Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe Simputer

[Subbiah Arunachalam]

I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research 
Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have a few 
computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is out of 
bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common assets for 
the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public commons. We cannot 
afford to provide computers and telephones and Internet accounts to everyone 
in the village. That is the reality. How can we overcome the problem? What 
we lack is the financial resources to buy gadgets. What we have is a large 
heart, a willingness to share what little we have, a commitment to care for 
others. After all development is about sharing and caring. The computers and 
every other service provided at the centre (such as information on a whole 
range of local needs) is open to all. It works well. Eventually, when an 
individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something he/she 
may decide to 'own' it.


Arun
[Subbiah Arunachalam]

- Original Message - 
From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM
Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe 
Simputer







Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your
belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than
buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in India 
or
Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer than 
some

of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian earns a
year, a year's earning not  quite  enough to buy your Simputer.

And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one:

<>

I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're right: 
it's
not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to get 
my

learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private tutoring.
And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly convenient 
as

buying my own and owning them.

And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're right:
sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one.

And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is misleading, 
and

downright harmful.

If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be 
without

rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment.

And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read,
even if we cut down enough trees for all those books.

And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the
digital divide.

If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than that of
the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in the
poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such time 
as

the folks in the community can afford to buy their own.

<>

You may have it backwards, Taran. Those who insist on personal automobiles
and personal libraries and personal computers may be the ones who are
slowing down the erasure of the many divides between the haves and the
have-nots.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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[DDN] Update on the Simputer

[John Hibbs]

At 10:02 AM -0700 5/29/05, Dr. Steve  Eskow wrote:

If the Simputer is a superior product, and mass producing it will
dramatically lower its price, the Simputer firm might emulate Negroponte and
insist on mass orders.


"Insist"? How?

How much good would it do to set a date ceartain - as Earth Day has - 
and make a 24 hour, round the clock, round the world - effort to 
focus on this call? An event designed to engage grant writers, 
pundits, distance educators, distance trainers, radio stations, 
humanitarian relief agencies, the UN, appropriate government 
officials at high levels.


 Is there a better way that picking a date certain - say six months 
from now? - and then putting our collective shoulders together to 
make sure that a zillion people hear of the Simputer - and cause the 
ordering in the millions?


John Hibbs
http://www.bfranklin.edu/johnhibbs


P.S. Sam Johnson says that nothing concentrates the mind like a 
hanging. I say that nothing concentrates the mind like an Big Event 
with a date certain. What else will turn "insist" into a collective 
action?


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Re: [DDN] Re: The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update on the Simputer

[Sandra Andrews]

Thank you, Aditie, for giving us a look at a plausible scenario in rural 
India. Frankly I do see Taran's work as investigating such scenarios as he 
travels, and I am eager to hear what he finds. Perhaps he will find some 
places where a simputer would be appropriate, and others where it would not 
be so. 

But if we have enough information, we might be able to find flexible enough 
answers.

Here is another scenario to consider, this time in Mexico. 

The background: The group I am involved with,
floaters.org,
has historically focused on those who are *least likely to have access. 
Living in Arizona as we do, various group members have developed a small 
number of volunteer- and donation-based technology integration projects in 
Mexico. 

Here is one finding: Unless we can offer solar-powered technology, or better 
infrastructure, home-based computing is not going to work in some areas, 
even in a city. 

The scenario: If you live in a small home, with no running water perhaps (I 
mention this just to give you something to visualize), and if the only 
electrical outlet is that attached to a bare light fixture hanging from the 
ceiling, then the chances of frying your keyboard (or worse) are high. You'd 
really have to replace your surge protector often, more often than would be 
practical. 

The answer for now might be a shared device requiring little maintenance, in 
a place sheltered from dust. And perhaps users could also store smart cards 
or flash drives there.

Solar powered devices would be nice, but you'd still have the problem of 
dust, even more where the floor is earth - remember, there are cultural 
reasons as well as economic reasons for dirt floors. So a place to store 
your computing device would be important.

And - these problems represent just one scenario and not even a complete 
picture at that! What about local ethnic rivalries, for example, which we 
have also run into, to our own astonishment?

I think success is more likely when users have been given enough information 
to help design their own solutions that will work for them and their 
communities, and then have been given the support to do so.

Taran, please let us know if you visit the Cunas, and what happens there 
with the technology.

Sandy 

-- 
Sandra Sutton Andrews, PhD
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Digital Media and Instructional Technologies
Arizona State University
&
The Floaters Organization
Now in Arizona and Mexico


On 5/29/05, Adite Chatterjee <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
> Try to visualise this
> scenario:
> 
> A farmer in remote Rajasthan who can just speak his mother tongue and
> perhaps a smattering of Rajasthani-accented Hindi acquires a Dell
> laptop - thanks to his son who is living in the US. His son teahces
> his father the basics of how to use the computer...By the way, the
> father will be only too happy to use it in such a case because he is
> not your typical villager (his son is in the US, he is obviously well
> off) and for him the computer is a status symbol. All his neighbours
> would drop in to chat with the old man only to see this wonder called
> a computer...Anyway to continue with the story, a few months later the
> computer stops functioning and he has to call up the call centre which
> is based in delhi/bombay/chennai/bangalore. You cant imagine how
> "divided" the two worlds are - the call centre executives are not
> trained to handle customer complaints from rural Indians.Period. And i
> don't blame them, rural Indians are not their core customers. After
> some hot words and total confusion, old man would forget about getting
> the computer serviced - status symbol - or not and it would be stored
> away in the 'showcase' in his drawing room, occasionally dusted like
> the other souvenirs that his son has brought home from the US.
> 
> The whole point of giving this fictitious scenario is to demonstrate
> how implausible it is for a market-driven company to offer service to
> customers who are clearly not their priroity customers. However with a
> company like Simputer, this is their core target and one assumes that
> they have created the systems to cater to this market.
> 
> Adite Chatterjee
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
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RE: [DDN] personal vis social and the academic

[Joseph Beckmann]

You've hit a topic that is still too largely ignored. Technology promises to
realize the social liberal vision of transparent government, policy,
program, business and development. Yet The Academy is notoriously
technophobic. Diane Ravitch, in the US, has recently taken up the argument
against small, high tech high schools, arguing, for example, that only
large, comprehensive secondary schools have the curricular variety needed to
prepare young people for the 21st Century. Compared to a place with a dozen
teachers and 300 to 400 kids, her argument sounds rational, and her allies
are massing a substantial counter-reform against the new secondary school
tech movement.

