October 02, 2005

Google SF. Google offers a bid to provide free city-wide WiFi in San Francisco. Some project that this is just the first big step at providing nation-wide WiFi.
posted by Zanshin 18 years ago
  • That's great. On a side note: I would love to see Google get into the operating system game. A Google *nix based O.S. would rock. Something that was easy to use but stable and virus free like Mac OS X. There are allot of Linuxs out there but none of them that my grandma could use.I think Google could accomplish that goal. Windows Vista is going to be bloat ware and make "obsolete" 99% of the PCs on the market today. This is the time for Google to move on and idea like that, IMHO. This free WI FI thing rocks but I wonder if it's EVDO.
  • As for a *nix flavor that your grandma could use, you should check out ubuntu. It bills itself as "Linux For Human Beings" (it's actually a fork of the Debian project, with many improvements from a "first time Linux user" perspective), and having recently taken my first step into the world of Linux with it, I'd have to say it's an extremely friendly yet featured introduction to the OS.
  • Nope, Ubuntu isn't there yet. For instance you can't play a dvd on it without breaking the law. Also wget is crap compared to emerge. Long story short: linux ain't there yet. Also program installation and driver support is pain the ass. No I was thinking more along the lines of the money Google could bring to ease of use development.
  • you can't play a dvd on it without breaking the law Please.
  • Well Skirk you should check the DMCA here in America. It's entirely illegal to play a DVD movie on a Linux system. That's why when you download or buy a distro you have do some script editing and download DeCSS. It's stupid, I know, and most people choose to break the law; but in times where the RIAA are persecuting children for downloading MP3s... it's a risk. Please.
  • I like the idea of wifi coverage, but doesn't SF already have SFnet? I know its grassroots and doesn't have all the coverage, but corporations scare me. The first thing that I could see happening is google getting attacked by their opponents in business or government for creating a 'dangerous haven for hackers and pirates (don't forget terrorists)' and demanding oversight on the network. This would open the door for google to start collecting information on what you're doing on their network, not just for 'security' but why not also use that information for data-mining, I mean they already have the data and it IS their network. It isn't like we haven't already seen people being harrassed for using open networks before. Besides, many in our country distrust those with progressive ideas and SF is a progressive city.