Why do we care if Redmond gets Free high-speed internet access. I'm not even sure where Redmond is.

I think the idea is MS could one-up competitor Google by providing Seattle with free WiFi.

At least Redmond has a few residents (certainly not a majority though) that might be able to use it, but could never afford it.

I can't say the same about Mountain View, California. The people who don't already have broadband internet in that city are probably too busy polishing off their yachts in Pacifica as we speak.

Qwest is blocking any free municipal broadband while refusing to invest in infrastructure. Classy.

Plenty of poor folks in crappy apartments in Mountain View. I'm sure they'd like some free wireless. I'm not sure Google fully understands what kind of customer-support hell they're about to enter into; the high price of internet service weeds out at least some of the hopeless and clueless population, but now there's no barrier at all. But then, I suppose they can adopt the Comcast model: "Customer service? What's that?"

If they're providing it for free and wirelessly, I don't think they'll need to worry about customer service, since no one will be a "customer." It's like plugging your laptop into an outlet in a public park. If the outlet doesn't work, tough shit, you're not going to call the city and expect them to send a technician around.

"the high price of internet service weeds out at least some of the hopeless and clueless population, but now there's no barrier at all."

I think including lower income people for once would be a good idea and is much needed. The lower class is being shut out of good schools, as well as other avenues for opportunity. The internet would at least give everyone the same access to porn.

And good point, Tone, you get what you pay for.

Personally, if Microsoft is going to invest money in infrastructure around here, I'd like to see them put it into transportation improvements.

Of course if microsoft started setting up municipal wifi many would say it is a cynical ploy on m$fts part to try to make entire municipalities dependent upon them for their access to information. It could quite possibly inspire some to suggest that it is an anticomptetitive practice or a move by microsoft to try to monopolize local markets... that its a malevolent effort to use their size and cash resources to provide a "free" service, thus running other regional companies (like speakeasy) out of business just like big airlines used to do to get rid of regional carriers.

But if its google it can't possibly be any of those things (do no evil), and now that Google has floated the idea if M$ST does follow suit they'll get bashed for being unoriginal thus validate google's superiority....

But now that I think of it, why doesn't apple listen up, too? They've got all these sexy white machines floating around, why doesn't steve jobs make an airport base station the size of a bus and stick it ontop of the space needle? Or maybe Speakeasy should make WiMax free?

The best thing Microsoft could do for transportation is move all their operations to a huge skyscraper downtown.

The only transportation improvements that can be made out where they are in Redmond are BAD: improving traffic out at the periphery of the web just opens up more of the distant Eastside to commuting. They've already turned Redmond into a traffic center, which spreads the web out further and further from there. People already commute from NE King and SE Snohomish counties to there; you don't want to make that EASIER, because that pressures the traffic grid up towards Snoqualmie Pass.

Charles, why would Apple give free WiFi to Seattle? They're based in Cupertino. Just 'round the bend from Google.

Since Google has offices in Fremont by the canal, do you think they could provide Free WiFi for us there?

I wouldn't mind.

The underlying implication is that its a model for something that should be expanded--a hospitable gesture that the online search leader hopes to see spread to other parts of the country. but yes, perhaps apple could just piggy back on google's wifi like that freeloading neighbor who uses their neighbor's unsecured wireless for free internet... however given the whole thing with AOL's disclosure of search logs (user 927!), even though google claims that the network is "very naive" and "won't track people's online activities when they aren't on a Google site", I have a hard time believing that this would always be the case.

Google makes its real money on looking at large amounts of data and using it to provide services. Google search. Google local. Google news. Having the ability to log and study the surfing habits of an entire town sounds pretty appealing, if you ask me.

The Silicon Valley town also isn't that large and wouldn't cost Google much. Providing free internet to a major metropolis would increase the cost of such a geature exponentially.

Microsoft did fund the wireless internet at Marymoor Park, iirc.

Gates already gave away all that money to help quench that AIDS thing, so I guess no free internet for needy Redmond hooligans. Sniff.

Oh, I wasn't talking about Microsoft improving transportation infrastructure at their campus - I meant they could, like, donate a Sounder train or pay for a section of the light rail, or something.

Or hell, if wishes were all it took, criminy, the Bill Gates Elliott Bay Bridge. :-)