Yesterday, wearing my web hosting service provider hat I sent out an email to the main contact for each hosting client. My attempt was to update each client regarding a change in policy regarding invoicing and payments. The policy change really would only affect 2% of all clients. But I thought it fair to inform everyone. I also felt I needed to put the policy in to context by explaining why I felt the step necessary (it had to do with actually implementing an already state policy of suspending delinquent account after a rather long grace period). Unfortunately, I think because I personalized the message by letting the email software insert each client’s first name in the salutation, I had many clients believe I was addressing them personally, setting off a bit of a panic. I had to respond to a fistful of worried email messages and phone calls. Eventually, I felt I had to send out a follow up message apologizing for the confusion.
The thing is, I spent days crafting and thinking about that dang emai (except for the first sentence which I injected at the last minute and so contained TWO TYPOS!! I thought it was clear and thorough, so I was really taken aback by the response. Usually, email goes to one or maybe two people (unless you’re in the habit of forwarding jokes and rumours to your address book). So, when you make an error in your message and it goes out a whole host (pun intended) of people, the reaction can be rather, uh, disconcerting.
I think I have learned some lessons: 1) You can’t be too careful when crafting an email to a big list of people, especially clients; 2) No matter how careful you think you are being, don’t have a stroke when a bunch of people make it clear that what you thought you were saying was really something else; 3) Keep smiling!
I don’t know what picnic that Bob at the NCJ went to, or Jack, for that matter (although I think I did see that guy over at the kid’s swings), but I was there and this photo is proof. People ate, drank, talked and there were no knife fights. Although I did leave a little early. Fun! Let’s do it again.
The Redwood Technology Consortium is looking nominees for a new program called the Technology Leadership Award. The Award is designed to recognize an outstanding technology leader (or leaders), who are current RTC members. This new, yearly award program will grant a $1000 cash prize to a person or group who demonstrates leadership qualities in the technology field. Nominations can be submitted online until September 30th. Award winner(s) will be announced at RTC’s annual holiday party December 3.
There have been some recent interesting comments on Suddenlink, their HD and DVR service and other issues on this old post of mine. I thought it worth pointing out.
This weeks RTC meeting is a little different and should be lots of fun. The featured speaker will be Jessica Gillette of Fortuna based C. Crane Co. Gillette will spotlight some of C. Crane’s newest gadgets, including a wi-fi radio that picks up web stations (11,000+ stations at current) and plays them at a nice fidelity, and their LED lighting system, which produces the equivalent of 60 watts at 7-9 watts and doesn’t contain any
mercury.
Other gadgets include LED Flashlights, CCrane Radio and possibly more. C. Crane has been around for 25 years as has a catalog chock full of cool gadgets many of which they have designed or had a hand in designing.
The meeting is Thursday, 5:30 PM at the Humboldt Area Foundation Community Center. 373
Indianola Rd. (Google Map). Meetings are free and open to the public.
As Fred Mangels points out on his blog, City Councilwoman Polly Endert has her web site up for her campaign for re-election to the Eureka City Council’s 2nd Ward seat. Fred complains that the page(s) are too wide for his browser and he has to scroll horizontally to see all of them. He must mean his screen resolution is set too low to allow him to expand his browser window to accommodate a wider view port. He is also wrong that this is a problem for “most” people. I don’t know what resolution his monitor is set at, but my guess is that it’s 800 x 600. Statistics indicate that by far most people are running at resolutions of 1024 px or higher. Here is a link to another site that backs this up. Very few people are still running at 800 X 600. However, even if it’s only 8%, when you are running for city council should you be annoying that many potential voters?
For the record, all the pages on Polly Endert’s site are images. Not that they contain images. Each whole page is a single image. The home page is 1040 pixels wide. So even people (about 48% according to the statistics) that are running at 1024 resolution would have to scroll sideways to see the full page. The other pages on her site are 958 pixels wide.
Fred also point out that the George Clark/Linda Atkins combined web site is also wider than his browser view port. Since their site is 875 pixels wide this seems to confirm that Fred falls in to 8% still using 800 X 600 resolution.
