The Art and Science of Metropolitan Broadband

Consider this:

Creative impulse

From one perspective, art is a generic term for any product of the creative impulse, out of which sprang all other human pursuits, such as science via alchemy. The term 'art' offers no true definition besides those based within the cultural, historical, and geographical context in which it is applied. Though to artists themselves, the impulse to create can be strong.Wikipedia

So this writer has science springing out of art by way of alchemy. What then does Wikipedia have to say about the definition of "science?"

Science in the broadest sense refers to any system of knowledge attained by verifiable means. In a more restricted sense, science refers to a system of acquiring knowledge based on empiricism, experimentation, and methodological naturalism, as well as to the organized body of knowledge humans have gained by such research. Wikipedia

I try to resist these either-or discussions, because generally speaking, most of the truth lies part way between either extreme. In this case, municpal wireless networks can, and should be partly a science project, and partly a work of art.

As scientists, the project participants design a network, measure results, try different solutions as problems arise, and measure some more. All this in order to determine the best approach and design. By acting as scientists, we can build on our collective knowledge base and get better at these networks as we accummulate experience.

As artists, the project participants draw on their creative roots and innovate around problems. They combine different elements of technology, business, and political problem solving as if they were oil paints on a palette. Given that we are dealing with the vagaries of radio science, new technologies, government spectrum management, competing business models, and political compromise, any truly successful municipal wireless network project will enjoy the benefits of the artist's touch. The result can then be viewed as a work of art.

I believe that if we approach these projects with both of these hats on - at once both a scientist busy observing and measuring, and an artist forging new solutions and solving problems on the fly with innovative new approaches and the tools we have at hand - if we do that, we will find ourselves with a creation that works and one that we all can be proud of.

Being both a scientist and an artist allows us to draw from all the options on the table and provides us with the best possible results in this new field we're in.