Yet there are over 15,000 online college courses and several more thousand
secondary courses. There is an almost infinite range of course material
available at subsidies so deep that they might as well be free in most US
and European school settings, and Taran's $480 or so is not prohibitive
anywhere, just a little steep many places. What is lacking is neither the
courseware nor the innovative models.

What truly is lacking is enough evidence of student productivity effected by
this technology. Schools usually hide their students' portfolios, rather
than promote them. Students may create their own web pages, but have neither
the capacity nor, frankly, the need to promote those pages adequately to
deliver the message of their creative portfolio, interdisciplinary, and
multimedia products. I know of famous innovative schools - in California,
Ohio and elsewhere - where they have hundreds of disks of student portfolio
material and neither promote it nor analyze it for fear of loss of control.
As in one school I visited where the otherwise sensitive and creative tech
coordinator claimed that "wifi would have these teenagers burn up the
bandwidth," to which I asked, "who or what else is worth that subsidized
bandwidth supposed to be for?"

In other words, the only way to defend technology - the ONLY way - is to use
it. A lot. And to get kids on it, using it, producing with it the best
possible intellectual inquiry, and documentation of that inquiry, in the
history of education. That is, after all, the point.

Joe Beckmann

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Abeles
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:01 PM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [DDN] personal vis social and the academic

Hi Steve

I want to take my remarks in another direction. The basic background is the
growing number of conservative academics and students, particularly in the
United States who are arguing that The Academy has a liberal bias making it
difficult for dissenting voices to be heard from the faculty side and an
even more difficult  for a voice to be fairly heard from the side of the
student.

This plays critically in the issues surrounding the digital divide where it
is an article of faith that the introduction of  appropriate technology, in
this case computers, as the way for social change to occur. Both the hope
and the vehicles of possibilities (technoloty and
process) are products of a liberal vision (not the Enlightenment liberal or
libertarian, but social liberal). What makes this of concern is that this
dogma is also being formalized and propagated in The Academy in a somewhat
cloistered environment (mostly to protect an emerging faith amongst young
turks who have to play the publish/perish game or who are trying to create
sacred liturgy). And it is not subject to the critical analysis so needed if
substantive change is to be promulgated.

The problem, of course, is that the funds from foundations and public
agencies are also members of this faith based community and dogma apostates
are certain to become fiscally isolated whether they embrace the liberal
social models or the more traditional neo-classical ideals. 
This, of course, paralyzes critical thinking at a time when such is badly
needed. It doesn't sit well within The Academy because they too are fiscally
dependent; but more importantly, they are tied to peer acceptance as both
faculty and students, a powerful pair which checks most critical thought,
especially if it is seen to immediately affect efforts to bring help to the
disenfranchised.

thoughts?

tom abeles


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[DDN] languages on the list (was Open Access News von FQS)

[Andy Carvin]

Hi Claude,

The general rule on the list is that content may be posted in other 
languages besides English as long as an English-language version is 
included. So list members are welcome to share content in other 
languages as long as there's an English translation.


thanks,
andy

Claude Almansi wrote:

Hi All

The forward below gives resources, some in German and some in English, 
about open access to content. Daniel Boos, of the committeee the Swiss 
Internet Users' Group , sent it to the working 
group on public domain, open access and media, of comunica-ch 
, the Swiss Platform for Information Society.


I know German speakers are a minority in this mailing list, but I hope 
this is acceptable nonetheless: after all, cultural minorities are also 
a Digital Divide issue. Besides, there are also English and Spanish 
versions of http://www.qualitative-research.net .


Apology to Myriam Schweingruber for the repetition.

Have a nice day!

Claude Almansi

http://www.adisi.ch
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Claude
 Original Message 
Subject: Open Access News von FQS
Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 08:45:02 +0200
From: Daniel Boos
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

[domaine public]
Hallo zaeme

im FQS Newsletter (Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung)  hat es immer eine
Rubrik Open Access News. Ich habe euch mal diesen Teil angehaengt. Der
Teil ist immer sehr gut und gibt einen ueberblick was passiert.

Info zum Newsletter:
http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-d/bezug-d.htm

Teil zum Thema Open Access News.

F) OPEN ACCESS NEWS

Die Mai-Ausgabe des SPARC Open Access Newsletter findet sich unter
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/newsletter/05-02-05.htm.

Texte:

- Richard Sietmann: Wissenschaftler fordert: Open Access gehoert ins
Urheberrecht, heise online
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/59496

- Richard Sietmann: "Open Access" als Publikationsalternative unter
Wissenschaftlern kaum bekannt, heise online
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/59796

- Praesentationen im Rahmen des DINI-Symposiums zu Open Access im Mai
2005 in Goettingen
http://www.dini.de/veranstaltung/workshop/goettingen_2005-05-23/programm.php. 




