I have a different perspective on this list.... I've been going to post something along this lines for a while, but since it came up today, I guess it's as good of a time as any....
Back in the day none of us were quite sure what we were doing. The need for a technical list was great. We needed to discuss how to use this gear, what the new gear could do, etc.. Every day there was a new challenge for many of us, which someone else on the list had probably figured out. Fast forward until now, For most of us, our networks have matured, or been sold. Many of our core members aren't even really WISP's anymore. For those who are still doing day to day operations, most of us have figured out how things work for us, and we really don't need discussions about network architecture and routing and the like. Add to that the excellent resources that WISPA provides in the form of conferences where people can learn the technical skills they need, and technically-oriented mailing lists which they host, and this list starts to look a bit redundant from a technical-resource standpoint. What this list has, which none of the others do, is a community of members which have grown up together and seen each other grow businesses, sell them, get rich, get sued, release products, survive tornadoes and other natural disasters, and all of the other things which bring people together. On all of the other lists, such off-topic discussions as what Travis is investing in this week, and what Jaimie is cooking, and what movie Chuck is watching, and the awesome ramblings of Steve and so on would be squashed. Yet we're all friends and like to discuss things. Yes, the politics have gotten a bit out of control, but that's just a symptom that politics have gotten a bit out of control in this country. Personally, I see this list not as a technical resource, but a social resource. Somewhere where we all know each other and a lot of each other's past history and drama. So we talk more about everyday life and less about work? I don't see a problem with this. Where else is this going to occur? I realize that this doesn't match the original vision for this list, but needs change and lists change. What we need is a place to hang out and have conversations with our friends. Why can't this list be that resource? -forrest On Wed, Mar 1, 2017 at 12:25 PM, Paul McCall <pa...@pdmnet.net> wrote: > I shared this with Chuck McCown, and he suggested I share this with the > list directly, so here goes. > > > > *Just FYI, in my normal business conversations with WISPs, I get one or > two people a week tell me they no longer look at the list because of all > the BS, politics, etc. I also don’t use AFMUG nearly as much as I used to > because of that. * > > > > *While it costs me $$ for every email sent (I have never complained), AWS > is very solid and reliable, so it was a great choice. That’s not the point > of my comment.* > > > > *People need to take that junk to some other venue, so we can focus on > important technology and business needs, IMO. * > > > > *It probably won’t change but it’s my 2 cents.* > > > > Paul > > > > > > Paul McCall, President > > PDMNet, Inc. / Florida Broadband, Inc. > > 658 Old Dixie Highway > > Vero Beach, FL 32962 > > 772-564-6800 <(772)%20564-6800> > > pa...@pdmnet.net > > www.pdmnet.com > > www.floridabroadband.com > > > > > -- *Forrest Christian* *CEO**, PacketFlux Technologies, Inc.* Tel: 406-449-3345 | Address: 3577 Countryside Road, Helena, MT 59602 forre...@imach.com | http://www.packetflux.com <http://www.linkedin.com/in/fwchristian> <http://facebook.com/packetflux> <http://twitter.com/@packetflux>
