[Art]

Outernet!!

Yep, the Outernet can be had with free downloads for Everyone! All you need is a Lantern. What? Yes, a different kind of Lantern. Check it out here: http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/lantern-one-device-free-data-from-space-forever

This is a way cool venture and one that should eventually benefit a lot of people! Solar enabled as well.

[Freddy]

They passed the first mile stone, but 2MB/day does not seem like very much to me unless I am missing something. That's like 1 - 2 photos.

I must be missing something.

[Art]

Perhaps you missed the part where they mentioned, initially 1 MB, then is the system pans out it will likely bump to 100 MB / day. Later the article mentions that some might wish to connect their lantern to a small satellite dish to receive 200 MB or more daily.
Keep in mind they while you (or someone) is currently paying for Internet service, this Lantern will get its information, data, books, etc. for FREE.
The whole purpose of this program is to make the access of information / learning materials / books, etc. available to Everyone on the planet...for FREE. It is not a contest of speed nor is it designed to be. I think it would be so cool to see some child in the far reaches of the world, without traditional Internet, be able to access a book, a paper or image that he / she otherwise would never have been able to experience.

Yes, I'm sure that a project of such magnitude will take time but the end result will benefit tens of thousands of people.

Travel started first with walking... (at least that's kind of what I got from the article.) Lot's of people I've spoken with indicated that they want one (Lantern). We'll have to wait and see just like with the other projects we've seen here.

[Freddy]

I agree that it is certainly a worthy endeavour.

I can't see how it will handle queries though; like the way you can terrestrially. It seems to be a big collection point and server but with one way traffic. I mean presumably you cannot send a request to the satellite to get something in particular. It seems like you would only get stuff that has been harvested by the system and it's pot luck if what you want is being served by the satellite.

That's not what I want from the internet, but I can see how it could help a lot of people.

Of course I may be interpreting this incorrectly.

[Art]

Yes I clearly see your point. It's not as if we're talking about FM waves being all through the air and one can simply intercept them with a suitable radio receiver.

Satellite signals for TV are sent through the same air yet their signal is scrambled before it reaches the receiver and then it is descrambled (provided one paid their monthly bill).

I do wonder just how they plan to deliver on such a promise. Hopefully it won't just be a repository for "older" collected information. That would be equivalent to downloading one of those "classic" eBooks who's copyright had long since expired and was now in public domain.

I guess the jury is still out on this one for now....