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--- projects:turnovfee.net:start [2011/11/04 06:44] – [The first internet connection] first people added stybla
+++ projects:turnovfee.net:start [2013/05/12 05:49] (current) – fix a small typo stybla
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-====== History of NGO/NPO TurnovFree.net ======
+====== TurnovFree.net ======
-FIXME Work in progress FIXME
+I've pulled previous content after some consideration. I have no will on my own to think about the //good ol' days//.
+If you are interested in, want to know something particular, or whatever, feel free to send me an e-mail.
-As gathering e-mails for past 9 years is going to take some time,
-this is going to take some time. As well as covering 9 years of
-constant struggle and unrest.
-Target here is to summarize 9 years of TurnovFree.net. Well,
-actually it is 2-3 years prior official existence of
-TurnovFree.net and 6 years after.
-I'm up for some long run here.
-===== The Beginning =====
-Hmm ... the beginning, let me see, let me think a bit.
-==== The roots ====
-TurnovFree.net had its roots in our LAN parties when we were
-still at Primary school. We've used to spend weekends by endless
-playing of computer games in my room. My class mates brought
-computers, we've hooked them up(at the time by magic, what else;
-coax cables at first, UTPs some time later on)
-and played till exhaustion.
-Unreal Tournament, Counter-Strike, Starcraft and so on.
-Twice a year, or so, we had a bigger LAN party, not at my parents
-place though. We've used other place or Boy Scout's clubhouse on
-the "island"(note: next to power station, Konsky trh 201, Turnov).
-It was a beautiful place and we were using it for playing computer
-games. Silly us.
-Could you believe we've played through the new years eve as well?
-No? Oh yes, we did.
-So many memories. The cold during the winter and myself in sleeping
-bags nicknamed "rakoncajaky" after Josef Rakoncaj. I had two of them
-and still they fell short to fend of the cold. I remember as well we were
-there that morning when mother called to tell me grandfather died in
-hit-and-run by drunken driver. Well, that's a hard reality for you.
-==== Humlnet ====
-As we were growing up, it became more difficult for us to get together.
-We still had big LAN parties, but weekends weren't what they've used to
-be. Some of us got comfy and this led to some cabling.
-At the time(2000-2004), I was attending Secondary school in Dvur Kralove
-nad Labem with people from Trutnov. No, not Turnov, Trutnov. But don't
-worry, even Russians got it wrong during occupation. Anyway, where was I?
-Ah, people from Trutnov. And they told me about Humlnet.
-Humlnet was presented to me as network between neighbors in blocks of
-flats with access to internet. I don't remember what connection they've
-had at the time, but anything else was better than time limited dial-up.
-Right, you got gracious 10 hours per month for free. Wow. The speed of
-kpbs. Wow. Extra pricy and already old ISDN which not too many people
-could or would afford.
-I was really impressed. I was really possessed by this idea,
-by this vision. Vision of building community network and getting unlimited
-and cheap internet connection. Not free, but cheap. Cheaper than my modem.
-==== Cables ====
-I knew nothing, I mean really nothing. I haven't done one RJ-45 connector
-in my life, yet here we are crossing the parking lot with UTP cable bound
-to fence wire. Thousand of things could go wrong, yet we did it right.
-Except it took me couple times to get the connector right, the other side
-was done by my, then, teacher at school.
-This was in October 2002, I think.
-Network expanded couple months later. I remember it was in winter and
-most likely prior to Christmas 2002, so we could play over the Christmas.
-Connected were Tomas Laurin and Petr Malik. I'm not sure if somebody else
-got connected as well.
-===== The first internet connection =====
-From e-mails I've found, search for an ISP begun
-in October 2002. This was not easy because Turnov
-is just a small town(14k people), so searching for
-ISP? In 2002? Cheap? You're just mad.
-Literally none of big ISPs I got recommended had
-fiber cables in Turnov area. Everything was possible
-only through SPT Telecom back then, which was
-overpriced and heavily corporate oriented. I mean,
-internet connection at home? Who would want that?
-Unlimited modem connection? //Nevah!//
-Yeah, it was really hard. We've ended up with
-Contactel and symmetric 64kbit/s line which maxed
-out itself up to 128kbit/s.
-Some pricing I was lucky to find out:
-  * Installation of WiFi device: 7990 CZK
-  * Rental of Wifi device per month: 990 CZK
-  * Monthly payment for 64kbit line: 3490 CZK
-all prices without taxes, of course. It was just a lot
-of money.
-We got connected to the internet sometime in the end
-of February 2003, but I will have to find out as well as
-how many members and how much we paid initially and per month.
-Estimates of payments per member:
-  * Initial: 750 CZK
-  * Monthly: 600 CZK
-I think there were 7 members in the beginning, but I'm not sure: Halama J., Jisl D., Laurin T., Malik P., Matecha J., Mazura V., Styblik Z.
-===== An apple? =====
-===== The trouble =====
-===== The peak =====
-===== Hitting bottom =====
-===== Afloat again =====
-===== At the bottom, again =====
-===== Everything that has a beginning has an end =====
-So, after 9 years, after great and long 9 years, TurnovFree.net
-is finally grinding to its inevitable stop. Its own members chose
-path I don't want to and refuse to follow.
-TurnovFree.net is supposed to be taken over by its ISP, IJC. All its
-property given away to members or scrapped. If there is something
-worthy, it is subdued to "Czech larceny". Undignifying end I don't
-want to be part of. Not like this.
-But everything that has a beginning has an end. And every end is
-a new beginning.
-===== Credits =====
-End credits given to people no matter what the end was, is
-or going to be. They've done some work. They've done something
-extraordinary and unseen in this country and in these times.
-They sure deserve some sort of respect.
-  * Absolon J., former member
-  * Hnatek P., member
-  * Halama J., member
-  * Laurin T., member
-  * Legath T., former member
-  * Malik P., member
-  * Navratil D., Atlantis/Alternetivo
-  * Navratil M., Contactel
-  * Sadilek M, member
-  * Suchoparek M., member
-  * Tuma J., member