But beyond the width issue, using a single image for each page as Endert’s site does, means there is no text to be read by people who are visually impaired and using screen readers. Perhaps there are not many visually impaired computer users in the 2nd District of Eureka. But it still seems like a lack of sensitivity to the issue. Target recently settled a law suit over being unfriendly to the visually impaired, and their trangression was far less egregious (they weren’t using text descriptions in the page code on product images that screen reading software would read to help identify content). It may just be laziness on the part of the web designer. Or maybe they don’t really have one and the site is being managed by someone’s nephew who is “good with computers.”
I attended the first part of today’s “Canopy” event at the WildRivers 101 Film Festival held in Access Humboldt’s site at Eureka High School. It got off to a slow start and was sorely under attended. It’s too bad, because a great discussion took place for those who were there. Topics ranged from collaborations between video and film professionals, to training resources for youth, to the grey areas surrounding intellectual property and fair use.
Before the session began I got a tour of what will become Access Humboldt’s impressive video facilities. The layout includes a sound proof production room with lighting grid something not available anywhere else in the area as far as I know. Editing workstations and complete editing “rooms” give this facility the potential for a huge amount of creative activity. An unusual addition is a room they call Studio B that provides all the equipment for presenting a live talk show with room for guests. You can even switch to a live feed from the larger production room if you want.
Beyond that Access Humboldt allows you to air you products on the cable access channels and will soon include the ability to distribute them on the Internet simply by checking a box when you submit your video to them for airing.
In addition to this opportunity, Paul Benson, a local entrepreneur is offering an outlet for local producers to to present their productions online in a commercial environment and share in the revenue. Humvidx.com promises not only revenue share but a better presentation environment than YouTube.
FILMHumboldt (link doesn’t work, at publishing time, but maybe will later) seeks to promote the area as a digital hub encouraging out of the area productions and locals alike to use the region as a backdrop and to pool the resources of producers, directors, actors, editors and technicians in developing digital media products for current and emerging markets.
It’s impressive how much energy, time and money is going in to providing resources for people to create and share digital media. The question I have is whether there is really a pool of talent and expertise that can take advantage of these opportunities. As Sean McLaughlin director of Access Humboldt said “We have the tools, but we don’t have the people”. A good deal of training is going to have to happen in order for people to take full advantage of what’s being offered. Is there a enough drive and creative talent out there to start producing quality material for all these venues? It’s not as easy as blogging, folks. With today’s meager turnout it’s hard to imagine where this talent will come from. Perhaps tomorrow’s session at the Humboldt Bay Aquatic Center which focuses on film/video and social change will have a larger audience. Check the WildRivers 101 Film Festival site for more information.
Now that all the fun of guessing who will be the v.p. selections for each candidate is over, what do we have left? We have the philosophy and policy of the men at the top of the tickets for each party. We are not going to learn a whole lot from the Republican convention that we don’t already know, so I thought it was about time to address what we do know now of the tech policies of the two candidates. Barack Obama has had a policy statement on his web site since January, And while it’s not perfect, it stands in stark contrast to John McCain’s which was only released on August 14th. You may not think a candidate’s policy statements on technology is crucial in making a decision on whom to vote for. But as tech is central to our economy our freedom of speech and so much more, it is well worth a look at who has a clear vision for the future.
I don’t have the resources or experience to go in to a detailed analysis of the two policies. But I can refer you to Lawrence Lessig, law professor at Stanford and longstanding advocate for freedom and development of the Internet and telecommunications. He’s also famous for his slide shows. You might want to click the little full screen mode button to get the full effect of the graphics and charts.
The premier of “Humboldt County” the movie, like many movie premiers, was more a cultural/social event than just an opportunity to see the film. The Eureka Theater was full of people who looked much like the people being portrayed on screen. In fact some of them were the same people. And sure enough, as some of the characters on screen started lighting up their funny cigarrettes it was like being in a sensearound movie as the sweet smell of pot began to waft through the air.
