Comments on: The rise of the internet.

By: JFP

JFP — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:09:23 +0000

Besides cell phone networks you have basic wifi aka a neighborhood full of wireless routers. Look at the “Piratebox” idea, follow basic directions and you have a homemade darknet for chat and filesharing in a lunch box or smaller, battery powered. WiMax standard is an option too. They’ve been putting wimax cards in some laptops for 2-3 years already.

By: hans

hans — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 08:00:38 +0000

You kidding me?
The whole NATO propaganda during that war would´ve been blown out of the water, just as the corresponding national ones from the various Balkan factions AND the vatican.
People just wouldn´t believe how jiingoistic “god´s men of love and light” were on ALL sides, while the holy polish fish-head lamented the violence.
I believe the orthodox and muslim leaders at least didn´t pretend and went outright for “kill´em all”.

Don´t think a cell-phone system would´ve survived for long, as it´s obvious strategic value would´ve made every tower a prime target for all (especially NATO) factions.

By: hans

hans — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 07:47:56 +0000

Getting major fidonet flashbacks too now! 🙂

Add to this simple DYI solar chargers ( http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/feature.asp?t=how_to&c=12018 ) for added self-sufficiency and you´re making me inch even closer to finally breaking down and getting that damn smartphone.
That servalproject sound VERY interesting indeed.

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 00:52:10 +0000

Care to speculate on how internet and smartphones would have made things different for Yugoslavia?

By: Sam2000

Sam2000 — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:52:26 +0000

I remember dialing up to bbs’s on our 1200 baud modem and it was like magic. Everyone was so excited about the new tech. I was about 12 years old. I really miss those early days and true anonymity.

I’ve resisted buying a smart phone, but Serval Mesh is getting me excited about the possibilities of a return to something resembling the early days on the Internet.

So I could go and buy an Android phone with cash and no plan and become a link in the network… Do you know if SMS would work without an identifying phone number via a simcard? I’m smart phone ignorant, but will be looking into this now.

This could really change everything. Thanks for the post!.

By: wimminz

wimminz — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 14:33:02 +0000

Exchanging data between two NFC enabled devices is as simple as bumping them together, the synchronised shock on the accelerometers inside providing timing identification.

Any rooted android phone can run anything, it is a portable computer running something not a million miles away from linux on ARM… there are several free web servers for android available on the google play market… so yes you can walk around with a portable web server and wifi hotspot combined.

Yes 8 hours assumes people are moving in transport such as cars or buses or trains, with CURRENT TECHNOLOGY.

But… if TSHTF and one person has a copy of the serval mesh app (http://www.servalproject.org/) which is also free for android and open source, you could get a nationwide mesh network up and running, and so that 8 hours could conceivably be cut down to 15 minutes across country.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 14:19:06 +0000

So I guess 8 hours for news to travel across Britain, something like 100 people would be involved from end to end? Does that include random people moving about in their cars with their smart phones? Doesn’t seem like much across such a large distance. In a city I’d say that would be enough. One thing I haven’t figured into this is the time it takes to hook up with someone else’s phone, as I am not in possession of a smart phone. I do have a wifi capable ipad so it would just be a matter of finding the next mobile open hotspot. But how does one go about exchanging the actual information? Can Galaxy phones run :80 servers?