[LINK] NBN Community Education

[Ben McGinnes]

On 24/02/11 8:27 PM, Nathaniel Armer wrote:
> 
> I've never posted on a mailing list before, but I though I
> might give a short response - hopefully this gets to the
> original participants :)

It took me a few minutes to remember the thread, but yes, it has
indeed reached us.  :)

> As much as I hate to prove Ben right - I did happen
> to Google my own name :)

Heh.

> My first question is how did I get involved here?  I assume this:
> 
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/pipermail/link/2010-October/089898.html
>
> Was spam?  If so, I apologize for it.

Well, since we were discussing your site back then, this can't really
be spam.

> But no, NBNexplained.org was not some giant conspiracy - it was
> simply what it said it was - a expanded version of the WP wiki
> article.  Made because the WP wiki had significant limitations.
> Unfortunately it failed because WP considered it a separate site,
> and considered posts referencing it as spam.

That's a bit of a nasty catch-22, but not really unexpected.  I rarely
bother much with WP these days.

> I am very happy that ">:->" (?) considered it slick and
> professional - and would ask if he would be a reference :P.

Well, since this list is archived publicly you can always cite the
discussion of your site as a review.

> I do note his comments that it was "pushy" - and note that it was
> not our fault.  We had to write very proactively to counteract the
> negative bombardment of the Liberals and 'The Australian'.

Yes, the rhetoric did get a bit ridiculous.  Then Tony Abbott impaled
himself on said rhetoric on the 7:30 Report.

> I would note that his comment:
>  
> "Your only really care to fight that sort of criticism if you are
> involved or on the receiving end."
> 
> Is completely correct
> - we were on the receiving end, but as Australian citizens, IT
> professionals and Geeks - not as members of any company (at least to
> my knowledge) actually involved in the rollout.

In other words people who, when asked what they'd use all that
bandwidth for, can think of many entertaining things.  Personally I'll
be happy when we all get symmetric connections (which not even the NBN
will provide thanks to the plans provided at the wholesale level by
NBN Co).

> I do find this comment:
> 
> “An employee perhaps? Would explain the anonymity..” Intriguing,
> since my email was already listed in the thread and the text
> relating to us being an offshoot of WP was already quoted. 

Except said email address was from a free web service, which is
commonly used by cybersquatters.  Or, as Max may have been trying to
suggest, to quickly provide a cover for some other vested interest.
Since it is a Labor policy, the obvious candidate would've been one of
the unions (probably one which would have its members employed in the
NBN rollout).

What we have here is a case of a site which was a grass-roots project
being mistaken for political astro-turfing.

> Ben however provided excellent analysis – and came very close to
> guessing my desire for ‘OTOY’ (and like) technologies

Cheers.  :)


Regards,
Ben





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