Thomas Guettler wrote:

>Hi,
>
>Some time ago there was a discussion what
>example application there could be for quixote.
>
>What about a WLAN MAC Regsitry?
>
>This could be a good example because it can be
>used in "real world".
>
>What I mean with WLAN MAC registry:
>
>You can register your MAC address, so that
>other people who see your MAC address
>with their Access-Points can reach you.
>
>Last evening I saw a different MAC with
>my AccessPoint, but I don't know where
>he lives. With a registry I might find the
>owner.
>
>
Though I think a lightweight "registry" would make a nice demo app for
Quixote, I'm not sure of the viability of this one. How would you ask
your anonymous user to register him/herself? Since MACs can be changed
quite easily (and some people do it just for fun, others to stop the
government/aliens/illuminati from tracking their online activity), I
wonder how up to date the registry would remain.

Easier to just sniff his traffic, scrape his e-mail address and invite
him over for a coffee. ;-)  Or just limit access to your router.

On the other hand, it would be interesting if you could register those
MACs, then tie Quixote into libpcap or something (to determine
recently-used MACs on your WLAN), and be able to offer a "Who's Online"
page. I could see how this might be nice for an apartment building or
condominium complex with a shared WLAN, kind of a virtual Building
Social Club. College dorms might also benefit.

Perhaps a Shared Phone Book might be a better demo? A place where anyone
could create a profile, upload a picture (then you can show how to do
uploads, make PIL.Image calls), etc.?

-- Graham