Wi-Fi-nally

Seattle is a great progenitor of technology, but only now, in the year 2005, is municipal Wi-Fi finally coming to town. To put this in context, Spokane has had a wireless downtown corridor for over a year. Is Seattle behind the times?

Mayor Nickels launched the service on May 18th by logging on via laptop in Columbia City. His office's press release cites the Seattle Wi-Fi Project's goal to...

...attract more customers to local business districts, support small businesses, encourage the use of public parks and facilities, and enable more citizens to access City services online.

Another obvious, but unstated, goal is to enable citizens to have expanded access to Seattlest.

The Wi-Fi access covers the heart of the U-District, Columbia City south of Columbia Park, Victor Steinbrueck Park (North Pike Place Market), Freeway Park, Occidental Park and Westlake Park.

Seattlest is a bit skeptical. Who is going to go to Freeway Park with their laptop to browse the net? Or hang out in Occidental Park with a $2000 computer? You can still go to any Seattle Library** location and get Wi-Fi free. Don't forget that there are a lot of indy coffee shops and other locations that serve up Wi-Fi for free. Seattlest will test the networks and report back.

Thanks Buzzworthy.

**Update: You CANNOT go to just any Seattle Public Library and get Wi-Fi. When I went to my local branch, the Greenwood Library, there was not Wi-Fi available. The fact that branch libraries are not wireless makes this effort to unwire sidewalks and parks a bit ridiculous.