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Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

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Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#141

Post by BuckRogers »

I lived in Chicago (proper, not the burbs) for years. The existing city cable provider, RCN, was one of the best I ever had the pleasure of using. It's definitely no Comcast like the suburbanites are stuck with.

The city is too old.. they don't even have all the schematics for all the gas lines and other pipes and wires laid over the centuries. Digging in Chicago is very dangerous and restricted. It will be interesting to learn how they deploy this if it happens.

As for likelihood this goes through, I can't see this ever happening. It's very corrupt, city employees don't want to work too hard, it's running on borrowed time.

Oh, I'm in Austin now. :) Can't say I care to return to the Windy City but this would certainly help pull in migrants other than native midwesterners.

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#142

Post by BuckRogers »

platz wrote: post #120
thegreatpeter wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm from Chicago. You gotta live here to understand.

I'm from chicago too, so I guess I do understand by that logic. I'm not even sure what we're arguing about, in fact

You are both "from Chicago"? Meaning, the city itself or the suburbs. Big difference. The suburbs are not Chicago.

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#143

Post by pasbesoin »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #8
skorecky wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> incarceration of multiple public officials and a raw deal for the city. What? How?

http://pols.uic.edu/political-science/chicago-politics > The Windy City has kept its crown as the most corrupt major city in the country over the last 40 years. But Houston is starting to give Chicago a run for its money. > According to new research released today by University of Illinois at Chicago political science professor Dick Simpson, there were 45 convictions for public corruption in 2013 (the latest year ava…

Chicago has a habit of not even negotiating good terms, while turning over public infrastructure to private enterprise in 99 year leases. A short term cash fix comes at the expense of bleeding citizens for the next 5 generations or so. The Skyway. The parking garages. The parking meters.

Traffic law enforcement going to faulty and corrupt traffic camera companies, based/excused upon arguments that are suspect at best. E.g. red light cameras, particularly but not only with the yellow cycles reduce to or below the legal minimum time apparently solely to increase the number of infractions, leading to increased occurrences of accidents and particularly of more dangerous accidents.

And that's not even getting into the decades of "The Machine" that politicized and monetized anything with a pocket to shake a nickle out of.

Chicago has upsides. Per my first line (in my other comment here, I guess), some even find the politics to be so: As long as you enjoy it as a contact sport.

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#144

Post by rayiner »

nkrisc wrote: post #3

As a Chicagoan I'm excited, but also worried it will lead to the incarceration of multiple public officials and a raw deal for the city, somehow.

At least you can get shit built in Chicago by paying people off. In places like Baltimore, you're just not allowed to build anything.

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#145

Post by duren »

wanderingstan wrote: post #101
duren wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with Sonic is their 12 month contract

First month is free, and contract doesn't kick in until after that. For me the math worked: Was paying $100/month for 20Mb Comcast. Now paying $40/month for 30Mb Sonic. Penalty for breaking the 12 month contract early is $150. So after 2.5 months of good service, I'm in the black even if I have to cancel early. Anecdotally, their technicians were the smartest I've ever met. I learned a lot about DSL and how they get…

Alright, the math makes sense for you. In my case, it would have been $10 cheaper than Comcast, but 1/5 of the speed, and I'd be locked into a year of service.

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#146

Post by pasbesoin »

platz wrote: post #120
thegreatpeter wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm from Chicago. You gotta live here to understand.

I'm from chicago too, so I guess I do understand by that logic. I'm not even sure what we're arguing about, in fact

> I'm not even sure what we're arguing about, in fact

Neighborhoods?

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#147

Post by tdaltonc »

HillaryBriss wrote: post #135
tdaltonc wrote: post #81

My start-up is in LA and we're been talking about moving to SF. This will definitely factor in to our discussion.

Just curious: what specific factor(s) make you consider the move? I mean, in your view, what are the big draws to SF, things that LA either lacks or has only in low quantity/quality?

We[0] make SAAS for developers, so we expect a lot more of our customers to be in the bay. There’s also a deeper market for technical talent and VC capital. LA has a lot of lifestyle perks (beach, forests, desert, great weather, more daylight in the summer, more sqft of office/apartments per $). I imagine that the bars and restaurants in LA are better (but I don’t know).

So mostly, The Bay is where to ecosystem is.

[0] https://UseDopamine.com

Re: Chicago and Los Angeles Are Next Up for Google Fiber

#148

Post by marshray »

orky56 wrote: post #125
awqrre wrote: post #118

How much would it cost for the US government to connect all US households to fiber? about 1 month of war?

Your first question is fair. Your second question brings politics into here for no reason.

I think it's entirely reasonable to discuss tech priorities and national infrastructure spending. Maybe 'war' has a particularly political dimension, but so does Social Security, welfare programs, national health care, manned space exploration, etc. Basically any large spending program is going to be a political, almost by definition.
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