This is the moment I have been dreading for a long time, the day when someone requires me to appear on a video webinar. So I went down to the Apple store today and got an iSight webcam. It was very easy to install and within minutes, there I was on iChat video and Sightspeed. Andy Abramson has been nagging me to get a webcam, Peter Csathy (CEO of Sightspeed) actually sent me one a few months ago but it did not work on my Mac. But here I am now, the reluctant owner of an iSight webcam.

I love gadgets, but not webcams. Why? Because I like my privacy. I don’t want people to see me on my bad hair days or when I have dark circles around my eyes after staying up late the night before. Since I post articles on this blog and on Muniwireless often in my pajamas, there’s no way I’m going to let people see me in my PJs. And now that it’s very hot here in Amsterdam, let’s just say my dress code may be labeled by most as “office inappropriate” or objectionable.

It’s the same with Wi-Fi. I run Muniwireless.com, a website that champions city- and regionwide wireless broadband networks around the world. I believe that everyone should have cheap fast broadband service. Except when I was in Provence, in tiny remote villages without Internet access, I loved being disconnected from everyone and everything. I could actually RELAX. I did not miss having Internet access and I was not looking forward to having it anytime soon. I will post more on the tragedy of the “always on, always connected, multitasking” way of life shortly.