[isf-wifidog] Fwd: [wsfii-dev] Re: CUWiN follow-up...

Mer 19 Oct 11:42:22 EDT 2005

interesting to take a look at cuwin's interface.  (or at least the mockup)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Sascha Meinrath <sascha at ucimc.org>
Date: Oct 19, 2005 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: [wsfii-dev] Re: CUWiN follow-up...
To: Dana Spiegel <dana at sociabledesign.com>
Cc: Buildign next-generation free information infrastructures
<wsfii-dev at lists.okfn.org>, Schuyler Erle <schuyler at nocat.net>, Bill
Comisky <bcomisky at pobox.com>, Paul Smith <paul at cnt.org>

speaking of APIs, have folks seen the CUWiN node config mockup:

www.cuwireless.net/nodeconfig

--sascha

Dana Spiegel wrote:
> Sorry for being so non-communicative on this end. Been reading the
> posts, but haven't had a chance to respond until now.
>
> (Almost) all of the below is well in line with what NYCwireless wants
> too. We're a little less gung-ho by the art distribution thing, but
> certainly can support it, and would be happy to promote it. Its just not
> a particularly high priority.
>
> That being said, we're especially interested in creating an essentially
> turn-key solution for setting up hotspots + mesh + managed portal and
> stats. Our idea is to have a product that can be sold by local ISPs that
> contains a WifiDog Node and is preconfigured for both the location and
> the ISP's WAN network. To do this, we really need:
>
> 1) unification of firmware contents (wifidog + fff or some other mesh)
> 2) cleaned up UI and streamlined interface for wifidog (this we're
> working on with ISF, based on our meetings at WSFII). We're trying to
> make it so that an average coffeeshop owner can set one of these things
> up and configure the web portal. This will take time, but is a great
> benefit for all
> 3) External APIs for node and location information. Imagine wifithankyou
> automatically figuring out what hotspot you're at when you come to the
> page? Or neighbornode feeding locational information back to the hotspot
> page?
>
> These are the big things for us. As I am one of the people who's good at
> (a) UI and (b) web api's, that's where I'm spending most of my time.
>
> We're also working on a plan to get more hotspots with wifidog out
> there, and have launched a "trade-in" offer, whereby anyone can trade us
> an unconfigured WRT-54G and we'll hand them a fully configured one in
> exchange.
>
>
> *Dana Spiegel*
> *sociableDESIGN*  *::*  *www.sociableDESIGN.com
> <http://www.sociableDESIGN.com>*
> 123 Bank Street, Suite 510, New York, NY 10014
> p  +1 917 402 0422  ::  e  dana at sociableDESIGN.com
> <mailto:dana at sociableDESIGN.com>
>
> Read the Social Technologies blog: http://www.sociabledesign.com/blog
> Read the Wireless Community blog: http://www.wirelesscommunity.info
>
>
>
> Michael Lenczner wrote:
>
>>Here goes.  Benoit might have different comments, but this is my
>>understanding of where we are on the following points:
>>
>>On 10/16/05, Saul Albert <saul at twenteenthcentury.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>On Fri, Oct 14, 2005 at 01:25:01PM -0500, Sascha Meinrath wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>1. Network Infrastructure
>>>>>   - mesh
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>We got started again on it after 1 1/2 years.  It's going well.  But
>>we need to improve both our technical and real-world knowledge of
>>deployment.  And we need to work on social innovation (killer apps,
>>how we "market" it to non-geeks)
>>
>>
>>>>>   - splash
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>full-speed ahead.  we have a bit of money for UI both to improve user
>>view and admin view.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - local storage
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>zilch
>>
>>
>>>>>   - bandwidth shaping
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>working on it.  very hopeful about having something in place in the
>>near future.
>>
>>
>>>>>   - metadata exchange
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>Benoit's working with Jo on this.  Knowing them, I have high hopes.
>>
>>
>>>>>   - authentication / id-sharing
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>This we are interested in, but no one's looking at it.  We could use
>>help both with technology and figuring out use-cases.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>2. Applications / Content
>>>>>   - network monitoring
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>We're doing well with that both with wifidog and installing with snmp
>>on our nodes.  Have to figure out how to use some of our these tools
>>for mesh nodes.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - analysis tools
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>We have all the stats of usage we could have, except where people surf
>>or which ports they use.   And most of the analysis's look pretty,
>>too.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - Mapping Annotation
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>Nothing.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - Displaying geolocated content
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>We have a powerful system to tie content to hotspots.  but not to gis
>>coords.  Benoit understand the scenario a lot better from meeting with
>>chris, jo, schulyer, and is interested in working on it (GIS) and
>>there is interest from several vols - but no time right now.  We could
>>use help or resources to integrate this better / work faster on it.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - events
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>Interested, but no time to work on this right now.  We would love to
>>tie this into what we're doing at our hotspots.  I think we will have
>>to *make* time because of how important this is. But it really has to
