Comments on: The Death of Free Wi-Fi http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/ Insight and Analysis from North of the Border Fri, 05 Dec 2008 11:01:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Mark Evans http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-89074 Mark Evans Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:37:17 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-89074 Brydon, I've haven't heard much about FON since they raised some venture capital, but I'll definitely check out what they're doing. Mark Brydon,

I’ve haven’t heard much about FON since they raised some venture capital, but I’ll definitely check out what they’re doing.

Mark

]]> By: brydon http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-85854 brydon Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:49:49 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-85854 Have you heard about what Fon's up to? http://www.fon.com/en/ Have you heard about what Fon’s up to? http://www.fon.com/en/

]]> By: Geoff http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-82038 Geoff Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:00:52 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-82038 @Adam - I disagree. Everyone I know agrees that if you come across a wifi network that doesn't require a password to access, the owner has provided tacit approval for anyone to access. It's like putting a sofa on the street in front of your house, then getting pissed when someone sits on it. If it's in the public domain (not on your property) and it's not locked, it's not stealing. By the way, always went to pizza place at the end of the week and gave them a huge tip on the purchase of a pizza. Was I stealing? @Adam -

I disagree. Everyone I know agrees that if you come across a wifi network that doesn’t require a password to access, the owner has provided tacit approval for anyone to access.

It’s like putting a sofa on the street in front of your house, then getting pissed when someone sits on it. If it’s in the public domain (not on your property) and it’s not locked, it’s not stealing.

By the way, always went to pizza place at the end of the week and gave them a huge tip on the purchase of a pizza. Was I stealing?

]]> By: Mark Evans http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81449 Mark Evans Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:19:33 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81449 Adam: I don't look at it as stealing. I see it as borrowing as long as you don't abuse it. Mark Adam:

I don’t look at it as stealing. I see it as borrowing as long as you don’t abuse it.

Mark

]]> By: Adam http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81433 Adam Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:26:21 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81433 So by free wi-fi, you just mean stolen wi-fi? Just because someone didn't lock down their network doesn't mean you have every right to use it. So by free wi-fi, you just mean stolen wi-fi? Just because someone didn’t lock down their network doesn’t mean you have every right to use it.

]]> By: Mark Evans http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81237 Mark Evans Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:12:26 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81237 Geoff, I'll have to check it out. I ran into the same "problem" in Creemore, which led to me parking outside someone's house so I could check e-mail. :) Geoff,

I’ll have to check it out. I ran into the same “problem” in Creemore, which led to me parking outside someone’s house so I could check e-mail. :)

]]> By: Geoff http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81190 Geoff Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:29:06 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81190 Mark, your post brought back great(?) memories of sitting outside the pizza place in Bayfield every morning until they opened. Stopped going to that cottage a couple of years ago. Wonder if the wifi is still open there? Mark, your post brought back great(?) memories of sitting outside the pizza place in Bayfield every morning until they opened. Stopped going to that cottage a couple of years ago. Wonder if the wifi is still open there?

]]> By: Mack D. Male http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81179 Mack D. Male Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:51:58 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81179 I don't think free wi-fi is finished. There's some really cool things happening actually! In my city for example (Edmonton), the city council is supporting a number of "eZones" and have committed to adding more. All of the public library locations have free wi-fi. There's also a loose (and growing) organization of businesses that have started using mesh networking to enable wi-fi along one of our most famous streets (http://www.wirelessedmonton.ca). In my experience, finding an open network is actually pretty easy. Finding one outside a residential area that doesn't restrict ports is quite a bit more difficult however. I don’t think free wi-fi is finished. There’s some really cool things happening actually! In my city for example (Edmonton), the city council is supporting a number of “eZones” and have committed to adding more. All of the public library locations have free wi-fi. There’s also a loose (and growing) organization of businesses that have started using mesh networking to enable wi-fi along one of our most famous streets (http://www.wirelessedmonton.ca).

In my experience, finding an open network is actually pretty easy. Finding one outside a residential area that doesn’t restrict ports is quite a bit more difficult however.

]]> By: David S. ( @seemsArtless ) http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81162 David S. ( @seemsArtless ) Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:25:24 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81162 Shame there isn't a way to configure a WiFi router to provide a bit of public low bandwidth access -- enough to let people check e-mail, or do a slow search or load a Google Maps page. Enough for them to get simple things done, but not nearly enough bandwith that anyone would want to stick around. Shame there isn’t a way to configure a WiFi router to provide a bit of public low bandwidth access — enough to let people check e-mail, or do a slow search or load a Google Maps page. Enough for them to get simple things done, but not nearly enough bandwith that anyone would want to stick around.

]]> By: Trevor Stafford http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81141 Trevor Stafford Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:13:12 +0000 http://www.markevanstech.com/2008/07/22/the-death-of-free-wi-fi/#comment-81141 I'm not sure that free-fi will die. If anything, we could see demand once again create supply. What I hope we see is 3g devices that give users the option to 'turn off' the carrier data connection driving free wi-fi. It wouldn't be the first time we've seen this sort of backwards adoption. Given the prevalence of laptops, phones and epcs, there's an increasingly desperate need for it. Will businesses catch on to the fact that iPhone owners and other high-end device users tend to be members of a higher tax bracket? What about charities? A smart charity could set up free wi-fi stations in public spaces and ask for donations from users. I'd chip in a few bucks. Perhaps commercial wireless kiosks that don't charge an absurd 8/h? I'm exasperated at the lack of free wi-fi and I'm jealous of the few US cities that have implemented it municipally. Is that realistic for cash-strapped Toronto? In case you haven't heard of it, there's a website that lists free wi-fi spots in and around Toronto. http://wirelesstoronto.ca/wt_use.php (I've memorized local free spots, one of which is Pizza Rustica at Wellington/John, mmmm) I’m not sure that free-fi will die. If anything, we could see demand once again create supply.

What I hope we see is 3g devices that give users the option to ‘turn off’ the carrier data connection driving free wi-fi. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen this sort of backwards adoption.

Given the prevalence of laptops, phones and epcs, there’s an increasingly desperate need for it.

Will businesses catch on to the fact that iPhone owners and other high-end device users tend to be members of a higher tax bracket? What about charities? A smart charity could set up free wi-fi stations in public spaces and ask for donations from users. I’d chip in a few bucks. Perhaps commercial wireless kiosks that don’t charge an absurd 8/h?

I’m exasperated at the lack of free wi-fi and I’m jealous of the few US cities that have implemented it municipally. Is that realistic for cash-strapped Toronto?

In case you haven’t heard of it, there’s a website that lists free wi-fi spots in and around Toronto.

http://wirelesstoronto.ca/wt_use.php

(I’ve memorized local free spots, one of which is Pizza Rustica at Wellington/John, mmmm)

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