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Health care is more important then how we may or may not be behind technologically. That argument is based on other countries who are the size of Texas to Rhod

Health care is more important then how we may or may not be behind technologically. That argument is based on other countries who are the size of Texas to Rhode Island. Based on the size of the US we are not doing as bad as some paint it out to be; improvement is always needed! Overall if you are one who prefers text based communication over voice & loathe AT&T, you still can use an iPod Touch via Wifi or buy a Verizon or Sprint MiFi and use that as your communication device. Of course there are issues with doing this, but last two months has worked great for me.

steveklabnik 17y ago
> Health care is more important then how we may or may not be behind technologically. It all depends on your priorities. I personally am against nationalized health care, and, more importantly, all this "debate" is doing is pulling everyone even farther and farther apart. Everyone is yelling and screaming and calling each other names, and I'm frankly sick of it. > That argument is based on other countries who are the size of Texas to Rhode Island. Normally, I'd agree with you. But I live in Pittsburgh, down the street from CMU, and several of my friends can't even get FIOS. Let alone the kind of crazy awesome internet they have in Japan or South Korea. You can't get that anywhere in the US. Of course, rural areas aren't going to be able to get fiber to their homes, but there's no reason to be so far behind in urban areas. And while the MiFi seems interesting, it's completely unreasonable that I can't just get wifi built into my phone. I don't want to carry around a whole second box for something that should just be built in.
- paul9290 17y ago
  I have a small plastic casing I put both Mifi and iTouch in. So only disadvantage per your argument is that it's slightly bulkier then just an iPhone. The other disadvantages too, but i prefer text based communications over voice. Overall I am sure when LTE (Verizon's 4G) & or Wimax (Clearwire) offer ubiquitous coverage will start to see Internet mobile devices with built in 4G. Though carrier's don't want to be dumb pipes, but I'm thinking that's what they'll become, as us consumers only need/want them for the pipe!
  - steveklabnik 17y ago
    I tend to prefer text communications as well, but I'd really like to browse some WWW from time to time. I agree that carriers will have to become dumb pipes... if they don't want to be a dumb pipe, they should let someone else be one, and just build off of that. Then again, with all of the money and history that's involved in the telecommunications industry, I'll imagine that we'll be held back for quite a while longer.
    - paul9290 17y ago
      I use Google Voice free SMS on my iPod Touch with MiFi to stay connected with friends. Always using the www
philwelch 17y ago
If countries the size and density of the NYC metropolitan area have better digital infrastructure than the NYC metropolitan area, that is a problem. No one's expecting gigabit internet in Wyoming, but not even in the densest parts of the country can we compete with the rest of the world. If health care is going to be nationalized, it can't be a productive part of the economy anymore. It's already (probably) a net drain on public resources. If we're gonna have something like public health care, we need a way to pay for it. Fixing our technology infrastructure enables this country to create more wealth.

steveklabnik 17y ago

> Health care is more important then how we may or may not be behind technologically. It all depends on your priorities. I personally am against nationalized health care, and, more importantly, all this "debate" is doing is pulling everyone even farther and farther apart. Everyone is yelling and screaming and calling each other names, and I'm frankly sick of it. > That argument is based on other countries who are the size of Texas to Rhode Island. Normally, I'd agree with you. But I live in Pittsburgh, down the street from CMU, and several of my friends can't even get FIOS. Let alone the kind of crazy awesome internet they have in Japan or South Korea. You can't get that anywhere in the US. Of course, rural areas aren't going to be able to get fiber to their homes, but there's no reason to be so far behind in urban areas. And while the MiFi seems interesting, it's completely unreasonable that I can't just get wifi built into my phone. I don't want to carry around a whole second box for something that should just be built in.

paul9290 17y ago
I have a small plastic casing I put both Mifi and iTouch in. So only disadvantage per your argument is that it's slightly bulkier then just an iPhone. The other disadvantages too, but i prefer text based communications over voice. Overall I am sure when LTE (Verizon's 4G) & or Wimax (Clearwire) offer ubiquitous coverage will start to see Internet mobile devices with built in 4G. Though carrier's don't want to be dumb pipes, but I'm thinking that's what they'll become, as us consumers only need/want them for the pipe!
- steveklabnik 17y ago
  I tend to prefer text communications as well, but I'd really like to browse some WWW from time to time. I agree that carriers will have to become dumb pipes... if they don't want to be a dumb pipe, they should let someone else be one, and just build off of that. Then again, with all of the money and history that's involved in the telecommunications industry, I'll imagine that we'll be held back for quite a while longer.
  - paul9290 17y ago
    I use Google Voice free SMS on my iPod Touch with MiFi to stay connected with friends. Always using the www

philwelch 17y ago

If countries the size and density of the NYC metropolitan area have better digital infrastructure than the NYC metropolitan area, that is a problem. No one's expecting gigabit internet in Wyoming, but not even in the densest parts of the country can we compete with the rest of the world. If health care is going to be nationalized, it can't be a productive part of the economy anymore. It's already (probably) a net drain on public resources. If we're gonna have something like public health care, we need a way to pay for it. Fixing our technology infrastructure enables this country to create more wealth.