Happens to be the title of a great track on the latest Wilco album, and also the subject that Sid Kemp wants to discuss.
"Hello Mr. Jones:
I just read about your idea in the NYT. Congratulations on your notoriety.
I am a computer and communications project manager and author with three books coming out from McGraw-Hill shortly--two of them on wireless.
I think you've got the basics of a very good idea, but, as presently set up, it has barriers.
First of all, warchalking makes people think of war. Yet this could be a cooperative effort. These signs could be posted intentionally, just like signs for handicapped parking spaces, public restrooms, and all kinds of other things. I won't speak about cracking into networks where owners don't want you to use them. But, I think, if we begin with an attitude of cooperation rather than war, we might be able to create an open wireless world. Two generations ago, neighbors came by to borrow a cup of sugar. Why can't they come by now, saying, "I'm out of range for cellular data. Can I plug into your Wi-Fi?" And we can leave a sign at our door: "I'm out right now, but feel free to sit on my porch and use my network."
In that spirit, I suggest the following:
The name: Webchalking (Marking where Web access is)
The card:
add some definitions: what is an open, closed, or wep node. What are ssid, access contact, and bandwidth
Add some samples
If I wanted to connect to each type of node, where would I put these settings on my laptop.
The definitions and samples would bring warchalking/webchalking out of the realm of the techie and into the realm of the everyday user. Internet access might become a free available service, like water fountains, and, where there are no water fountains, glasses of water offered by restaurants.
Please let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
Sid"
What do you think?
Posted by matt at July 23, 2002 12:21 AMThe term "warchalking", more specifically the prefix "war-" is not derived from "warwalking", but rather from "wardialing", a practice from the early 1980's.
"Wardialing" was the process of systematically dialing phone numbers in search of modems, either by hand or via software called "wardialers".
The term "wardialing" was derived from the movie "Wargames", in which the lead character used just such an auto-dialer to find modems attached to computers, which he would proceed to hack. The term "wardialing" is a contraction of the term "wargames dialer", and is synonymous with the term "demon dialer", which was used interchangeably during that period.
Posted by mcl at July 23, 2002 06:30 AM"Webchalking" does sound an awful lot more fluffy and nice. However there is a war coming and it's going to be between the people and The Man.
Are we going to sit idley by as the telcos, the coffee shops and the power companies roll into the area and swamp the spectrum - OUR spectrum - with pay for access?
Or do we make an effort of being visible, accessible and free while we can? Time to boost our signals while we're at it. Stick it on channel 6 - that'll annoy The Man a little more.
Now where did I put that hypergain brochure...
Posted by paulpod at July 23, 2002 11:32 AMAs for adding definitions to the card... I think he's missing the point. "Web/warchalking" at this stage is about the would-be warwalker or driver identifying an access node before even hauling out his/her hardware; he/she doesn't need SSID defined for him/her. Even as 'chalking moves into the mainstream, the assumption is that anybody who has the wireless hardware understands how to use it. I don't see the point of defining SSID or bandwidth on the card. I think it is enough to say, "You've got wireless connectivity on your laptop? Great! Read about connecting to wireless networks, and here's a card to help you identify where you can connect." The definitions have already been provided.
Posted by donnst at July 23, 2002 08:56 PMI think Warchalking isn't the right name for this project! Webchalking isn't that bad! and what do you think about Wallchalking? Just an idea of mine ;)
Posted by MilleniumEli at July 24, 2002 12:52 PMWhy not "WiFiti?" Sounds like graffiti, and contains "wifi," which is one of the names for wireless internet.
Posted by owen at July 25, 2002 08:53 PMWarchalking is pretty much a practice that I do not perform. As mentioned above people who know what they are doing should need to walk around and look for wireless access point. People, you need to understand that these secrets are not for the everyday man, that some information should be held back for the people of true talent and skill. That is you and me brothers.
When do I have time to get out and make markings for newbies to find?
