FON Social Routers

I've read the boards for a bit... and I think this group of people would be perfect to help me figure this out.

Would anyone care to explain this to me? Advantages? Disadvantages?

http://en.fon.com/

Wow, free wifi....

... isn't that pretty much the default in Brooklyn right now? I'm trying to think of a place where you CAN'T find an open connection.

Anyway, look at all the names attached to this project: http://en.fon.com/info/whos_behind.php

Dan Gillmor (Citizen Journalism advocate)
Ethan Zuckerman (Tripod)
Esther Dyson (THE INTERNET)