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The Digital DivideJuly 3, 2007 This post is really subtitled "Why I haven't posted in a few days." The answer is that with every trip to visit my parents in West Virginia I am reminded of the realities of the digtial divide. While I may blog here about cool new tools and web services for your libraries, let me assure you that I am indeed very much aware of the digital divide. One of my frustrations with over-active filtering and removal of all social aspects to the Internet in schools and libraries is that these two places are often the only sources of broadband access for rural populations. The world can be flat, but only when physical seclusion can be overcome by virtual connectivity.The connectivity simply is not there in places like western New York and West Virginia. My parents, for instance, cannot have broadband because there is simply no provider. They cannot get cable, cannot get DSL, and can't even dream of fiber to the premesis. On a good day, they can get 28.8 on their modem. Checking e-mail meant a visit to the local coffee shop or gas station (yes...they have wi-fi!). When you find yourself in this type of situation, the web does have one possible answer. A new social site is developing with the objective of mapping free wi-fi access points. WeFi uses an overlay on Google Maps to display recorded hot spots. While the resulting map is rich in data for major metropolitan areas like NYC (where Manhattan alone has over 3,000 mapped access points) be warned that the map is much less populated in the areas with the greatest need - like West Virginia. If you are interested, you can download the WeFi client (Windows only download at this point...Mac coming soon!) to start adding hot spots to the map in your area. Posted by Chris Harris on July 3, 2007 | Comments (13)
July 4, 2007
In response to: The Digital Divide Diane Chen commented: Chris, Such a timely post. I have spent this week exploring areas in the Mount Juliet and east Nashville suburbs looking for wi-fi access points. I called the public library and they agreed that they really should know about these, but didn't. I informed them of several they didn't know existed in our community. I stopped at several banks and asked them. They added a spot or two to the list and pleaded that I return with a list for them and their customers. I have been fretting all week that no one was mapping these points on the web and here you post with an answer. Excellent! I hope we can enlist many others to participate in this mapping of our country. I have already visited several businesses to check their status. My husband and I have made a point of informing the owners that we are shopping/dining/recommending their business to others because they provide free wi-fi. I have also informed the Starbucks owners why I will choose Panera breads over them because of Panera's free wi-fi as opposed to Starbucks T-Mobile hotzone pay sites. Democracy and economic realities will bring about change.
July 9, 2007
In response to: The Digital Divide David commented: This WeFi thing can be a solution. I read what they write on the site - and what I love about it is that every time a person connects to some WiFi hotspot and "maps" it, this spot becomes immediately available to the whole community! If we each download their software to our laptops, and with near-zero effort map the hotspots which we usually use, pretty soon these free wifi maps will help everyone.
August 7, 2007
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December 5, 2008
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July 29, 2009
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July 29, 2009
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July 29, 2009
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July 29, 2009
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July 30, 2009
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July 30, 2009
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