Zeitschriften/Newsletter:

- Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
http://www.cpementalhealth.com/home/

- Culture Machine, CfP 2006 COMMUNITY-Ausgabe
http://culturemachine.tees.ac.uk/frm_f1.htm

- Cyberculture studies, neue Reviews
http://www.com.washington.edu/rccs/

- Demographic Research, neue Texte online
http://www.demographic-research.org

- eCOMMUNITY: International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, neue
Ausgabe
http://www.ecommunity-journal.com/issues/issue/2/2

- First Monday, 10(5)
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_5/

- IASLonline, neue Rezensionen
http://iaslonline.de

- Revue internationale en Sciences du Langage Marges Linguistiques, 9
http://www.marges-linguistiques.com

- sehepunkte 5(5)
http://www.sehepunkte.de/

- Surveillance & Society
http://www.surveillance-and-society.org

- Webology, neue Ausgabe:
http://www.webology.ir/2005/v2n1/toc.html

- Working Paper on Culture, Education and Human Development / Papeles de
Trabajo sobre Cultura, Educación y Desarrollo Humano (neu)
http://www.uam.es/ptcedh

--
FQS - Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung
/ Forum: Qualitative Social Research (ISSN 1438-5627)
English -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-eng.htm
German -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs.htm
Spanish -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-s.htm

Please sign the Budapest Open Access Initiative:
http://www.soros.org/openaccess/

Directory of Open Access Journals:
http://www.doaj.org/

Open Access News:
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/fosblog.html

--
Gruss
Daniel
Groupe de travail "domaine public" de comunica-ch
http://www.comunica-ch.net


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--
---
Andy Carvin
Program Director
EDC Center for Media & Community
acarvin @ edc . org
http://www.digitaldivide.net
http://www.tsunami-info.org
Blog: http://www.andycarvin.com
---

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Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe Simputer

[Jon maddog Hall]

> If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than that of
> the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in the
> poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such time 
> as the folks in the community can afford to buy their own. >

This was *exactly* the design model of the Simputer.  The only thing that the
individual *might* own (and they do not *have* to own one) is the flash card.

By the way, this has another advantage in that training in how to use it (if
any is needed) can be concentrated in the church, cafe or school, and given
to individuals on an as-needed basis.  Illiterate people do not *need* to know
how to use a word processor, but they might need to know how to find and press
the "fish icon" that shows them the price of fish in the next nearest city.

On the other hand, there is no reason why manufacturing in larger quantities
can not bring down the price so more and more people (or churches, cafes and
schools) can afford them.

md
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director   Linux International(R)
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 80 Amherst St. 
Voice: +1.603.672.4557   Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
WWW: http://www.li.org

Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association

(R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries.
(R)Linux International is a registered trademark in the USA used pursuant
   to a license from Linux Mark Institute, authorized licensor of Linus
   Torvalds, owner of the Linux trademark on a worldwide basis
(R)UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the USA and other
   countries.

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RE: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

 Todd Seal writes about the perils of "the smart card":

<>

If the public computer is in a church, or library, or office, the cards can
be kept there rather than taken home.

And note how easily we overlook the difficulties associated with the
personal computer.

When 20 people each own a personal computer, care and maintenance and repair
becomes a personal responsibility, and 20 people have to learn how to keep
computers working well.

The public computer allows for sharing the care and repair and maintenance
as well.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Tom Abeles]

There is an essay with a title, something to the effect, "The Fear of 
God and the Need to Acquire" where there is a line, paraphrased, which 
says that there is a problem when the only way a person can show love 
for his/her spouse is to go to bed with them or BUY them something.


One must realize that secular humanism is just as much a religion as 
Christianity or other professed "religions" and the sacramental 
technology produced by science is the equivalent of a communion "wafer".


The electronic "tent" proposed by John is the equivalent of an old 
fashioned "Revival" meeting which one finds in the United States in some 
fundamentalist ministries- a calling for all techno-development acolytes 
and disciples.


Now, I do believe in such "get-togethers". The "teach-ins" and "be-ins" 
and the plethora of "fests" for farmers, tsunamis, aids... are all 
examples and all moved the world to a little better place.


But to enshrine a piece of technology on some sacred  platform comes 
straight out of some science fiction novel or TV commercial for any of 
the products which will make us younger, sexier, more desirable and 
successful. Buy a Simputer and you, too, will realize the consumptive 
success of  the characters on the old program Dallas.


I have said on this list that once the apostles of ICT gain sufficient 
followers then every micro-technology company from IBM, Dell, Microsoft, 
Motorola, etc will be on the evangelical trail seeking converts to their 
products and services.


The Simputer is a false God and the ICT disciples are members of an 
aberrant branch of the faith based secular humanism.


thoughts?

tom abeles

John Hibbs wrote:


At 10:02 AM -0700 5/29/05, Dr. Steve  Eskow wrote:


If the Simputer is a superior product, and mass producing it will
dramatically lower its price, the Simputer firm might emulate 
Negroponte and

insist on mass orders.



"Insist"? How?

How much good would it do to set a date ceartain - as Earth Day has - 
and make a 24 hour, round the clock, round the world - effort to focus 
on this call? An event designed to engage grant writers, pundits, 
distance educators, distance trainers, radio stations, humanitarian 
relief agencies, the UN, appropriate government officials at high levels.


 Is there a better way that picking a date certain - say six months 
from now? - and then putting our collective shoulders together to make 
sure that a zillion people hear of the Simputer - and cause the 
ordering in the millions?


John Hibbs
http://www.bfranklin.edu/johnhibbs


P.S. Sam Johnson says that nothing concentrates the mind like a 
hanging. I say that nothing concentrates the mind like an Big Event 
with a date certain. What else will turn "insist" into a collective 
action?


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RE: [DDN] personal vis social and the academic

[Janet E. Salmons]

I am not grasping how having the tools to participate in economic,
educational, social and civic life is either liberal or conservative?

It seems to me that this list needs to focus on the issues of bridging the
digital divide, not on politics.

