<SPAM> Re: emergency alert system

[Mike Iglesias <iglesias () UCI EDU>]

HALL, NATHANIEL D. wrote:
> Could you tell why you believe these systems area bad ideas?  I am
> curious why you are against them.

The system here doesn't work all the time.  The last few times it was tested
or actually used, some people who signed up didn't get the message.  I know I
haven't received the messages several times.

There are places on campus where cell phone reception is spotty or
non-existant, especially in buildings.  It won't do much good to tell people
to stay inside the building for some reason if they have to go outside to get
the message.

People who sign up for it have some expectation that it will work, and will
expect to be alerted about something they need to know about.  When it doesn't
 get the message out to everyone in a timely manner, or they don't get it at
all, somebody could get hurt, etc.

It gets down to this: the technology isn't up to snuff, in my opinion, to do
what people are expecting these systems to do.


--
Mike Iglesias                          Email:       iglesias () uci edu
University of California, Irvine       phone:       949-824-6926
Network & Academic Computing Services  FAX:         949-824-2270