Free Broadband Internet in Public Housing.

@DrewDad,

A horrible deal, when you can get broadband with internet phone service for less than regular phone service and a 19.95 a internet month plan.

1 Reply

@parados,

I suspect roger, like some of the rest of us here, lives away from the civilized masses...

those deals don't apply outside the grid.

1 Reply

@DrewDad,

Having been in IT myself, I think that purchased filter software is but one of the ways to limit. Isn't there a way to administer it like libraries do? Or is that canned or purchased software?

Why not just give the user a limited bunch of addresses that they can access on the browser. This isn't about chasing after them for laziness or time-wasting. This is merely to allow them access to this 'borrowed property' and the privilege of having a limited-use computer to help them find work and access public programs to help them bootstrap. This would be not too different than what currently exists in libraries right nowe and since about the '90s. What am I missing here?

1 Reply

@Rockhead,

Broadband is available in the area, but it's single source, meaning no competition.

By the way, I don't think you can really justify free broadband on the basis of job market access. Now, I've applied for jobs that do require online application. I even had one that required me to put the resume in PDF format. I was up all night figuring out how to get Word to do that. It can be done, if anyone is interested. Still, the jobs for which most public housing residents are qualified for don't make that a requirement. When I worked of O&G well servicing companies, applicants came in and signed a list. What they really had to have to get hired (beyond a certain amount of experience) was a telephone number, as no one was going to drive around at 6:00 a.m. looking for an address. I suppose someone could conclude that people looking for work should be furnished with free telephones and transportation.

3 Replies

@roger,

roger wrote:

I suppose someone could conclude that people looking for work should be furnished with free telephones and transportation.

yes please

0 Replies

@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Those who want it to better themselves, would find a way to pay the money. Those who want it for free, IMO, would not use it for the purpose for which it is intended.

this kind of tone, and attitude, is what makes it extremely difficult to read your posts

you seem to have very little respect for fellow citizens who have had any type of difficulty

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

Still, the jobs for which most public housing residents are qualified for don't make that a requirement. When I worked of O&G well servicing companies, applicants came in and signed a list.

the economy has changed - folks with really good qualifications have ended up in very bad situations, through no fault of their own. The economy tanked. Some people fell a long long way. The jobs they're qualified for do need decent quality computer access and software. Libraries in a number of communities have had to significantly limit access because so many people have started to need their computer resources.

Now, personally, I'd prefer to see the funds go to places like libraries where there could be banks of equipment and bulk software could be purchased. However, I understand that in a number of communities it would not be safe for children to go to libraries on their own. It's somewhat safer in their own homes.

1 Reply

@Ragman,

Software on the PCs won't work. It's too easy to defeat.

You need a device, inline with the Internet connection, which has a categorized list of IP addresses and domain names. This costs money. Someone has to maintain the list (usually subscription based). Someone has to update the device periodically, so that bugs and security vulnerabilities are fixed. Etc.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

Thanks for your response as you expressed exactly what I would have liked to write.

It's clear (to me at the least) that the economy is quite damaged and that many service industries have shifted to offshore. As a former technical writer, I know how precisely how hard it has become for workers like myself to find suitable work using those same skills. Many people whom I know with degrees and ambition are not able to find decent paying jobs through no fault of their own.

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@JPB,

Quote:

True, Boomer, but I'll bet that some people who cry that they don't have money for food, still can find a way to get their "smokes".

JPB- My way of expressing the thought might have been a bit histrionic, but you have taken it out of context. Above is the entire quote, which sounds a bit different than the phrase that you quoted.

1 Reply

@Phoenix32890,

No, it doesn't. I doubt you see in your posts what others see... meaning, I don't think you intend to come off as arrogant and condescending as you sound. At least, I hope you don't.

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@roger,

Quote:

I'm on dial up. It is a money issue. It's 19.95/month. Now, why on earth would I resent someone getting broadband for free?

Rog- I was thinking the same thing. I was also thinking that I would love a smartphone, but don't want to spring for the extra cost. Then when I go into Wal-Mart.............................

2 Replies

@DrewDad,

Thanks for the explanation. But can't it be like canned virus software..for example it costs $30 once per yr for say McAfee..and you get updates?

1 Reply

@Phoenix32890,

I suppose if money were no object, I could hire someone to tutor me in a smartphone course.

0 Replies

@ehBeth,

Quote:

you seem to have very little respect for fellow citizens who have had any type of difficulty

Beth- I regret that you have perceived me that way. People who know me know that I have extreme empathy towards others, through no fault of their own, have found themselves in difficult circumstances. I was in that position myself many years ago, and pulled myself out of it. Later on, for years, I worked with some of the most disadvantaged individuals, and helped them to maximize their potential.

Over the years I have learned about, and come across people who have learned how to "work the system", knew every angle, and sucked as much as they could from the government. Those are the people whom I despise.

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

By the way, I don't think you can really justify free broadband on the basis of job market access.

I agree. I think the real benefit is providing older children and younger adults with the ability to network with others and use the Internet as a school resource. I think from middle school through college that students without significant online access are at a disadvantage. Take this site and others like it for example. If you have a question (academic or otherwise) that you can't take to your parents, there is a place you can go to for help. Maybe not always useful help, but often useful. You don't find resources like this in a fifteen minute session at the library, nor do you learn the Internet search skills that many of us learned over hours of chatting and trying things out. Having ready access to the Internet allows people to play around and discover how things work. I think that is the real advantage.

1 Reply

@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

Over the years I have learned about, and come across people who have learned how to "work the system", knew every angle, and sucked as much as they could from the government. Those are the people whom I despise.

I can't disagree with that, but I find that going overboard to stop those relatively few who game the system tends to ruin it for everyone else. If helping one hundred meant that one got free porn, then let him have the porn. I wouldn't let fear of a negative result prevent me from conducting an experiment, although I would take reasonable steps to prevent disastrous results. I just can't see the worst case scenario in this plan as being that bad. If there is no net benefit, just pull the plug.

1 Reply

@engineer,

engineer- I hear what you're saying, and you do have a point. I still think though, that as someone else has mentioned, the software should be like those found in libraries, that limits the scope of the internet access.

0 Replies

@Ragman,

Ragman wrote:

Thanks for the explanation. But can't it be like canned virus software..for example it costs $30 once per yr for say McAfee..and you get updates?

It can't be software on the PC. Once someone has physical control of the computer, they have complete control over what it does. All they have to do is uninstall the software, or wipe the machine and start over.

1 Reply

@engineer,

So, what's the matter with dialup? I use it. It's good for a2k, it's good for chats if that's your interest. What it is not so good for is downloading videos. On a good day, a 5 minute video takes over 30 minutes to load. Is downloading videos one of our necessities now?

No, our library system is inadequate for more than checking email. They allow 30 minutes per day. That's about 10 minutes more than required to navagate to your own mail system, log in, and read the messages.

1 Reply

Free Broadband Internet in Public Housing.

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