>>be presented with a gis system to be cool.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - peer produced / micro-produced content
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>This we should be doing *very* well in 6 months.  We will be using our
>>portal page to solicit neighborhood artists in 1 month in a program
>>called quARTier.  Wireless Toronto will be launching a similar project
>>soon as well.  This should proceed well on a volunteer level so no
>>need for cash.
>>
>>
>>>>>   - civic data
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>I think we'll have a group similar to theyworkforus in 2-3 months.
>>Then we'll have to look at what other kind of data we can collect.
>>I'm trying to make sure this is a separate group from ISF.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - user interaction & communication
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>We need to bring neighbornode http://neighbornode.net/ and placesite
>>http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/~savage/ps/ into the fold.  These could
>>be extremely important to help move mesh nodes.  I've talked to both
>>of them and they are receptive, they both have their own platforms
>>right now.  I would like to see someone put together a residential
>>neighbornode-type skin for wifidog specifically to sell mesh-nodes.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>   - currency / trading / barter systems
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>zilch
>>
>>
>>>>>3. Development / Organisation
>>>>>   - sustainable communications & neutral-ground hosting
>>>>>   - integrated shared code repository
>>>>>   - sustainable project roles / responsibilities
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>
>>Sorry if this was too navel-gazing to be helpful.  But I did want to
>>share that we will be trying to pull all of this stuff together in the
>>near future.
>>
>>And we're working on having a north american wsfii in the spring, so
>>that should help move things along as well.
>>
>>And btw:   we just hit 10,000 users 2 days ago! (with currently 60
>>hotspots).  with 70% of them having logged in at least twice in the
>>last 6 months.
>>
>>cheers,
>>mike
>>
>>
>>
>>>>All three of these areas fit with CUWiN's vision (though some of the
>>>>sub-components -- e.g., barter systems -- are a bit beyond our primary work
>>>>;). One major aspect of building this collaboration (along with
>>>>    everything open source, which is a fundamental assumption) is
standardizing
>>>>interfaces/APIs/etc. in a way that facilitates interoperability.
>>>>Unfortunately, to do this requires building some sort of network among the
>>>>projects -- some sort of "glue" to help pull everything together, identify
>>>>areas where various components can be standardized, and facilitate that
>>>>standardization among the groups.  WSFII has the potential to be this
>>>>bridge among the projects -- and I'd like to help that along; but it sounds
>>>>also like WSFII is attempting to do this without funding or resources --
>>>>which makes this job tremendously more difficult.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>hmm.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>It would be good to expand on this list then make a wiki page for each
>>>>>one - with best advice etc.. The shared code repository etc.. seems like
>>>>>a big co-ordination challenge somehow - and making sure everything plays
>>>>>nicely with everything else. But then, maybe not so if we have a good
>>>>>wsfii-dev group.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>What we need is some entity that is pulling information (instead of relying
>>>>on the various component projects to push info onto a wiki, CMS, etc.).
>>>>And I think that all the different organizations/projects involved would
>>>>greatly benefit from this.  So, in my mind, the question really is, how do
>>>>we find the funding/support/initiative to make this happen?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Maybe it's worth approaching the Djursland institute and seeing if they
>>>could host a researcher to do this? I think they are already planning to
>>>invite people from the n corners of free infrastructures to do workshops
>>>/ presentations.  Maybe it would be useful if when those people came to
>>>present, someone was there collecting, noting and redistributing
>>>information about this group of functionalities / projects.
>>>
>>>I think fund-raising for positions in academic institutions like this
>>>would be much easier than getting a self-contained project off the
>>>ground.
>>>
>>>Alternatively, the ilesansfil group seem to have the largest user-base
>>>with the most interesting use-patterns of any free network I know of (ie.
>>>people are using their system to auth and get meta-data about their
>>>environment already). Mike, Benoit and Francois showed some pretty
>>>impressive analysis views of use patterns etc.
>>>
>>>Given that there's this existing lively free network with a great deal of
>>>momentum, maybe we could try support someone in their network to do this
>>>integration-type work.. with voluntary help and support from the various
>>>other projects. I like the idea of experimenting on canadians then
>>>implementing on Londoners...  :) Mike? do you know of any opportunities
>>>to do something like this?
>>>
>>>X
>>>
>>>S.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>wsfii-dev mailing list
>>>wsfii-dev at lists.okfn.org
>>>http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/wsfii-dev
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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>>
>>

--
Sascha Meinrath
Policy Analyst    *  Project Coordinator  *  President
Free Press       *** CU Wireless Network *** Acorn Active Media
www.freepress.net *  www.cuwireless.net   *  www.acornactivemedia.com

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