As for the movie itself, it started nicely and it was kind of fun being in an audience that cheered whenever a familiar HC scene or road sign appeared on the screen. But that got kind of silly after a while, even annoying, especially if you wanted to actually hear the dialog. But that wasn’t completely the fault of the rowdy audience. The audio seemed poorly mixed. Some dialog came through loud and clear but many moments were muddy and incoherent. I hope they can fix that before the commercial release in September. Maybe the theater sound system was partly to blame.
Trying to look at the movie on its own apart from event I was disappointed. The story was predictable and simplistic and some of the plot points seemed strained. The characters felt clichéd and stereotypical, though for the most part, the acting was strong enough to keep them interesting. It’s hard to say how the film will play outside of the area and harder still to tell if it will have any affect on how the rest of the world perceives Humboldt County.
Much coverage in the press has and will appear over Broadband Forum IV, but just in case they miss something herewith are notes provided by Larry Goldberg with a few minor edits from me. I understand at some point PowerPoint presentations will be posted on the Redwood Coast Connect web site. BTW, this was an excellent event. Much thanks are due to Connie Stewart and Patty Berg’s office, and to Redwood Coast Rural Action which foot the bill.
Opening Remarks - Rollin Richmond – RCRA
Governor’s broadband task force – findings released
Community Service District’s have been approved to provide broadband
Need to focus on providing “last mile” broadband to rural California
Peter Pennekamp, Humboldt Area Foundation
Broadband is essential to commerce, education and community networking
Too many people are still on dial-up; we need to correct this
Governor signed law (despite telephone co. objections) to allow community services provide broadband service
County Updates:
Del Norte – Jeannine
5 Gb pipe from Charter
cable modem up to 16 Mb service
competitive telephone service soon
plan to extend pipe to Eureka through Klamath & Orick
redundancy with S. Oregon
Trinity co. - Barbara
Working on cell tower project – 42 sites planned
No broadband is currently available in Trinity
Weaverville may have fiber soon
Getting CalTrans to include fiber in all new highway projects
Customer survey by Community Services Dist. (28% don’t own computer & most who do are on dial-up currently)
Soliciting proposals for technology study (last mile)
Humboldt Co. – Amy Nelson
Office of Emergency Services – working on basic communications infrastructure
National incident management training
Mendocino Co.
Broadband issues have been a concern for over 18 years
Digital California & CNIC have provided high-speed service to schools
Rural tele-medicine project
Tower microwave system installed
Yurok tribe – Paul Romero
Working on microwave path from Crescent City (HUD grant) will complete project
Redwood Cost Connect Project Update
Project overview - Steve Carp, Project Manager
Mapping broadband usage and technology in four Northcoast counties
Funding from Ca. Emerging Technology Fund, HAF, RREDC, CDBG and others
Project scope – four counties (Del Norte, Humboldt, Trinity and Mendocino) which represent an area bigger than 4 states in U.S.
Surveys & interviews conducted to determine a) level of interest in broadband, b) price points & c) broadband availability
Aggregating demand for small rural areas
Self-selecting surveys coupled with telephone surveys
Over 1,100 responses were received over region – cross-section of all areas
Selected results:
46% of residential have broadband/ 33% rely on dial-up
64% felt broadband was critical
60% of respondents say they’re willing to pay more
Most would pay at least $30-40/mo.