Janet Salmons


VISION2LEAD, INC.
Site- http://www.vision2lead.com
Blog- http://blog.elearn2lead.com
PO Box 943
Boulder, CO 80306-0943




-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Abeles
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 4:01 PM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [DDN] personal vis social and the academic


Hi Steve

I want to take my remarks in another direction. The basic background is
the growing number of conservative academics and students, particularly
in the United States who are arguing that The Academy has a liberal bias
making it difficult for dissenting voices to be heard from the faculty
side and an even more difficult  for a voice to be fairly heard from the
side of the student.

This plays critically in the issues surrounding the digital divide where
it is an article of faith that the introduction of  appropriate
technology, in this case computers, as the way for social change to
occur. Both the hope and the vehicles of possibilities (technoloty and
process) are products of a liberal vision (not the Enlightenment liberal
or libertarian, but social liberal). What makes this of concern is that
this dogma is also being formalized and propagated in The Academy in a
somewhat cloistered environment (mostly to protect an emerging faith
amongst young turks who have to play the publish/perish game or who are
trying to create sacred liturgy). And it is not subject to the critical
analysis so needed if substantive change is to be promulgated.

The problem, of course, is that the funds from foundations and public
agencies are also members of this faith based community and dogma
apostates are certain to become fiscally isolated whether they embrace
the liberal social models or the more traditional neo-classical ideals.
This, of course, paralyzes critical thinking at a time when such is
badly needed. It doesn't sit well within The Academy because they too
are fiscally dependent; but more importantly, they are tied to peer
acceptance as both faculty and students, a powerful pair which checks
most critical thought, especially if it is seen to immediately affect
efforts to bring help to the disenfranchised.

thoughts?

tom abeles


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RE: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

Taran Rampersad, presently in Panama City, writes:

<>

There is no necessary conflict between the "public" and the "private." Those
who can afford private automobiles should be allowed to have them, until the
world's pollution problem becomes so great that we have to consider limiting
that right. Those who can afford to buy the book should be allowed to do so:
those who can not should have access to the book via the public library.

Those who can afford their own cell phones and computers and ISP's should of
course be allowed to purchase them for their exclusive use. Those who cannot
should not be denied the use of these technologies, and that means some form
of sharing, some form of communal support: the public computer.

One writer here used the term "public commons," the notion that democracies
are characterized not by an Ayn Randian glorification of selfishness but by
the communal support of basic institutions.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]






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[DDN] Networking event for nonprofit techies in Massachusetts (USA)

[Deborah Elizabeth Finn]

Dear Colleagues,

The Boston 501 Tech Club is the local professional networking group
for nonprofit techies in Massachusetts; it's affiliated with the
national Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network
(http://www.nten.org), and meets every month.

TechFoundation (http://www.techfoundation.org) is based in Cambridge,
MA, and is underwriting the cost of dinner and two drinks for all
attendees at the June get-together.

There are now over fifty people registered to attend tomorrow
evening's event, so it's been moved to a much bigger venue.  Last
minute registrations are welcome - there's plenty of room.

If you'd like to attend, please notify Merove Heifetz
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, who is the convenor of the June event. 
There is also an Evite link: 
.

If you'd like to join the Boston 501Tech Club (it's free), please go
to .

Please also feel free to pass along this invitation to others who are
interested in technology for the nonprofit sector.

Many thanks and best regards from Deborah

Deborah Elizabeth Finn
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://blog.deborah.elizabeth.finn.com/blog
http://public.xdi.org/=deborah.elizabeth.finn


-- Forwarded message --
From: Merove Heifetz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: May 31, 2005 6:54 PM
Subject: Tomorrow's Event - NEW VENUE INFO

Just wanted to remind everyone of our exciting gathering tomorrow
night, and relay the new logistics to you!

**Due to the overwhelming response, we have moved the venue.**

NEW VENUE INFORMATION:
The Charles Hotel Courtyard: The Charles Hotel Courtyard (behind the
Charles Hotel or enter thru main lobby and exit on the 2nd floor to
the outside.

Rain Backup: Our backup in case of rain is the Kennedy Room on the 1st
Floor, Lobby Level, at the Charles Hotel. Signage will be in the
lobby.

The Charles Hotel
One Bennett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Tel# 800.882.1818
http://www.charleshotel.com/directions.htm

PARKING & PUBLIC TRANSPORT: There is a parking garage at the hotel or
the Red Line (Harvard Square) stop is about two blocks away.

FOOD & DRINK: We are keeping with the Mexican Fiesta Theme.  There are
vegetarian and non-veggie options plus we have our own private bar and
cocktail tables. Each person will receive 2 drink tickets at the
registration table.

RSVP: Feel free to invite your colleagues off list to RSVP to me or the evite!

FANTASTIC NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY: At this point, we are expecting over
50 people in attendance. Don't forget to bring your business cards.

Looking forward to seeing you!

---




































48484848


-- 
Deborah Elizabeth Finn
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://blog.deborah.elizabeth.finn.com/blog
http://public.xdi.org/=deborah.elizabeth.finn

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SV: [DDN] Rotary & Cooperating Organizations working to reduce the DD

[Jeppe Rude]

Dear Dough,

I am from Denmark, president for non-profit "ITUL - ICTools for Development"
and we have several times organised container transports exactly like you
describe it. At the moment we are in need of PCs for a large ICT education
project in Cameroon involving 31 schools and 8.200 students. Our project is
financed by the danish Danida governmental aid org., but the grant
unfortunately does not include PCs.

My question is: Would you be interested in participating in this already
existing project?  And if not, could you pass my request for PCs to your
danish Rotary contacts. I am not myself a Rotarian.

