Mandatory car analogy: New software makes a computer a new machine the same way switching from Exxon gas to Shell gas gives you a new car.

You want Republic Wireless. We have it, and it works great.

Which doesn't address either issue.

In order to do this without exposing your LAN to security issues, and not create liability issues because of the action of guests, it would require more setup than most end-users are capable of.

The WiFi interface would have to be kept separate (not bridged to the LAN), and the WiFi interface would have to be VPN'd to a (legally) safe termination. If companies want users to be able to use open WiFi, they need to step up to make this a default configuration on routers. Sure, those that use openwrt or dd-wrt can configure this, but there's a vanishingly small percentage of users with that skill set.

You sound like you haven't been to the library in a long while. I get all my TV and movie DVDs from the library. All my e-books (which I can check-out online from home via the web). All my CDs. And free WiFi when I'm onsite. Why are you paying for free stuff?

Tablet makers addressed the issue by including HID support, so that keyboards / mice could be used. Some even include a standard size USB port, supporting thumb-drives in addition to input devices. This lets people use a tablet as a laptop when / if needed, and leave the excess baggage behind when it's not.

Microsoft, you drop secure boot, and Google will give you a YouTube app?

Because, for fucks sake, a giant software company like Microsoft can't code one up in a weekend. How sad is that?

The boot sector issue has already been solved by most BIOS by (optionally, under user control in the BIOS configuration) preventing writes to the sector. The only time you need to unlock it is when you want to update the bootloader (relatively rare). I'm still at a loss for the value-add presented by secure boot.

By this reasoning, all the "bad lip reading" YouTube videos are authentic, because of the continuous ENF on the dubbed track. I don't think so.

It eventually will be, you'll just have to wait longer. $500 isn't reasonable if it costs $1000 to install, which it does.

I paid about $300 installation when cable Internet was first offered in my area - back when it was 8Mb/512kb. $1000 for the upgrade seems reasonable.

Google: 200 Billion Broadband Scandal

At $1000 per installation, they would get about $120B for 120M households; close enough to start. I would gladly pay a $1000 start-up fee for symmetrical 1Gbps/service. From other reports, Google is charging $70/month, with an operating cost of $5/month. As the early adopters start to accumulate, the revenue stream will offset the cost for the periodically lowered installation charge to increase penetration.

Establish a nation-wide signup. Require a credit card (Google Wallet) for signup; they won't be charged, but they'll separate the wheat from the chaff. Crunch the data to find the highest population density signups and start build-out in those areas. Provide near-realtime online updates on build-out area priority. This lets those interested in an area act as promoters / ambassadors to increase signups, and raise their area's priority. Like the first cities selected, let people compete - providing free word of mouth advertising in the process.

And don't forget the other side of the equation; offer servers reasonably priced 100Gb local Google data center / site interconnects to keep the on-net customers interested and happy.

Like the "Earth: Final Conflict" Global Link Communicator, this will allow the creation of small devices with large screens that unroll when in use.

http://goo.gl/LDMgp

Look! Wires and things!

Has anyone ever found a watch, clock, or cellphone that couldn't be used as a trigger device?