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Pretty sure google should deploy wifi blimps to south/north Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc. before throwing resources at

Pretty sure google should deploy wifi blimps to south/north Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc. before throwing resources at African wifi. I guess google plans to inherit Nigerian family fortunes and such and only needs the coms infrastructure to obtain it.

sschaevitz 13y ago
The aggregate population of the states that you mention have is approximately 16.5 million. The impact of those 16.5 million people coming online (if, as you claim, they currently don't have adequate access) is almost trivial compared to the impact these non-traditional internet connections could have for on the order of 1 billion people. I suppose you were just being snarky, but I (and Eric Schmidt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfC0l3W0B4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfC0l3W0B4) think this project could have a massive impact on the state of the internet.
SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
Downvoted because your comment consists of an unsubstantiated assertion followed by a dismissive slur.
- nwzpaperman 13y ago
  Assertion? Do explain your authority on Africa to me. As someone who has family in Africa, right now, and more going within a month, I am confident in my assertion that Africa is a failed continent. Everyone on earth has tried to civilize, ahem, "bring online" Africa and failed beyond resource extraction. It is a money pit and there are no rules. There is significant precedence for failure if you open any history book. It is arrogant to think you can influence anything meaningful there. Show some humility and invest in your own back yard where you have a slightly higher chance of making a meaningful impact.
  - oblique63 13y ago
    > if you open any history book. It is arrogant to think you can influence anything meaningful there. On the contrary, if you read any history book, you'll most likely realize the wonders of human progress, achievement, and optimism. The only arrogant conclusion to draw from that would be to underestimate human potential. Luckily, progress has historically come about thanks to the dismissal of such conservative presuppositions.
  - SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
    > Assertion? Do explain your authority on Africa to me. As someone who has family in Africa, right now... If we're making comparisons of experience I lived in Africa for over 30 years. But that's not relevant. Changing the subject from substance to authority is not a good sign: appeal to authority is a logical fallacy for a reason. But " I lived in Africa" is not right. Africa is big and diverse. Nobody lives in a continent, they live in a city in a country, and statements like "Africa is a failed continent" are too vague to even be wrong. They cannot be founded in anything other than blind prejudice. Large parts of Africa are developing rapidly ( http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21572773-pride-africas-achievements-should-be-coupled-determination-make-even-faster http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21572773-pride-africas... http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/01/11/sorry_but_africa_s_rise_is_real http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/01/11/sorry_but_a... http://www.vice.com/read/is-this-the-century-of-africas-rise-1 http://www.vice.com/read/is-this-the-century-of-africas-rise...), and technologies like this could help - not just help, could be profitable commercial ventures. > I am confident in my assertion What I meant was, citation needed. More assertions of the same are not needed. I couldn't care less if these blimps are deployed to Dakota, Wyoming, and other parts of America as well. Maybe it makes economic sense for google to do it there as well. But google has done the math and determined that it makes sense to do this in parts of Africa, and for some strange reason they aren't dissuaded by random afro-pessimist commenters on hn.
    - nwzpaperman 13y ago
      You don't know what you're talking about. What were you doing in Africa for 30 years...drinking on beaches in Cape Town?? Here is why it is COMPLETELY stupid to put wifi blimps in Africa. LOL http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/infographic/2012/10/manpads-attacks-in-africa http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/infographic/2012/10/manpa...
      - SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
        According to you, it shouldn't matter where I was in Africa since the whole continent is "failed". If you now think that the blimps should be over the beaches (and shanty-towns...) of Cape Town, but not the red dots in the conflict zones, then you've changed your mind about that. The nearest red dot looks like it's over 2000 km from Cape Town. Nothing within 1000s of km of all of Nigeria. There are huge markets there. etc. etc.
DanBC 13y ago
> etc. before throwing resources at African wifi. They're helping to expand existing markets and creating new markets. African mobile telephony is a success story.

sschaevitz 13y ago

The aggregate population of the states that you mention have is approximately 16.5 million. The impact of those 16.5 million people coming online (if, as you claim, they currently don't have adequate access) is almost trivial compared to the impact these non-traditional internet connections could have for on the order of 1 billion people. I suppose you were just being snarky, but I (and Eric Schmidt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfC0l3W0B4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqfC0l3W0B4) think this project could have a massive impact on the state of the internet.

SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago

Downvoted because your comment consists of an unsubstantiated assertion followed by a dismissive slur.

nwzpaperman 13y ago
Assertion? Do explain your authority on Africa to me. As someone who has family in Africa, right now, and more going within a month, I am confident in my assertion that Africa is a failed continent. Everyone on earth has tried to civilize, ahem, "bring online" Africa and failed beyond resource extraction. It is a money pit and there are no rules. There is significant precedence for failure if you open any history book. It is arrogant to think you can influence anything meaningful there. Show some humility and invest in your own back yard where you have a slightly higher chance of making a meaningful impact.
- oblique63 13y ago
  > if you open any history book. It is arrogant to think you can influence anything meaningful there. On the contrary, if you read any history book, you'll most likely realize the wonders of human progress, achievement, and optimism. The only arrogant conclusion to draw from that would be to underestimate human potential. Luckily, progress has historically come about thanks to the dismissal of such conservative presuppositions.
- SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
  > Assertion? Do explain your authority on Africa to me. As someone who has family in Africa, right now... If we're making comparisons of experience I lived in Africa for over 30 years. But that's not relevant. Changing the subject from substance to authority is not a good sign: appeal to authority is a logical fallacy for a reason. But " I lived in Africa" is not right. Africa is big and diverse. Nobody lives in a continent, they live in a city in a country, and statements like "Africa is a failed continent" are too vague to even be wrong. They cannot be founded in anything other than blind prejudice. Large parts of Africa are developing rapidly ( http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21572773-pride-africas-achievements-should-be-coupled-determination-make-even-faster http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21572773-pride-africas... http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/01/11/sorry_but_africa_s_rise_is_real http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/01/11/sorry_but_a... http://www.vice.com/read/is-this-the-century-of-africas-rise-1 http://www.vice.com/read/is-this-the-century-of-africas-rise...), and technologies like this could help - not just help, could be profitable commercial ventures. > I am confident in my assertion What I meant was, citation needed. More assertions of the same are not needed. I couldn't care less if these blimps are deployed to Dakota, Wyoming, and other parts of America as well. Maybe it makes economic sense for google to do it there as well. But google has done the math and determined that it makes sense to do this in parts of Africa, and for some strange reason they aren't dissuaded by random afro-pessimist commenters on hn.
  - nwzpaperman 13y ago
    You don't know what you're talking about. What were you doing in Africa for 30 years...drinking on beaches in Cape Town?? Here is why it is COMPLETELY stupid to put wifi blimps in Africa. LOL http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/infographic/2012/10/manpads-attacks-in-africa http://www.heritage.org/multimedia/infographic/2012/10/manpa...
    - SideburnsOfDoom 13y ago
      According to you, it shouldn't matter where I was in Africa since the whole continent is "failed". If you now think that the blimps should be over the beaches (and shanty-towns...) of Cape Town, but not the red dots in the conflict zones, then you've changed your mind about that. The nearest red dot looks like it's over 2000 km from Cape Town. Nothing within 1000s of km of all of Nigeria. There are huge markets there. etc. etc.

DanBC 13y ago

> etc. before throwing resources at African wifi. They're helping to expand existing markets and creating new markets. African mobile telephony is a success story.