Josh made a blog post recently about the Champaign-Urbana Community Wireless Network (CUWiN), and that project has been stuck in my head ever since. Through a series of PCs in people’s homes and businesses, and off-the-shelf 802.11 networking and cheap antennas, they link together a community broadband networking all through wireless. If some of these nodes also connect to the Internet, you could use this wireless community network (WCN) as your Internet source.

Their solution is completely dynamic, with no individual configuration of the nodes. You boot the software and go. You treat an old PC (or their special hardware,) like your cable modem. It has that same appeal as satellite TV has for “f you’ing” the cable company, their increasing rates, their limited services. This allows broadband to just grow, without huge infrastructure costs (which the cable/DSL customers absorb.)

It also appeases the geek in me for its routing and technologies. Unfortunately, I’m the wireless janitor for CS, and although I know a bunch about how it functionally works, I can’t imagine doing something like this. Dynamic routing in a truly dynamic network, etc. I’ve got a list of questions for them that I’ll eventually clean up and send in.

I found Josh’s link to them about the same time I read about a guy who made his wireless network ’safe’ by making it insecure (Salon 5/18/2004). It’s a wireless tech, like me, who opened up his home WiFi router to the world because it indemnifies him against being the one causing any problems. If they catch file sharing on his network, there’s no way the RIAA can prove it’s him and not an anonymous stranger using his network. I am not a lawyer, but I think that’s an interesting case, and tied into the CUWiN well. One of the questions I have for their project is how they justify sharing a cable modem or DSL line and doesn’t that break the providers Terms of Service.

I’m just throwing this out for other smart people to read, and think about. I would consider joining in my new house if I can do it affordably, I am not the only node in the area (a network of one is a strongly connected, but insignificant,) and I didn’t have to share my Internet (until I was convinced that was “a good thing.”) What do you think?

There are some things in life that hurt right away, and there are some things that are tolerable when they happen but get you later. Instant things are easy, like burning yourself or telling an offensive joke to someone who is offended. Others bite you later, like when they don’t act offended but get pissed at you for said joke. (I only bring that up because I watched Lewis Black’s new HBO special, and he finds the edge of funny and dances all over that line.)

What’s “biting” me today are some mosquito bites from the other night. It was great - we sat around outside, and then played mini-golf and hit the batting cages at like 10pm. But the bugs got me too, although I didn’t notice them at the time. A few days later, though, my ankles and legs are killing me. I also sliced myself with some cardboard with a pretty heinous papercut Sunday night, and although I noticed it at the time, it’s really burning today. It’s right in the crease between my palm and my pinky, and everytime I move my hand or get it wet it’s like I’m being cut all over again. But it didn’t bother me so much when it happened.

That and the house purchase. I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I’m a little nervous I spent out of my range, but I think a home is one of those things if you need to spend a little more to be happy, go for it. I know the house is going to be great, but I’m concerned what my bottom line is going to be, especially during the transition months. Tack onto that a Vegas trip in three weeks with money I don’t want to spend, and I’m antsy. I have a feeling I’ll bring a moderate wad of cash, play for a bit, and if I’m not even or ahead the guilt is going to get to me and take the fun away (as if losing didn’t do that already.) I need to get a few more pictures of the house, and the inspection is set for next week. I guess the other thing I dislike is the waiting. Sign a contract, wait for some incidentals, and then wait 60 days before I can play with my very, very expensive new toy. Buying a house is somewhat like stubbing your toe, I guess. You do it, and then you have to wait to see if it is really bad, or if it’s just okay.

I don’t like bug bites, papercuts, or stubbing my toe.