Using WiFi to Bridge the Digital Divide

andori writes "CNN is running a story about how WiFi is enabling low-income residents Internet access. The project is set at a public housing development in Boston, Massachusetts. Residents buy the WiFi NIC, and the access if free. It is nice to see people making an effort to expand the reach of the Internet to a broader audience."

Nice

[Anonymous Coward]

until all the spammers move into that apartment building, that is.

That's good!

[MikeXpop]

Now not only the people in rich neighborhoods get free internet! I love my neighbors, and their 802.11b wireless internet =D

true

[Joe the Lesser]

"Many people point to issues of democracy and public participation and dialogue, and having access to what the Internet brings is really important, she said."

I agree. Pr0n is important.

Free Porn!

[steelerguy]

Isn't it a fundamental right to be able to d/l porn?

Just Great!

[bastardman]

With projects like these it is no wonder that there are millions of newbies trying to play online games. Just the other day some newbie told me he could kick my ass in Quake 3... well one thing lead to another, and now he's dead. Moral of the story, some people shouldn't be on the internet.

Dead?

[yerricde]

Just the other day some newbie told me he could kick my ass in Quake 3... well one thing lead to another, and now he's dead.

Do you mean "dead" within the game and will respawn in five seconds, or "dead" outside the game, never to respawn?

Hey! Great Idea

[ransom2003]

Now how about free internet for the middle-class? eh? eh? C'mon, I live out in the sticks and the fastest internet available to me is 56k :( GIVE ME BANDWIDTH!!!!

Money from Nigeria? Way out of poverty

[Nikk Name]

With WiFi, the poor can take advantage of the many wealth-building opportunities provided by the Internet, ranging from multi-million dollar gifts from Nigeria to sure-thing casino accounts to free university diplomas.

just what they need

[nomadic]

Now they can work crushing hours doing horrible manual labor, then come home after their 12 hour shift and read slashdot, where they'll find out that they're poor because they're "lazy". Great that they'll now have a place to listen to spoiled rich kids whine about how the government steals their money and gives it to all those undeserving poor people.

Digital Divide?

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, it's about time someone did something about that. The gap between "1" and "0" has always struck me as one which needs to be narrowed...

Re:I do that now..

[protonman]

> Their mailing list is worth its weight in gold.

That doesn't sound too great, you know.

Re:When I was down and out...

[An Onerous Coward]

"If someone is poor because they are fiscally irresponsable, do you think the Internet is going to leave them worse off than they were before?"

Two words for you. E. Bay.

Cheers!

Re:That's good!

[digitalsushi]

Actually we found that looking his neighbor up in the phone book worked quite well :P