Sincerely

Jeppe Rude

-Oprindelig meddelelse-
Fra: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] På vegne af E-quip Africa
Sendt: 26. maj 2005 06:54
Til: The Digital Divide Network discussion group
Emne: [DDN] Rotary & Cooperating Organizations working to reduce the DD


I am a Rotarian, retired computer instructor and founder/president of a
nonprofit responding to discussions involving Rotary International’s
assistance in reducing the Digital Divide. This is my first post after
joining DDN Discussion Group a few months ago.

I recently received an Individual Grant from The Rotary Foundation to travel
to Ghana, West Africa (leaving in less than 2 weeks) to plan...
yes PLAN, an international project between my local club and two clubs in
Ghana. It is not a fishing trip to find a project, but travel to finalize a
collaboration with previous agreement. TRF is one of the few sources I have
seen with a grant available just for planning!

The project involves bringing refurbished computers to Ghanaian primary &
secondary schools and supplying a Ghana Rotary Club's local project of
building a city library in Sekondi/Takoradi.

Our local club is working with my nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization (E-quip
Africa) as a non-Rotary, "cooperating organization" to solicit the donation
of computers and find volunteers to refurbish, clean, pack and ship them via
container. We have established standards for acceptance of donated machines
which are in constant flux, but need to take into consideration the lag
between the time of collection and the time of shipment. E-quip Africa will
be registered in Ghana as a corporation with application for NGO status
during this trip.

We see this project as win-win in that computers with many years of use left
in them are now available for elementary and secondary students who have had
no previous access rather than sitting on shelves or being buried under 15
feet of clay and topsoil. Of course new would be preferred and anyone
wishing to donate them will have our undivided attention!

Fundraising for shipping and packing costs are made easier because matching
grants are available from The Rotary Foundation at the District and
International levels possibly quadrupling the amount kicked in by the
originating club. Since most landfills and recycling businesses now require
a disposal fee to get rid of computers, especially monitors, we ask for a
cash donation at the same rate to accompany the equipment we receive which
is tax-deductible when given to us.

An interesting side to this is the use of used clothing to pack computers in
cardboard boxes rather than bubble wrap or Styrofoam. The clothing is so in
demand it almost evaporates out of the boxes when the computers are
unpacked. The 40 foot container was packed by a professional mover so that
perhaps one or two credit cards could have been inserted in the space left.
This is essential for ocean container shipping. 

Our plan after a container is shipped is to follow up with a tour of
interested volunteers and others. Chief among purposes are: 1.) To receive
the gratitude of the Ghanaian school personnel (important in Ghanaian
culture) 2.) To be of assistance in start up programs and 3.) Strengthen
ties between Ghanaians & Americans. We will urge local Rotarians and their
families to make this travel after our project is complete, thus generating
more international cooperation and hopefully good will. 

Last year's group had a spectacular time and has now become the core of
E-quip Africa's volunteers. The 2004 shipment resulted in a computer school
and internet café open to the public after day students are finished thus
generating some income to help maintain the computer school, hire trained
instructors and upgrade the equipment and services.

Future dreaming involves filling a return container with African art,
clothing, furniture, jewelry, etc. and selling it to finance the program.

All of this could easily be replicated by local Rotary Clubs anywhere.
If Rotary International wants to use our project as a "Case Study" we would
be happy to provide the details.

What are our present needs, and what problems might be expected in starting
something like this? (In other words--HELP!)

1.) Getting the attention of Microsoft for licensing Windows and Office
products--we're talking Win98 and Office 97--nothing new. Some days I 

Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Taran Rampersad]

Tom Abeles wrote:

> There is an essay with a title, something to the effect, "The Fear of
> God and the Need to Acquire" where there is a line, paraphrased, which
> says that there is a problem when the only way a person can show love
> for his/her spouse is to go to bed with them or BUY them something.
>
> One must realize that secular humanism is just as much a religion as
> Christianity or other professed "religions" and the sacramental
> technology produced by science is the equivalent of a communion "wafer".
>
> The electronic "tent" proposed by John is the equivalent of an old
> fashioned "Revival" meeting which one finds in the United States in
> some fundamentalist ministries- a calling for all techno-development
> acolytes and disciples.
>
> Now, I do believe in such "get-togethers". The "teach-ins" and
> "be-ins" and the plethora of "fests" for farmers, tsunamis, aids...
> are all examples and all moved the world to a little better place.
>
> But to enshrine a piece of technology on some sacred platform comes
> straight out of some science fiction novel or TV commercial for any of
> the products which will make us younger, sexier, more desirable and
> successful. Buy a Simputer and you, too, will realize the consumptive
> success of the characters on the old program Dallas.
>
> I have said on this list that once the apostles of ICT gain sufficient
> followers then every micro-technology company from IBM, Dell,
> Microsoft, Motorola, etc will be on the evangelical trail seeking
> converts to their products and services.
>
> The Simputer is a false God and the ICT disciples are members of an
> aberrant branch of the faith based secular humanism.
>
> thoughts?

You had me nodding until the 'Simputer is a false God' statement. If you
see it as a 'God', or people speaking of it as if it were a 'God', then
I think you're missing what I and others have been saying. Nobody said
'Thou shalt bow before the Simputer and be humble'. Instead, every
single person who has been advocating the Simputer has been saying that
'it is an adaptable tool which can be modified for purposes of the
users'. If these are the same things, you'll pardon me as I must have
spent too much time praying to my Legos as a child. No animals or human
beings were harmed in the alleged worship, rest assured.

I try to stay away from religious metaphors because of a few reasons.
The first is that they are typically Western religions - which sort of
leaves a part of the world out. Second, I believe as an individual that
everyone should practice their religion without ridicule, and without
having forced on them. I say this because this is the same way that I
look at the use of technology, and since we're mixing metaphors we might
as well get this blender on Puree and have some fun.