Warchalking is over rated but wardriving....
wardring is for US.
As I first heard about warchalking, I didn't really think about something negative because of the "war", but webchalking (or netchalking) would sound better, that's right... IMHO there really should be a sign for access points that were opened voluntarily.
YeaH
PS: Does anyone know a website about webchalking in Germany? Plz write me.
Posted by YeaH at July 26, 2002 04:04 PMAbout your point. Academic quite. But weak also. People who are interested enough to want walk-by access don't give a dried cat crap what it's called. Who cares if the title's PC? I got an idea. What if walking around with your computer was the definition of war?
Posted by mcexample at July 28, 2002 08:33 AMNames for comment
Hope these help generate some ideas.
Actually, on reflection after doing this, 'warchalking' is not too bad (see mcexample post). I think the question is who do we want to do the 'chalking', and if the intention is for everyone, including mainstreamers to do it, then maybe the language would benefit from having a PC name.
So here's the ideas anyway...
I think its got to end in -chalking, and start with preferably one syllable, to be catchy.
REFER TO TECH
hubchalking
wavechalking
domainchalking
commchalking (communications)
REFER TO ETHOS
freechalking
lovechalking
commchalking (community)
UNIQUE
Bozchalking? (Boz refers to the closest alphastring to 802 from 802.11)
REFER TO SPACIAL DOMAIN
Zonechalking
Wardchalking
Doh! I've just *got* owen's post and I like the name 'wifiti' now. When I first read it I didn't get that it should be said like graffiti - it's not obvious from the spelling.
So I suggest a subtle change for that name option to 'wiffiti'.
Posted by mindig at July 29, 2002 09:45 AMIF WE ABANDON MATHEW BRODERICK ALL IS LOST.
seriously though, warchalking is a great name with a great story behind it.
it is catchy and it makes people wonder and ask what it is.
seriously, if someone is so dumb that they hear the words "war chalking" and think: OH MY GOD! THEY ARE AT WAR WITH US OVER CHALK!
(obviously an exaggerration but you get the point)
then really, are they the type of people who are going to understand what a computer is... let alone a wireles network?
sarcastic, perhaps, but i'm going to warchalk. and it will be warchalking for me.
just as it was wardialing a long time ago.
IF WE ABANDON MATHEW BRODERICK ALL IS LOST.
seriously though, warchalking is a great name with a great story behind it.
it is catchy and it makes people wonder and ask what it is.
seriously, if someone is so dumb that they hear the words "war chalking" and think: OH MY GOD! THEY ARE AT WAR WITH US OVER CHALK!
(obviously an exaggerration but you get the point)
then really, are they the type of people who are going to understand what a computer is... let alone a wireles network?
sarcastic, perhaps, but i'm going to warchalk. and it will be warchalking for me.
just as it was wardialing a long time ago.
I liK wetchakKing my laptop
Posted by DiK Mebius at August 4, 2002 04:49 AMI think webchalking sounds pretty good.
About there being definitions on the card, that might take up a bit too much space, unless it were to be some sort of foldable card that's the size of a credit card but unfurls to, say, an 8 1/2" by 11" sheet of paper. But for those who still want definitions, perhaps there is a web address that provides the definitions (possibly www.pcwebopaedia.com) that can be printed on the card.
Posted by hyperactive_infinity at August 7, 2002 02:59 AMI don't think it will matter what we call it, weather it be warchalking, or webchalking. When it comes down to it, the Media will decide. Look at Cracker & Hacker.
So we can call it Bobs Octulangular Zoo if we want, and the Media will decide for them selves, and create an image at that point.
Weather it is the image the WiFi community wants or not.
Posted by DigitalSpaceMonkey.ca at August 17, 2002 03:24 PMI have to admit - my cooking site has a war-inspired name ( guerrilla kitchen, but it doesn't launch until November 2002). But I like commchalking. In some way, it returns the connotation of community to the word communication.
Posted by jonathan at September 20, 2002 10:53 PM