[OT] Re: Australian Wireless Association AGM for 2003

[Craig Mead]

> People
>
> This is an issue that will come up all over the place. And you have to ask
> yourself ...
>
> WHO HAS AN INTEREST IN COMMUNIRY WIRELESS
>
> And the answer comes down to
>
> Natural Persons - You and Me
> Body Corporate - A set of units that want broadband

The companies who provide the hardware that wireless networks run on.

The Association is established to be an information conduit between the
sectors (government regulators, manufacturers, end users) not to whore
itself to those who pay the most.

If we can open up a better communications channel between the vendors and
the people who use it, maybe DLink would have realised that removing the
DWL-520 from their product line cause "11b+ is better cause its quicker" has
not been the best move as it was the perfect card for hostAP. There has also
already been quite a bit of interest from vendors about obtaining feedback
about new products and features that the community wireless users wish to
see in future products and/or firmware. If the information flow can be
assisted in any way, this should hopefully see future benefits coming back
to the community users.

The current Association board sees it as a worthwhile step to make, however
this is the whole point of the democratic system in place. It does come down
to the direction the members wish to head.

> Having a body corporate a member of a community wireless organization is
> correct since they are the ones that often have the rights to do things on
> buildings.
>
> As to if companies should be member... Well that is not so clear cut.
>
> Darryl
>
> P.S. I am on the board of TAPR, a wireless R&D non-profit group in the USA
> over 20 years old (www.tapr.org). We only allow natural persons to become
> members of TAPR.

Regards, Craig Mead
Vice President
Australian Wireless Association