MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwire - Aug 15, 2011) - Facilitated by a grant from the Tides Foundation, Geeks Without Frontiers (GEEKS), an initiative of the not-for-profit Manna Energy Foundation, is developing an open source Wi-Fi software technology that will enable millions of people access to education, information and communication, resulting in increased innovation, dignity and enterprise at a community level.
Access to information and communication is essential for any individual or community to achieve sustainable financial independence and dignity. GEEKS' open source software will help drive down the cost of metropolitan and village scale Wi-Fi networks, helping millions reap the economic and social benefits of lower-cost internet access. "Our low cost, or even 'free,' broadband will positively impact individuals, communities and countries. For example, a villager in a rural area of Kenya would be able to freely access information through the Internet they can use to help create a sustainable income, such as finding out how to better grow crops or diagnosing and treating a sick farm animal," explained Michael Potter, one of the founders of the GEEKS initiative. "GEEKS is honored to work with the Tides Foundation, Google, and others, in moving towards making the dream of significantly lower cost global access a reality, in a safe, secure platform."
This new open source Wi-Fi technology was built primarily by Cozybit, experts in wireless networking, is managed by GEEKS and I-Net Solutions and is sponsored by key technology companies such as Google, Global Connect, Nortel, One Laptop Per Child, and the Manna Energy Foundation.
The open source software is available today at www.open80211s.org. The full mesh software will be running in field trials in Northern California in the months ahead.
About GEEKS:
GEEKS is an initiative of the Manna Energy Foundation (Manna), which represents a revolution in philanthropy, with the vision that positive change results from a combination of both philanthropic action and social enterprise. Manna's goal is to positively impact the lives of one billion people in the next ten years through the use of social entrepreneurship. The GEEKS vision is to positively impact the lives of one billion people in the next ten years through the use of technology-led social enterprise. For more information, please visit: www.geekswf.org or info@geekswf.org
About Tides:
Tides is a values-based, social change platform that leverages individual and institutional leadership and investment to positively impact local and global communities. Tides pursues multiple, related strategies to promote this mission. From green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, donor-advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives members of the nonprofit and philanthropic community freedom to focus on the change it wants to see. For more information on Tides, visit www.tides.org