Just Another Wireless Thought Thread

[progbuddy]

Why do we still use radios, cell phones, and other long-range radio devices if there is a conviently-located wireless hotspot every block? Wouldn't it just make more sense to replace all this crap with Wi-Max towers and public access points? It would replace everything else we use with one thing.

[nevermind1534]

...and, at the same time, render every present device useless.

[Zephik]

Sounds expensive.

[x88x]

Long answer or short answer?

Short answer would be:
a) Cost
b) Incentive (ie, justification of cost)

Long answer:
Each technology has it's own application that it excels at, and no technology is as good at all applications as each specific one is at it's specialty. For example, radio (AM, FM, shortwave, etc) has a massively larger range than any interactive wireless tech (cell, Wi-Max, etc) because the client devices do not communicate back to the broadcast station. It is also a much simpler and more secure way of getting information to as many people as possible, because you don't have to worry about any upstream traffic. Basically it comes down to that universal technologies almost never work as well for each specific application as dedicated technologies. Also, the cost...always with the cost.

[knowledgegranted]

Lets look at it this way....


Its like trying to convert the US to the metric system

[slaveofconvention]

Or getting you to drive on the right side of the road - not the right-hand side - the right (correct) side *grins and ducks*

[x88x]

Or getting you to drive on the right side of the road - not the right-hand side - the right (correct) side *grins and ducks*

HAHAHA, right you are.

I was curious, and found this:
http://www.i18nguy.com/driver-side.html
It's a nice, short explanation of various countries and why they drive on which side of the road. My favorite:

Pakistan also considered changing to the right in the 1960's. The main argument against the shift was that camel trains often drove through the night while their drivers dozed. The difficulty in teaching old camels new tricks was decisive in forcing Pakistan to reject the change.

[simon275]

Mobile phone has longer ranger especially in the country side.