PersonalTelcoUnderConstruction, is an (in some ways) improved, but not yet complete or polished, version of PersonalTelco (the wiki homepage). PersonalTelcoConstructed, on the other hand, is a page DanRasmussen thinks is ready (or nearly ready) to replace the PersonalTelco homepage as-is. I welcome your suggestions on this page. Still working on merging improvements from PersonalTelcoConstructed into it. -- DanRasmussen 2012-03-28 13:07:54

Future Improvements

* Links in more places - wiki a multitude of great content - let's make use of it * Strengthen Want to Build a Better Tomorrow section with better explanation/links * Calendar takes up a lot of space, as does text about next meeting. * Contact section also takes up a bit of space... Removed link to the "u tube" site so wiki would let me save...

Introducing Personal Telco

Personal Telco is a collection of individuals, businesses, and organizations who share -- or plan to share -- internet connectivity rather than hoard it. It's also a group of volunteers who want this network to grow. We believe internet access should be available, fair, and uncensored. Personal Telco Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Portland, Oregon. (Link to "AboutThePTP" page instead of previous sentence? Introductions are important, important to be concise, etc..) You can help us help everybody with a donation of your time, money, or bandwidth. If you don't live in Portland, there may be a similar group near you (Link! / Wikipedia?). If not, maybe you could start one!(Link!)

TODO: Move this section elsewhere on website. Good to mention these benefits but probably best not here...

• Portland, Oregon is a dense urban area. It's a waste of time, money, electricity, and natural resources for each business, household, and apartment renter to sign up for internet service, wait for a maintenance worker, buy or rent a router, configure that router, and then individually help every customer, employee, family member or visiting friend to connect to their wifi hotspot. It can be much easier!

Want Internet?

Personal Telco Project operates numerous open-access free-to-the-end-user networks around the city, thanks to the generosity of our hosts. Check out our wifi map.

• Explain why they're called nodes. This is sorta done here: https://personaltelco.net/wiki/PotentialNodeOwnerFaq

• Benefits of PTP vs. open wifi APs
• Network effects. Describe useful things people can do when on the same network as their neighbors (separate page)
• Note: suggest PTP to businesses, organizations, individuals
• Suggestion: thank businesses, organizations, individuals who are using PTP nodes / having open wifi
• These pages could be useful:

  • https://personaltelco.net/wiki/NodePropositionFlyer

  • https://personaltelco.net/wiki/Publications

Want to Help?

Personal Telco welcomes all comers. Whether you're a technology wizard or technically incompetent, volunteering with us is a great way to learn something new, enjoy teaching others, or use your skills to do something useful.

• Mention meetups, email, irc, etc
• Success stories! User testimonials? Dreams come true: jobs, love stories, etc?
• Link to ways individuals can help

• History of project: https://personaltelco.net/wiki/AboutThePTP

• Explain gift economy

• https://personaltelco.net/wiki/Publications

Want to Host a Network?

Are you an individual, business, housing project, neighborhood group or other organization that would consider sharing your internet connection with your friends and neighbors? There are many benefits to doing so, and only a few drawbacks — most of which can be overcome or minimized. Get in touch to learn more!

Mention potential benefits and potential drawbacks. Probably on a separate page! These pages could be useful:

• https://personaltelco.net/wiki/PersonalTelcoHandbook (is this included or copied: PotentialNodeOwner ?) - Russell said most people don't read this, would rather deal with humans. Previously, "Have a look at the PersonalTelcoHandbook to get started."

• NodePropositionFlyer

• PenguinDayNotes?highlight=(volunteer)

• Publications

Want to Build a Better Tomorrow?

-- DanRasmussen doesn't think this part of the page is ready for prime time yet, but it's a good start! Here's his reading of it.

Telecommunications Policy in the USA is badly broken (1). The Personal Telco Project wants networks to serve their users(2), not just creativity-stifling(2), abundance-limiting(2), self-interested(3), profit-maximizing (4) overlords. Help us realize user-empowering telecommunications policy(5). Talk to us (6), talk to your representatives in government(7). Demand sanity.(8)

(1)Broken how? We should explain, most people won't understand this unless they're techies (2) These items demand an explanation -- whether that be new wiki content, or links to other sites. Most our site's visitors will not know what we're talking about (3) self-interest not always bad, part of give-and-take, maybe just explain how some are taking more than their due! (4) explain alternatives? (5) What do we want instead? Is anybody working on anything? (6) This sentence probably won't lead anybody to talk to us. They don't know what we want (yet), or what they'll get out of talking to us about it (7) We should make this easier. I'm probably not the only one who doesn't know who our representatives are, or how to contact them. And if I did, I still don't know what we're contacting them about. (8) Sanity sounds too strong here - we haven't adequately explained how telecommunications policy is insane. Maybe we could compare policy in the USA to that in Europe/Canada/wherever it's better...

There are also other ways to contact us.

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