Holland WIFI
Holland, Michigan is a great city to live in and offers something for almost everyone. For those that are into hiking we have various trails and for those that love the beachside we have some amazing fresh water beaches. Even if you’re a big city folk we have a great downtown and an ever growing chain of big companies going in on the northern side of the city. It’s also rather close to Grand Rapids, which is a good size city that can keep you busy with it’s night life.
It seems that there is something for almost everyone - that is, except the person that wants to have a place to connect his laptop to the Internet (via WIFI or Ethernet).
Holland has been incredibly slow is this area and whereas a couple coffee shops here and there are giving into this idea of free Internet, they (1) don’t know how to keep it up for very long and/or (2) they aren’t open when they say they are open.
As of this writting, 2 shops are currently known to have a good atmosphere and connection. JP’s Coffee and Panere Bread. I agree that there are other places but I (1) don’t know of them, or (2) get pissed when I drive all the way across town to have a nice afternoon of surfing and they aren’t open.
Right now I’m connected via ethernet cord at Hope College’s VanWylen Library. They supposedly have WIFI but I can’t seem to get with because of an annoying password window.
What Holland needs is a WIFI company to just come in here and make a bunch of HotSpots. Allow people to gather together and use technology. It doesn’t all have to be geeky stuff, it can rightfully be used for anyone in a business suit down to kids doing their homework.
To encourage this type of atmosphere many assume coffee shops are the best appointed places. I agree but it could also be a public library, area gym, restaurant/bar or even a local church. Just some place where people can be together and enjoy.
I’m currently trying to come up with ideas in which to move the Holland area closer to technology but haven’t been able to come up with very much. Anything I do get excited about requires me to get a business loan and develop it myself. However, that’s not completely out of question, I just wish the Holland people would understand its value and welcome it as quickly as they do their Tulip Time festivals.
Jim DeBruycker Says:
One reason you may not see WIFI univerally is the liability issue - if I remember, the “owner” of the site is liable for things that happen in/on his site. Thus, someone that sends some libelous info out coud come back to haunt the owner of the connection. ISP’s are insullated, but someone essentially sharing their individual connection could be on the hook, if they open it up to WIFI. Thus, you are more likely to see WIFI initiated by an ISP, rather than an individual store, or be required to pay a membership which may require an agreement to “abide by the rules or face the consequences” (i.e., have a tie-in to the actual user).