Aaron Baer - Connect the Dots

I’m Posting this here as I feel that it’s important to document. Will it generate discussion or action inside The Personal Telco Project or will it go unanswered? Historically it will go unanswered. We shall see. Feel free to comment here as well.

Reference conversation from the General mailing list. Original Post

On 1/23/07, Tom Higgins <tomhiggins@gmail.com> wrote:

As Caleb points out M$fi’s success becomes a chance for the PTP to
show in a real world setting just why CWNs are relevant even if a
consumer based ad sponsored net is in place.

We’d better tighten up our boot straps and figure out where we go from here because I don’t see anything within our organization currently that makes us relevant. We haven’t done anything new in years and there have been NO new ideas, goals or guidance from our elected officials since the last election. Admittedly, I don’t have any ground breaking statements of my own now that would change that. I’ve mostly stepped to the edge since my son was born this year. However, I’m starting to become overwhelmed with disappointment enough to force myself into thinking constructively about PTP again.

As fact, there are many people still doing awesome things maintaining what we’ve accomplished in the past. And who continue to be active and enthusiastic about what we do and what we can do, Caleb, Russel, Jason…insert your name here if it applies… and I’m sure there are those lurkers out there that still feel strongly about PTP and do what they do everyday to make PTP what it has been.

But lets step on the reality button for a second. Saying that we’re a better service than MetroFi and that we can provide a better network than them that’s hard to swallow for me right now. For one thing we’re not a wisp, we’re not even and ISP (G*d forbid). We’re still a group of rag tag hackers that have great big brains, a notion for doing something wonderful for the community and can build networks out of thin air. Which is freaking super cool. It had once made us the forefront of the Wireless Community world wide and we’ve become a great resource for Portland and the people that live here.

But as a Non-Profit, as an organization where are we now? The same place we were 3 years ago. Sure, paper work is probably done a little more effectively now. But have we grown? Do we have more resources? Are we a better Non-Profit Corporation? I’m going out on a limb here and I’m going to say in the past year and a half the answer is No. (I think that was a pretty short limb).

OK. so this isn’t a coup d’état, or an I told you so, or an answer (maybe we can get there). I don’t hate anyone, I’m not angry at anyone (though I might have some anger out of disappointment). I do think there are people doing great work to “maintain” Personal Telco Project. Think of this as more of an attempted kick in the pants.

I don’t think the organization as a whole has anything to brag about right now.

What are we going to do next now that the Mississippi Grant is almost over? Anything in the works? Don, do you have any guidance for the corporation as we move forward? Or are we just going to keep wanking on and on about everybody else while saying how super cool we are?

It’s hard to do something ground breaking. It’s hard to keep coming up with ideas. And it’s REALLY hard to get people to think your ideas are cool and to use them or join your cause. But you at least have to make the effort if you want to be able to say you are still part of the ground breaking Community Wireless Networking world or even to say that you are a worth while asset to your own local community.

It is now the time when we fade off into the sunset unless the group gets guidance and creates a new set of obtainable goals. I’m sure that some people have thought about it before. I don’t doubt that people have been thinking it for a long time.. It’s now time for me to say it.

A-