[RTC List] Outage outrage

[Sean Connors]

I honestly think we need to try seriously to reach out to a wider audience on this issue.

Many folks seemed to agree with the gist of what I was trying to get across ( with only one "poo-pooer" ). 

I think everyone one who needs to know, does know that we IT folks are clamoring. 

We now need to enlist the "masses", as it were.

Folks whose livelihoods are directly dependent upon this connection might not realize what an issue it is in aggregate. I'm talking about the store that couldn't accept "electric money", the neighbor around the corner who had to press a due date but couldn't get that bill paid online on time, some interesting stuff in the TS today -- say folks who lost pets and couldn't get online to track them, folks looking for that "sweat spot" booking on travel, etc, .  . . .and to quote another list member:

"I wish we could survey (maybe through other media driving folks to a survey site) all the small, non-tech businesses that were affected by the outage.  I'd like to hear stories of elders who couldn't get medicine, children who lost out on some school activity, small shops that lost sales, etc.  Everyone knows that tech businesses are affected, but it would be useful to illustrate how broad the ripple is." ( I didn't mention name though this was posted to the list, solely because I didn't have time to ask permission ).

We need to bring this home to "the people"; its not just us geeks who suffer from this issue, but it will take a "populist" pressure I suspect to get this seriously moving into action. HSU can study this all they want with their half million, but I don't expect much of anything to come out of that other than "Yes, it would likely be a good idea to have some redundancy up in here; give us another grant and we'll study how this might be accomplished."

I've suggested to Rich Somerville at the TS that this would be a good investigative reporting piece -- to find out how wide ranging this impact really is. IMHO, I think they did a pretty good job with their piece today, though I really think this story was more worthy of being "above the fold" than a freaking sunset and article on the weather!

Unless anyone has any better ideas, I'm going to submit a letter to the TS attempting to ferret out non-IT geeks / "Joe Schmoes" who got hurt in some way by this and put an online survey for them to submit to.

I'm also wide open to all other ideas, and despite the reality that I've been working way too hard for way too long, this is one issue I'd like to make what contribution to I can. Any solid motions, I will get on board with.

All the best,

--  Sean

Sean Connors
Web Merchant Services
www.WMSmerchantservices.com
Sean at WMSmerchantservices.com
1-877-569-6584 (sales and fax)
1-707-443-4447 (support)

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Michael Welch 
  To: list at redwoodtech.org 
  Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 8:08 PM
  Subject: Re: [RTC List] Outage outrage


  Also, RTC could develop advice and strategies on how to deal with an outage. For example, how many people are aware that they can use their phone modems with AT&T if the dsl goes out? Does Suddenlink offer free dialup for travelers as well? 

  Madelin Holtkamp wrote at 08:29 AM 10/10/2007:
   

    Sean Connor's e-mail is the perfect sort of addition to the bundle of surveys that RTC is gathering.  I wish we could survey (maybe through other media driving folks to a survey site) all the small, non-tech businesses that were affected by the outage.  I'd like to hear stories of elders who couldn't get medicine, children who lost out on some school activity, small shops that lost sales, etc.  Everyone knows that tech businesses are affected, but it would be useful to illustrate how broad the ripple is.
     
    Madelin Holtkamp
    Executive Director
    RREDC
    520 E Street
    Eureka, CA  95501
    707-445-9651 
    707-445-9652 (fax)
    www.rredc.com 



  - - - - - - - - - - - -
  Michael Welch, volunteer
  Redwood Alliance
  PO Box 293
  Arcata, CA 95518
  707-822-7884
  mwelch at redwoodalliance.org
  www.redwoodalliance.org 


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