[MLB-WIRELESS] [OT] Re: Australian Wireless Association AGM for 2003

[Craig Mead]

> Hi all...
>
> With the year slowly passing by it's always good to reflect on what
> has happened, and of course what we could do better if we had the
> opportunity to do things again. This of course brings me to a recent
> announcement about the AWA annual general meeting, and more to the
> point an item to allow a change in rules to allow commercial entities
> to become members of the association. It seems as if things have
> finally come full circle, what started out an act of altruism, to
> build up a community body for the community good, will turn into
> nothing more then a trade association, a wolf in sheeps clothing is
> the first analogy to pop into my head.
>
> I thought the whole point of AWA was:
>
> "The association is a non-commercial, not-for-profit body whose
> members wish to embrace wireless networking technologies for the
> benefit of the community."
>
> So if the ideals have gone, then that sonic boom about 10 minutes back
> was altruism heading out the window.
>
> When I was involved with AWA I copped a lot of flak for something I
> believed in, I perhaps was a little over zealous at times, a little
> quick to defend my ideals, however I was doing what I did because I
> truly believed it would make things better for community wireless
> users in Sydney and perhaps elsewhere. Those ideals were long ago
> shattered with time wasting exercises, more in networking then it was
> with actually getting anything under way. However I personally don't
> see allowing commercial entities, some of whom would love nothing more
> then for community wireless groups to disappear as it's interfering
> with their bottom lines, to gain a foot hold in a group that could be
> perceived by some as providing a voice for community groups.
>
> Perhaps this might be a good thing, finally shaking off the stigma
> about being a voice for community groups, when things couldn't even be
> organised enough to promote wireless even at a local level, little own
> Australia wide, the distrust from other groups, and those in the
> Sydney area, I'd say has finally come into fruition.
>
> --
> Best regards,
>  Duane                          mailto:support at sydneywireless.com

Duane,

If you feel this is a bad direction for the Australian Wireless Association
Inc. to head, you are invited to become a member and vote against the
proposed changes.

Regards, Craig Mead
Vice President
Australian Wireless Association