People that push specific religions or specific technology - or specific
beliefs, or specific culture, or specific whatever - label them what you
wish - are all around. I'm not one of them, and I do not subscribe to a
singular perspective. So while you may be reading this of the people
advocating Simputers, I wonder too why you are not saying the same of
people advocating Dells. And then I wonder how the two could be compared
anyway. And then I wonder why this all has to be adversarial, and I
realize why and I don't think people understand that in adversarial
systems, someone always loses - and in the context of the Digital
Divide, we're trying to help the people who are losing in an adversarial
system.

A point to note here - indigenous cultures didn't have many - if any -
adversarial games or sports. They had games or sports where everyone
benefitted. It is for that same reason that I advocate the Simputer - it
is something completely adaptable. And while I will not rob people of
their beliefs, I also will not sit quietly while something that allows
everyone to win is subjected to an adversarial system because it doesn't
fit into an adversarial system.

Power is what can be contained in a jar. It can be controlled; harnessed
and used for purposes good and bad. Freedom is an open jar - with the
same capacity of good and bad - but it allows individuals, communities,
societies, cultures and countries an equality of opportunity, whereas
the closed jar is one that someone controls, is inherently adversarial,
and allows only the ones in control to 'win'.

Now you can read socialism, communism, democracy, and various religions,
-isms and -acies into that last paragraph - dependant on how you view
the world. The sad truth is that all of these things have been blind
stabs at something we *hope* exists, that we have *faith* in. Maybe our
best investment of *faith* and *hope* in the context of ICT and the
Digital Divide is in the people we're trying to help. And my *faith* and
*hope*, personally, goes to the tools that will not empower but Free the
people we're trying to help.

And you're right, Tom. There are people who derive people from keeping
people in jars. But th

[DDN] Job Opening, New York City: Youth Technology Specialist

[Jennifer Sly]

Job Title:  Youth Technology Specialist

Role:   Provide instruction and lead technology activities for youth ages 5 –
14

Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement House located in Long Island City,
Queens is seeking a part-time Youth Technology Specialist for our summer day
camp for youth ages 5 - 14.  This position could also continue into the fall
with our after-school programs.  Responsibilities include working with youth
to create technology projects in our computer lab and in the fall, also
coaching our Lego robotics team.  Experience teaching youth preferred.
Familiarity and experience with multi-media tools and software, Microworlds,
and/or Robolab preferred, but not necessary.

Primary Responsibilities:
·   Develop relationships with all members of your group
·   Develop lesson plans and facilitate daily activities
·   Assist with curriculum development
·   Responsible for classroom management
·   Maintain and submit attendance records
·   Attend all required staff meetings and trainings
·   Develop creative learning tools
·   Assist in the coordination of activities and trips
·   Must be available for training and planning time

Statement of skills, knowledge & abilities:
·   Strong communication skills
·   Knowledge of age and stage development
·   Strong classroom management skills
·   Experience working with target population
·   Conflict resolution skills
·   Familiarity and experience with technological tools, preferably digital
photography, video editing, Microworlds, Lego robotics, and Robolab.

Riis Settlement is a not-for-profit located in Queensbridge Houses, the
nation’s largest public houses.  Riis Settlement’s mission is to provide
comprehensive services to the youth, adults, seniors and families in the
western Queens community. The resources, opportunities and support that we
provide serve as a catalyst for community members to reach their greatest
potential and to achieve economic and social self-sufficiency.

Please send resume and cover letter to Jennifer Sly, Center for Technology
and Science (CFTS) Coordinator, at [EMAIL PROTECTED] by June 15, 2005.

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RE: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

 Mr. John Hibbs writes:

dramatically lower its price, the Simputer firm might emulate Negroponte
and
>insist on mass orders.>>

"Insist"? How?>>

As I understand the Negroponte idea, by taking no orders for less than a
million of the $100 computer.

A government, then, might spend $100,000,000 to purchase a million
computers, and then establish a nation-wide system of community telecenters,
furnishing each telecenter with one or more computers at its cost, or
subsidized in whole or in part.

 Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Updateonthe Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Subbiah
Arunachalam
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 6:54 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Digital Divide Network discussion group
Subject: Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Updateonthe
Simputer
What Subbiah Arunachalam and his colleagues are doing in southern India is a
model that can be adapted to many other countries and cultures: the model
travels.

Perhaps the Digital Divide Network needs to promote the idea of a "public
commons" to accelerate the availability of the new technologies to those
around the world who need them.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research
Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have a few
computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is out of
bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common assets for
the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public commons. We cannot
afford to provide computers and telephones and Internet accounts to everyone
in the village. That is the reality. How can we overcome the problem? What
we lack is the financial resources to buy gadgets. What we have is a large
heart, a willingness to share what little we have, a commitment to care for
others. After all development is about sharing and caring. The computers and
every other service provided at the centre (such as information on a whole
range of local needs) is open to all. It works well. Eventually, when an
individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something he/she
may decide to 'own' it.

Arun
[Subbiah Arunachalam]

- Original Message -
From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM
Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe
Simputer


>
>
>
> Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your
> belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than
> buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in India
> or
> Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer than
> some
> of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian earns a
> year, a year's earning not  quite  enough to buy your Simputer.
>
> And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one:
>
> < only access point, I doubt you would be able to email as often. You
> wouldn't have leisure time to read articles that *you* might find
> interesting.>>
>
> I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're right:
> it's
> not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to get
> my
> learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private tutoring.
> And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly convenient
> as
> buying my own and owning them.
>
> And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're right:
> sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one.
>
> And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is misleading,
> and
> downright harmful.
>
> If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be
> without
> rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment.
>
> And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read,
> even if we cut down enough trees for all those books.
>
> And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the
> digital divide.
>
> If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than that of
> the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in the
> poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such time
> as
> the folks in the community can afford to buy their own.
>
> < communications that the increase in quality of life as the *value* has
> been lost.>>
>
> You may have it backwards, Taran. Those who insist on personal automobiles
> and personal libraries and personal computers may be the ones who are
> slowing down the erasure of the many divides between the haves and the
> have-nots.
>
> Steve Eskow
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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RE: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

Tom Abeles points out, helpfully I think, that there are technoevangelists
and technoromantics and technoutopians and, perhaps most dangerous of all,
the technomarketers who use the language of technosalvation to sell goods
and services.

