We've got citywide free wireless. Depending on how you measure it, PDX is one of the greenest, most wired, and technologically progressive cities in the US.

Just ignore all the hippies, supposedly it's the case. Of course they're all at the Burn this week, so the wireless signals aren't being blocked by their bodies. But most weeks.

I'm kind of at a loss as to what-all it's doing for our city that's so amazing. Yeah, theoretically you could buy a PC with wireless and not pay a provider. You can also walk around with a PDA in most areas of the city and be connected. And that's fabulous. But is it making the streets safer...bringing in jobs...improving the environment...lowering cost of living? Dunno.

For me, I don't use a PDA in that way, and so the only time the free wireless has even impacted my life is when I was lazy configuring my 360 for a couple of weeks and I got free Live access from the city instead of pointing it at my own paid-for and far faster internet connection. And I see it out there, of course, when I configure my own home network.

But other than that...I'm just not sure what great things are being enabled by Portland having it. I'm unsurprised that other initiatives in larger cities aren't working out so well.

Free Muni WiFi is this year's foosball table and Herman Miller chair. It's just what post dotbomb bubble places that want to imagine they're on the cutting edge of kewl want to do.

Anyway - aren't all the Starbucks and Border's Books with their expensive T-Mobile agreements going to protest this?

What about small rural towns who are either not wired or limited to phone and/or cable? I live in a town of 700 and it's amazing how many people are wired (mostly dialup). Some, like myself, are on the cable teat. Would we and others not benefit from a scaled down muni wi-fi? Is this something that has been widely investigated and are there some small towns gearing up for this? Lots of questions - no answers, so far.

What I find ridiculous is the lack of free wifi in airports.

Why should I have to pay to use the internet in United's International Club in ORD when I can get free wifi in NorthWest's world club lounge in DTW?

I'll fly NorthWest from now on, thank you...

Paying $7.00 and up for wifi in an airport is stupid! I need to check emails before my 9 hour flight. Yes, I'll pay BIG MONEY for 5 minutes of access that I'll never use again until I get back to ORD the next time?

Come on... Runaway capitalism is killing America. Cut the damn CEO's salary and perks rather than tick off customers. DUH!