'm strongly of
the opinion that Haigh may mean the end of free community<BR>wireless in
Australia. Statements that he makes *all the time* is going to<BR>get us
killed. The reason we are here is because this is a hobby,
not<BR>because we're deliberately trying to rip off a company. Our
represented<BR>attitudes is directly dependent on how the 'giants' handle
us. I honestly<BR>do believe its possible that they could kill us
completely off, if they<BR>wanted.<BR><BR>Melb Wireless - I'm not sure if I'm
the only one who feels this way, but you<BR>may want to re-evaluate who you
have as your head man. Remember - these<BR>people are representing YOU,
and the future of community networks.<BR>Personally I'm satisfied with people
like Craig and Duane, who in media-type<BR>situations have expressed the
community's general interest accurately, and<BR>not make us look like a bunch
of warez kiddies. That's certainly not why<BR>I'm
here.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>My general
problem is the fact that anything Haigh says to represent Melb Wireless just
doesn't nessecarily reflect them; it actually reflects any community group in
Australia. And as a result of that, we get the repercussions of such
statements that he may make. I'm not comfortable with that, or the way
things may be headed if this keeps up.</DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><BR>I think
we all need to look at the big picture again and realise why we
want<BR>this. People are getting a /tad/ distracted.<BR><BR>-
Ryan</FONT><BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></BODY></HTML>