Although broadband access is high, only 50% are satisfied (downtime, cost of service & competition)
Only 54% of businesses are satisfied with current broadband
73% of business would pay up to $75/mo. for broadband
Helping one household at a time
Educating people about importance of broadband
Community meetings – Tina Nerat
Mendocino had high turn-out (90 people turned out to Ft. Bragg meeting)
People who attended were cross-section of community
In Willow Creek it was mostly Seniors attending
Telecom providers have really expanded
Study gave good opportunity to chart actual broadband deployment
Wireless is a new entry into the market and is providing last-mile access
CPUC CASF fund – only telecom providers can apply
Actual applications have not been made public – we don’t know who eventually applied
Backhaul (middle mile) – redundancy is major issue
More diversity of choices needed (more competition)
Alternative scenarios – need “ladders with rungs” for redundancy
60% of rural communities are unserved or under-served
Need for anchor tenants for broadband
Too many small businesses, not enough large “anchors”
Middle mile is greatest barrier to last-mile solutions
Will probably require subsidies for middle-mile to overcome problem
SB1191 – community service districts can provide broadband
No clear road to encourage investment – difficult to make business case
Fed/state subsidies need to be revamped for rural areas like the Redwood Coast
JPA could be good way to create public/private partnership to solve backhaul issues and right-of-way issues (first JPA between Humboldt and Trinity Co. for fiber)
CASF will influence next efforts
Broadband awareness/education
Local leadership (alliances) are necessary to move this forward
Determine how to keep maps up to date
Business case needs to be made for secondary alternate routes
Trinity Co. applied for separate funding from CPUC and are now putting in their own towers
Keynote Speaker - Susan Waters, Ca. Emerging Technologies Fund
“Rural is on California’s radar”
Relationship building carries project
The RCC study is a ground-breaking initiative to build community support for broadband
No one solution fits all (and solves all problems)
Understand resources and assets available to leverage
It takes local initiative to get things done
Second round of CASF coming soon
Increasing broadband access in our Region – Local providers (General comments: All offering wider coverage. Many seemed to have issues with government policies and permitting that slows progress and increases costs).
Velocity Technology (couldn’t be here but Tina gave update)
101 NetLink (offers redundancy already, but have had few takers)
Cascadia Wireless
SuddenLink
Broadband Associates (builders of fiber networks)
Mendocino Community Network
AT&T
CENIC
Issues discussed:
Issues with National Parks service
2000 dial-up customers today in Mendocino
CENIC recognized problems with infrastructure
NetLink just lit up 200 Mb channel
Market for redundancy is questionable (101 Netlink)
Lost Coast Communications (LCC) announced redundant fiber project with partner (bringing fiber in from Cottonwood). LCC project is going along PG&E right-of-way and is planned to be completed by late 1st quarter ‘09. They are in negotiations with SuddenLink to provide redundant bandwidth. Large commercial and institutional clients are primary wholesale market. (see this post).
Permit Panel – the best way to work together
Issues:
CEQA – many responsible agencies
Lead agencies – cities, counties and CalTrans
Dept. of Fish & Game – makes comments and reviews EIRs
Coastal Commission – reputation is both good and bad for good reason
Some forms of development are exempt from permits
Several Federal wildlife protection jurisdictions and levels of regulations
Get projects submitted as soon as possible
Governor has issued mandate to streamline broadband approval process
Encroachment permit has been revised
Conflict resolution process has been created
CalTrans utilizes fiber extensively within their own department
Lots of access for future utility providers within new CalTrans roads (e.g. at Confusion Hill they installed 6” & 12” conduits
last mile service is still critical – wireless may be the best solution
“Redundancy” is a misused word – alternate paths is more appropriate
Access Humboldt: broadband policy project – inform public policy for advocacy for localism (research for broadband policy for community needs)
Susan Estrada – what’s happening in the treetops at the Federal Level
The reality – attracting investment in rural areas is nearly impossible
Ubiquitous infrastructure is only possible with urban density
Everyone is talking broadband now on the political level – something is going to change
Today’s federal subsidies are primarily geared towards wired telephone service
Current subsidies: Universal service fund
No national broadband policy
Fixed and mobile wireless will be the ultimate rural last mile solution
What’s the definition of broadband? (“instant gratification”?)
The definition of broadband is constantly changing
We need a useful Universal Service for broadband
Other financial incentives for encouraging high cost build-out
A deep understanding of the nature of rural problems
Getting there from here:
Grassroots organizing (local advocates) and treetops (elected officials) need to cooperate for success
Pressure your local federal elected officials to work on solution
]Pressure your local state elected officials to pressure the state to work with the federal government on solutions
Provide the data that will allow bureaucrats to understand the needs, the barriers, the solutions in your communities. Document the stories. Share the stories. YouTube the stories.