The zeal to protect us from these false prophets can be carried too far,
perhaps. There are, after all, genuine prophets as well as false, and
bicycles and computers and other technologies can indeed enhance life.

Any tool, the hammer or the computer, any ideology, democracy or socialism,
any faith, Christianity or atheism, can become a false god and worshipped.

Computers and antiretrovirals and telecenters can indeed do much good, and
need not be glorified or venerated to make a difference in the lives of
those who are without them.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Abeles
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:03 AM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group; John Hibbs
Subject: Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer


There is an essay with a title, something to the effect, "The Fear of
God and the Need to Acquire" where there is a line, paraphrased, which
says that there is a problem when the only way a person can show love
for his/her spouse is to go to bed with them or BUY them something.

One must realize that secular humanism is just as much a religion as
Christianity or other professed "religions" and the sacramental
technology produced by science is the equivalent of a communion "wafer".

The electronic "tent" proposed by John is the equivalent of an old
fashioned "Revival" meeting which one finds in the United States in some
fundamentalist ministries- a calling for all techno-development acolytes
and disciples.

Now, I do believe in such "get-togethers". The "teach-ins" and "be-ins"
and the plethora of "fests" for farmers, tsunamis, aids... are all
examples and all moved the world to a little better place.

But to enshrine a piece of technology on some sacred  platform comes
straight out of some science fiction novel or TV commercial for any of
the products which will make us younger, sexier, more desirable and
successful. Buy a Simputer and you, too, will realize the consumptive
success of  the characters on the old program Dallas.

I have said on this list that once the apostles of ICT gain sufficient
followers then every micro-technology company from IBM, Dell, Microsoft,
Motorola, etc will be on the evangelical trail seeking converts to their
products and services.

The Simputer is a false God and the ICT disciples are members of an
aberrant branch of the faith based secular humanism.

thoughts?

tom abeles

John Hibbs wrote:

> At 10:02 AM -0700 5/29/05, Dr. Steve  Eskow wrote:
>
>> If the Simputer is a superior product, and mass producing it will
>> dramatically lower its price, the Simputer firm might emulate
>> Negroponte and
>> insist on mass orders.
>
>
> "Insist"? How?
>
> How much good would it do to set a date ceartain - as Earth Day has -
> and make a 24 hour, round the clock, round the world - effort to focus
> on this call? An event designed to engage grant writers, pundits,
> distance educators, distance trainers, radio stations, humanitarian
> relief agencies, the UN, appropriate government officials at high levels.
>
>  Is there a better way that picking a date certain - say six months
> from now? - and then putting our collective shoulders together to make
> sure that a zillion people hear of the Simputer - and cause the
> ordering in the millions?
>
> John Hibbs
> http://www.bfranklin.edu/johnhibbs
>
>
> P.S. Sam Johnson says that nothing concentrates the mind like a
> hanging. I say that nothing concentrates the mind like an Big Event
> with a date certain. What else will turn "insist" into a collective
> action?
>
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> [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the
> body of the message.
>



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RE: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

The approach Jon Hall describes below makes much sense: there are many
governments around the world that might well consider it.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Jon maddog
Hall
Sent: Monday, May 30, 2005 7:25 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; The Digital Divide Network discussion group
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer



[EMAIL PROTECTED] said:
>  Marvelous. The Simputer plus the idea of Public Computing plus promoting
the
> idea of governments purchasing a million or more at one time and seeing to
> their distribution and we have a strategy for an attack on the digital
divide
> that might make a difference.

The concept of a government committing to purchasing a million or more units
is not out of possibility. As I understand it, Brazil is developing a
program
to distribute computers to low-income families, bundling the cost of the
computer with the cost of two years of internet services and financing the
whole thing, with the end-users paying about $24. per month.  At the end of
the two years they will own the computer.  Target volume: 1,000,000 units.

md
--
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director   Linux International(R)
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 80 Amherst St.
Voice: +1.603.672.4557   Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
WWW: http://www.li.org

Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association

(R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries.
(R)Linux International is a registered trademark in the USA used pursuant
   to a license from Linux Mark Institute, authorized licensor of Linus
   Torvalds, owner of the Linux trademark on a worldwide basis
(R)UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the USA and other
   countries.

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Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Taran Rampersad]

Dr. Steve Eskow wrote:

> Marvelous. The Simputer plus the idea of Public Computing plus promoting
>the idea of governments purchasing a million or more at one time and seeing
>to their distribution and we have a strategy for an attack on the digital
>divide that might make a difference.
>  
>
I'm not convinced on the 'Public Computing Concept', so maybe that
should be the focus of discussion now that it seems that the merit of
the Simputer is understood, Steve.

It appears that there's an ebb in the flow of my emails presently from
my server to the DDN servers, so you'll excuse the lateness of any
replies at this time..

