[LINK] No cash for phone alert system

[Richard Chirgwin]

Lea de Groot wrote:
> On 16/02/2009, at 9:14 PM, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
>
>   
>> Something specific to your area, and will grab your attention. CFA  
>> siren
>> and police megaphone cruising would be heard by much of country Vic,  
>> but
>> SMS specific to your area (eg quarter-cell?) registered for or  
>> you're in
>> could well save many lives in a fire-prone future.
>>     
Stephen ... it's interesting noting the scope-creep through this thread.
The original news article ran with the line that alerts are easy and
cheap, and it's only incompetent bureaucrats and cynical telcos that
stand in the way.

In fact, what happens is that the scope gets bigger the instant the
system has to take care of exceptions - and I would bet the exceptions
are what make things difficult and expensive.

It would be the wrong outcome entirely if a tabloid "this is easy and
cheap!" cry gave the country an easy, cheap and non-functional warning
system.
>
> I hate to be a party pooper but - I live in a rural area[1] and I have  
> no mobile reception here (ok, if I was willing to give money to Optus,  
> the phones would work out on the verandah, but I'm not...)
> How many rural areas are similar?
> Is a mobile-based solution really a solution for rural areas, or is  
> this all city slicker foolishness? ;)
>   
Lea,

I would say city slicker folly! - More like city slicker lack of
imagination; people who are never out of touch can't imagine that
country people frequently are.

RC
> Lea
> [1] Yes! The fires scared us!
>