Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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free internet

internet payed for by adds
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(+1, -3)
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Internet nowadays is quite a commodity.. however sometimes it is quite annoying that one cannot access it for free (at least in my country one can't).

why not have public free internet access points?

one might ask - why should they be for free? answer - the computer would be stuffed with advertising (initial page, part of the screen or whatever)

such computers could be put in shopping centers (malls) and other crowded places hence the worries of stealing the components would be minimised - due to security around etc. (although insurance could cover the various expenses of stealing)

and perhaps these computers could be somehow specially designed - so that one would not be able to steal mouse or what have you. (I have seen similar paybooths where you can use internet, anyone could give a hint where could i look for such things ? )

funx, Sep 28 2007

NetZero http://www.netzero.com
Free internet paid for by ads [bleh, Sep 28 2007]

Land of Free Internet http://wifinetnews....rchives/001524.html
Estonia has lots of free wireless hotspots [Pellepeloton, Jan 02 2008]

[link]






       Baked, at least it was years ago. . . there was a free broadband internet 'station' in our mall. It offered free usage of the internet if you finished quick "games" provided by sponsors.
evilpenguin, Sep 28 2007
  

       thanks, I am a newbie in bakery, I'll take this into account when launching :)
funx, Sep 28 2007
  

       bigsleep since you brought up that can of worms I'll tell you why. The few that don't have the Internet spend there money elsewhere. So now your going to force them to pay for there Internet that they don't want, through taxes. hmm very fair.   

       Also we respect people with different ideas here. Your comments are not welcomed.
F_R_O_G, Sep 28 2007
  

       well... more or less agree - actually i dont really see how somebody is made worse off in this situation - because the companies that have the ads on the comps are happy - kind of (for my place) new advertisement type and additionally - the people that get to use internet for free (again - kind of - they do not have to pay, right?) are better off - they can use internet and do whatever they want with it etc...   

       so...where could be the problem?   

       i cannot really see any tax issues   

       and btw - not everyone has internet :p
funx, Sep 28 2007
  

       [funx], welcome to the halfbakery. I like your idea. I suggest you read the help file, over there on the left under meta.   

       You will find different opinons here regarding deleting annotations.   

       Some feel free to delete any annos or links that do not appear to take the idea as seriously as the author intended.   

       Others take a more lighthearted approach, and think that all annos and links are part of the game here, and that deletion of such is rude.   

       You'll have to make up your own mind about that.
normzone, Sep 28 2007
  

       Isn't this baked in every public library in the US? and there's no ads. also, this is how netzero started, though you had to supply the machine for that.   

       On the subject of anno deleting, if you delete an anno, it makes the following conversation quite confusing to those who came in after it was deleted.
bleh, Sep 28 2007
  

       10x it was very kind of you - at first it was kind of weird - receiving lots of bullshit but already now i have became familiarized with it ;)   

       as it was already stated, i do not come from U.S. and in my country Internet is not publicly available for free...well yo ucan always steal WiFi but anyways - you cannot do it everywhere...
funx, Sep 28 2007
  

       actually netZero still does this   

       from their website: "The NetZero Free ISP offers ad-supported free internet access, including webmail, for up to 10 hours per month."   

       but I'm not sure if you have to be in the US. I Know you're not from the US. I was merely stating that it does exist here.
bleh, Sep 28 2007
  

       oh ... sorry - at my side of world i am getting kind of sleepy :D
funx, Sep 28 2007
  

       thanks - i was thinking exactly about trackerball   

       I think a cheaper solution for the keyboard would be to somehow mount the typical keyboard on the table or what is there, but i'll take a look for prices of your suggested variant.   

       the idea about two monitors is great, thanks!
funx, Sep 28 2007
  

       Oh yea, and welcome to the bakery.   

       Didn't mean to sound so matter-of-factly but rather to support your idea to the point of it being setup and running in our shopping mall a few years ago.   

       (pet peve) please stop using emoticons [funx]
evilpenguin, Sep 29 2007
  

       I completely agree to your first statement.   

       However, if we are looking from consumers perspective, he/she wants completely everything for free or at least minimum cost (ok - there are some exceptions - so called Giffen goods - one will not want bugatti veyron for minimised cost because it depicts some kind of monetary power - I can buy, you can't), but still - majority of goods from consumers viewpoint are normal goods.   

       Service providers, entrepreneurs have to focus on this consumer wish and, of course, - satisfy it.
funx, Sep 29 2007
  

       Just call it what it is. If you want to pay for the Internet through taxes then that's a socialist view point if you want to pay for that Internet directly that's a capitalists view point. If you want adds to pay for it than thats just one messed up viewpoint. :) This has gotten way off topic...
F_R_O_G, Sep 29 2007
  

       >>why not have public free internet access points?   

       Adam Smith would like to have a word with you.
Cuit_au_Four, Oct 02 2007
  

       If this wasn't so widely baked, it would be a good idea.
vincevincevince, Oct 02 2007
  
      
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