Follow the money!
Sean McLaughlin – what’s happening in the treetops at the Federal Level
Federal policy is convoluted and irrational
Comparison of speed and price – “market failure” of U.S. broadband industry
“You will need and you are entitled to broadband Internet “ – FCC commissioner Cox
“There’s a social obligation that everyone should participate in broadband infrastructure”
“Everyone has the right to free expression of opinion and seek and receive any media regardless of frontiers”
Is broadband a commodity or a right?
Cable modem service was initially regulated by local government with cable franchises
No regulatory structure around information services
Pre-emption of local government was attempted on Federal level and failed
Marketplace is not going to fix itself
Rights of way and spectrum licenses are two main ways of regulation for broadband
Spectrum – relocation about analog TV to digital spectrum (700 Mhz blocks were up for grabs)
Is your ability to communicate a privilege? A commodity?
Next steps – where do we go from here?
Task force – form working groups to meet regularly and address regional and community issues
The biggest news at Broadband Forum IV so far was just announced by Gregg Foster of Lost Coast Communications (owners of KHUM, KSLG and the Point). Apparently a company called IP Networks plans to have an alternate fiber line completed by the 1st quarter of 2009. IP Networks partners with PG&E for these kinds of things and it looks like the line will use the PG&E path east-west. PG&E has had a big interest in getting this done for their own purposes, but the new fiber will also sell space wholesale to other providers such as Suddenlink. This is great news!
If you’re interested in viewing a live stream of Broadband Forum IV you can catch it here. I’m in the room, so my sound is turned off. But I understand the sound on the feed is not so good.
Tomorrow is Broadband Forum IV at Fortuna’s River Lodge. Redwood Coast Connect should be presenting the results of their assessment of broadband deployment in the region and plans for increasing that to more rural areas. In advance of that the Eureka Reporter’s Ashley Bailey has published part 1 of a 2 part series on the issue. It will be interesting to see what RCC comes up with beyond what most in the rural areas alread know: Broadband is typically either not available or not reliable. So what solutions will RCC and others at Broadband Forum IV tell us? Hoopa’s Connie Davis, as quoted in the article says, “I think it’s something you need to have in this day and age. We don’t need to do studies. We don’t need to talk about this. We just need to do it because we need it.” Part 2 of Ashely’s series will appear in the paper tomorrow.
In the meantime as USAToday reports, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin is also concerned about boltering broadband deployment, particularly to rural areas. ” ‘More and more people expect and demand to have access to the Internet and new wireless technologies,’ Martin says. ‘It is important that the (FCC) try to find new ways to address’ those needs. The way Martin sees it, broadband is quickly becoming what copper phone lines were for decades: the main means of communication for millions of Americans.” Martin is proposing to use a portion of the wireless spectrum to help fill in the holes in rural areas. He would like to see use of the federally subsidized universal service fund to help pay for this. He faces opposition from wireless carriers on use of the wireless spectrum and from rural phone companies on use of the universal service fund.
My next Tech Beat article which should be published on Thursday in the Times-Standard is all about network insecurity. Among the issues I discuss is the poor application of passwords: Using common words or simple number strings instead of harder to crack strings of letters, numbers and punctuation. Now along comes this New York Times article that claims that the use of the password system is itself a big security hole no matter how complex the passwords are.
But the article doesn’t give really good reasons why the password login system is worthless. Of course, it can be circumvented any number of ways, but usually not without the unwitting help of the user such as succumbing to phising schemes. But being careful with passwords is all part of a comprehensive approach to network security, which I discuss. And the article doesn’t offer a good alternative except in theory.
So, practice safe Internet and use good passwords until something better comes along.
0 X 600 resolution.
The premier of “Humboldt County” the movie, like many movie premiers, was more a cultural/social event than just an opportunity to see the film. The Eureka Theater was full of people who looked much like the people being portrayed on screen. In fact some of them were the same people. And sure enough, as some of the characters on screen started lighting up their funny cigarrettes it was like being in a sensearound movie as the sweet smell of pot began to waft through the air.
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