Safe Sex Goddess's Journal: FreeMeshNet : Making Free Speech Free

Not being a technical person, I literally learned about wireless mesh networks just this week after reading about the MIT One Laptop Per Child project. I was immediately fascinated by the concept of mesh networks and did a web search to see if there was a chance I could be part of one.

No such luck.

Imagine if free speech were free (well $50 one-time hardware cost)

Why can't a free wireless mesh network made up of individuals who buy $50 wireless access points, plug them in to power and their own PC, download software and flash the access point, and then become part of a free wireless mesh network with their neighbors.

The technical know-how is beyond me, but it seems that if every household and business became part of the Free Mesh Network, we'd have fairly good coverage. And there would always be the Slashdot type geeks who would be working on providing long haul connections between community meshes just because they like to do geeky things.

We Don't Need No Stinkin Internet

Why would FreeMeshNet need to connect to the Internet? It would be free to connect your own web server to the mesh. And if there is a significant customer base on the FreeMeshNet, you can bet that businesses will be joining the mesh and providing access to the FreeMeshNet that they now provide on the internet. I can see search engines wanting to catalog the FreeMeshNet the same way that they catalog the internet. If we build it they will come.

Would a FreeMeshNet make all communications free?

A friend recently mentioned to me that he thought it would be neat if cell phones also could connect to an open wireless access point and make Voice Over IP calls. A FreeMeshNet would make Mobile Voice Over IP possible. And what about wireless net appliances like televisions and radios? Almost anyone can then have a television or radio station that broadcasts over the FreeMeshNet.

What do you geeks suggest as the next step in making free speech free?