Mayor Cedric Glover thinks Shreveporters should be discussing public Wifi connections. He is happy that the city council is researching the possibility of a wireless internet network for downtown. The Times has run articles exploring the impact of downtown wifi and I think it's safe to say that the Times tech-oriented editor, Alan English, is a proponent. Without looking into the exigencies, I've proposed that Wifi hotspots be considered for the Highland neighborhood.
Today LSUS announced that "Students, faculty and visitors to the LSUS campus now have access to wireless internet. Wireless access is available in every campus building and extends into the parking lots."
Joe Hayes, president of the LSUS SGA, led a student coalition group to enact the wireless plan, says Jennifer LaPierre. “We really believed that getting the campus wireless was important for the students because it is an essential element of college life,” Hayes said.
It's a bit late for such an announcement to bring a reaction of anything but "Finally." Still, the part about LSUS visitors having access to the wireless is cool. It means that soccer and swimming parents can check email and read the news while waiting for their young athletes.
Hotspots are an investment in the community's future. While they're not cheap - Starbucks and the airports have long forsaken free wifi, as I'm sure you've noticed - they enable the digital class to work with maximum flexibility.
As a blogger, artist and teacher I'm the kind of person who will use wifi hotspots. I don't think it's unfair to say that the availability of wireless nodes across the city will encourage the educated class to see Shreveport as an amenable home.
4 comments:
I ran my SGA election campaign on this issue, and I can't believe we were actually able to get it done in such a short time frame.
Students haven't really seen an official announcement or campaign to let them know about the new wireless access, but I see students using it everyday on campus.
Hopefully our community will come join us on the campus and see everything that we have to offer the citizens of Shreveport (including free internet access)!
Thanks for your perspective, Joe. And congrats on getting the program completed. Btw, how did you find out about the post?
My girlfriend reads your blog weekly to keep up with some of what's going on around the city. She did some freelance work for The Forum here and there, and I think she found you through that avenue. She gave me a call about it yesterday.
On another note, isn't the path along the river made of concrete? I'd probably use it to more run if it was the softer material more commonly used such as the sand/gravel/whatever mix that they used on the one around the lake in the middle of Austin. We tried it out a few times, but it just didn't do it for us.
Thanks again for keeping an eye on our little University!
great article! I hear campus-wide WiFi is coming to Centenary in about ten years, right after we change the mascot to the flying squirrels or party balloons... ;)
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