THE DREAM IN ACTION

Katie - I will first say that you are correct, I did not know all of the
underlying issues with the white space initiative. However, I do think that
there a underlying benefits that many people don't realize when opening up
something as vast as wireless internet. The benefits to unregulated access
to the internet would be enormous. Possibly, large enough to out weigh the
negative impact it would have on the healthcare industry.

Like most things, this issue is clearly not black and white. It's in the
grey area that would probably best be handled by a negotiation between both
sides and a phased approach to releasing this "white space" to the public.

I definitely appreciate you calling me out on this issue. And, I appreciate
your applied knowledge of the issue. This conversation proves the power of
the blogosphere because with educated readers and writers it creates a very
powerful dialog. So, thanks! I'll definitely read more on the issue and may
post again on it.

I've never commented in the blog world, but I own the fact that I am an avid blog reader. I appreciate your earnesty to learn about all things web and share them with the world. I truly believe its people with passion similiar to yours, that will actually bring their visions into reality.

I am aware of the fact that blogging is a form of expression, and possibly even a stream of consciousness activity. I believe your thoughts should not, and need not, be measured against a slide rule of authority. I do, however, think that blogging about an initiative or platform, does blur that line and make you subject to criticism of your platform.

So with that, I am discouraged by your blind support of this White Space Initiative. "Iu00e2u0080u0099m a huge fan of almost any open wireless initiative," speaks to the fact that you are not taking into consideration why this white space was not free in the first place. Several pieces of important patient monitoring equipment run on these channels of white space. By opening these channels to the masses, we undercutting the abilities of these machines, and risking patient lives. Well-known healthcare companies, have been vocalizing this notion for many months.

Now, many of the newer machines have been built to avoid these clashes, but as you may know, the replacement cycle on the average patient monitoring device can run from 7 to 13 years. Obviously with the economy in the state it is today, you can imagine many hosipitals aren't rushing to replace this equipment when it still works perfectly fine in the space it operates in today. You may have known this piece of the puzzle, and I apologize if your support includes the caveat that the FCC keeps channels 36-38 for hosipital use only.

But if you did not know this large part of the argument, I encourage you to learn a bit more about these initiatives before you support them blindly. What's scary about the blog world, I find, is that when you write something, it's out there forever...somewhere. And you'd be surprised how many things that seem just and right on the outside, can really be a conflict of professional interest on the inside.

So, with that, I too agree that wide-reaching wireless is a good thing. I'm just more willing to wait until we can ensure that patients everywhere will be safe when we flick the switch.

Just a thought....

Katie - I will first say that you are correct, I did not know all of the
underlying issues with the white space initiative. However, I do think that
there a underlying benefits that many people don't realize when opening up
something as vast as wireless internet. The benefits to unregulated access
to the internet would be enormous. Possibly, large enough to out weigh the
negative impact it would have on the healthcare industry.

Like most things, this issue is clearly not black and white. It's in the
grey area that would probably best be handled by a negotiation between both
sides and a phased approach to releasing this "white space" to the public.

I definitely appreciate you calling me out on this issue. And, I appreciate
your applied knowledge of the issue. This conversation proves the power of
the blogosphere because with educated readers and writers it creates a very
powerful dialog. So, thanks! I'll definitely read more on the issue and may
post again on it.

I've never commented in the blog world, but I own the fact that I am an avid blog reader. I appreciate your earnesty to learn about all things web and share them with the world. I truly believe its people with passion similiar to yours, that will actually bring their visions into reality.

I am aware of the fact that blogging is a form of expression, and possibly even a stream of consciousness activity. I believe your thoughts should not, and need not, be measured against a slide rule of authority. I do, however, think that blogging about an initiative or platform, does blur that line and make you subject to criticism of your platform.

So with that, I am discouraged by your blind support of this White Space Initiative. "Iu00e2u0080u0099m a huge fan of almost any open wireless initiative," speaks to the fact that you are not taking into consideration why this white space was not free in the first place. Several pieces of important patient monitoring equipment run on these channels of white space. By opening these channels to the masses, we undercutting the abilities of these machines, and risking patient lives. Well-known healthcare companies, have been vocalizing this notion for many months.

Now, many of the newer machines have been built to avoid these clashes, but as you may know, the replacement cycle on the average patient monitoring device can run from 7 to 13 years. Obviously with the economy in the state it is today, you can imagine many hosipitals aren't rushing to replace this equipment when it still works perfectly fine in the space it operates in today. You may have known this piece of the puzzle, and I apologize if your support includes the caveat that the FCC keeps channels 36-38 for hosipital use only.

But if you did not know this large part of the argument, I encourage you to learn a bit more about these initiatives before you support them blindly. What's scary about the blog world, I find, is that when you write something, it's out there forever...somewhere. And you'd be surprised how many things that seem just and right on the outside, can really be a conflict of professional interest on the inside.

So, with that, I too agree that wide-reaching wireless is a good thing. I'm just more willing to wait until we can ensure that patients everywhere will be safe when we flick the switch.

Just a thought....