Since 1999, Eugene’s Embassy camp and Tachyon have brought Internet access to Burning Man.
Now everyone’s doing it. Reporter Scott Beale has been receiving information directly from the event via email, IM, IRC, the photos, video, blog posts, Twitter and live webcam as well as the stream from Burning Man Information Radio.
Beale explains how to access Burning Man 2007 through the internet. Websites like Justin.tv, Ustream.tv and Kyte.tv may also attempt to lifecast from Burning Man. Here are some nice photos and a report.
Last year Current.tv beamed back clips from a satellite truck and covered the burning in a 1-hour live multicam show. This year, there’s a live Burn WEBCAST and video clips on Building Black Rock City, The Last Temple, Piano Trebuchet, The Dept of Mutant Vehicles, Big Rig Jig (below) and lots more.
America’s biggest counterculture jamboree is also a $10 million business. Here’s Burning Man 2007 in Google Earth, Burning Man from 5 years ago, the 2007 live Burn WEBCAST and The Future; Hope and Fear.
The first outdoor municipal WiFi network was (arguably) Matt Peterson’s PlayaNet which provided wireless connectivity to Burning Man in 2001.
Matt Peterson and his friends, including Tim Pozar and others, took their Wi-Fi field experience back to San Francisco and started the Bay Area Wireless Users Group. BAWUG’s PlayaNET Archives, beginning in April of 2000, contain the genesis of grass-roots community networks.
I remember writing a feature article about the phenomena in January, 2001. PlayaNET, BAWUG and other grassroots organizations (like PersonalTelco) showed that WiFi networking could deliver practical outdoor service. They in turn spawned the commercial municipal Wi-Fi movement, which began to take off in 2004-2005.
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