-- 
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: Panama City, Panama
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.knowprose.com
http://www.easylum.net
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran

"Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo

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[DDN] Bayosphere Host as DDN Informant

[Todd Seal]

Bayosphere is "hiring":
http://bayosphere.com/node/445

Thinking about issues that concern me in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's 
a digital divide here, too. That issue exists everywhere. Since I'm a 
teacher, I think of schools where students are learning computer skills and 
are even given laptops at the beginning of the year, computer labs readily 
available, multimedia presentations assumed, all work typed and all research 
online. How much more prepared for life after high school are those kids 
versus the students in a school that doesn't have computers available or 
instruction on how to use them? Those students may graduate without even the 
ability to type at a decent rate, a vital skill in many jobs now, let alone 
more complex computer literacy. It's a slightly different look at the 
digital divide, but it's something that can tie into graduation rates, 
college performance, test scores, etc. These are things that are more 
immediate to John Q. Public that the simputer (a worthy goal that many 
people have never even heard of).


I wonder if we can use Bayosphere to let people know about this issue and to 
ellicit responses. It's just an idea I have. If anyone wants to work on 
something to become a Bayosphere host or has any ideas about how we might 
use that platform (Dan Gillmor is pretty widely read and respected around 
here), let me know personally or on this list. Any thoughts on this?

-todd seal
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-san jose, ca
-ddn blog: http://www.digitaldivide.net/blog/tsguitar


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Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Jon maddog Hall]

[EMAIL PROTECTED] said:
>  Marvelous. The Simputer plus the idea of Public Computing plus promoting the
> idea of governments purchasing a million or more at one time and seeing to
> their distribution and we have a strategy for an attack on the digital divide
> that might make a difference. 

The concept of a government committing to purchasing a million or more units
is not out of possibility. As I understand it, Brazil is developing a program
to distribute computers to low-income families, bundling the cost of the
computer with the cost of two years of internet services and financing the
whole thing, with the end-users paying about $24. per month.  At the end of
the two years they will own the computer.  Target volume: 1,000,000 units.

md
-- 
Jon "maddog" Hall
Executive Director   Linux International(R)
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 80 Amherst St. 
Voice: +1.603.672.4557   Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A.
WWW: http://www.li.org

Board Member: Uniforum Association, USENIX Association

(R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries.
(R)Linux International is a registered trademark in the USA used pursuant
   to a license from Linux Mark Institute, authorized licensor of Linus
   Torvalds, owner of the Linux trademark on a worldwide basis
(R)UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the USA and other
   countries.

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Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Taran Rampersad]

Todd Seal wrote:

> Ah, yes! The smart card! That's what I'm thinking of when I think of
> sitting at a public computer for personal use.
>
> What's the danger, though, in losing one of those cards? Think of how
> easy it is to lose a file on your computer. Isn't that problem
> compounded when you have a card that can get dirt in it, can be
> stolen, can melt in the heat, etc.? For a farmer, that card could
> become useless very quickly depending on the situation and the care
> emplyed in preserving the card. Doesn't that smart card become another
> piece of technology that must be explained and understood? For someone
> unused to using a computer, does a smart card simply represent yet
> another thing to learn about? I'm just thinking out loud, here.
>
Well, the SmartCards are encrypted, so losing data is the real issue.
While losing a SmartCard is well in the realm of possibility, my
personal perspective on people who don't have much is that they don't
lose things very often. I can almost see the smartcard, carefully
wrapped in plastic and kept in a cool place whereas a lot of people on
the other end of the Divide may toss them around with disdain.

But if they do lose it? Well, then they'll learn the value of the
SmartCard, just as many of us have learned the hard way about backing up
our data. That's one thing that has to be learned the hard way at times.
You don't know the value of your data until you lose it.

USB memory sticks are another option as well. The Chiki sticks available
through Amida have a similar purpose, and with PGP encryption available,
they are comparably secure in this context.

Personally, I think if poor people start misplacing electronic
equipment, we're making an odd form of progress within this context.

And, knocking on wood, I'm now backing up my valuable files to my USB
stick

-- 
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: Panama City, Panama
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.knowprose.com
http://www.easylum.net
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran

"Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo

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RE: [DDN] personal vis social and the academic

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

Tom Abeles maintains, cogently, that the rhetoric of the "ICT" as a/the
vehicle for crossing "the digital divide" has become part of a
quasi-religion:


<<>

Indeed.

That religious faith, however, seems not to respect traditional political
and philosophical boundaries.

In the US, one of the fervent propagandists for the technology-as-savior
position is Newt Gingrich, also a fervent conservative.

And one of the frequent voices on this list supporting the universal
computerization thesis is also a follower of Ayn Rand, hardly a liberal.

Perhaps the problem with the "Academy" is that it is losing its cloistered
isolation from market pressures, and is becoming part of the marketing
apparatus for the hardware and software establishment. See, for example,
UNIVERSITY, INC for chilling examples of how the mega corporations
increasingly shape the agenda for university research, and make it difficult
for scholars to do the "critical analysis" which you so rightly maintain is
the heart of the university role.

Perhaps a litmus test for all of us in the US who are interested in your
thesis is this matter of "outsourcing."

If Indians do indeed learn to use the new technology they do indeed improve
their economic positions as American jobs and dollars flow to them: the
economic impact of the new technology seems to be a reality in this
phenomenon.

Sub-Saharan Africa has not improved its economic position radically in the
last few decades. If more African lean to use computers and do, for example,
data entry, jobs and dollars will move from the "developed" countries to
Africa.

Is that a movement we of the Academy should support or resist?

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]




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[Fwd: Re: [DDN] 2-Year OpenOffice High School Case Study]

[Paula Graham]

Much the same findings about substantial financial savings and increases
in reliability and useability in UK and Aus:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/0,261733,39191668,00.htm

Still can't get schools and NGOs to use FLOSS in any numbers tho :-(  --
the power of FUD. And "the world's biggest software company" is
currently also making strategic large-scale donations of software
upgrades with free technical assistance to UK government, health and
educational departments which were actively considering migrating to
FLOSS (especially if they were likely to become model systems).

Paula Graham
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


J Cravens wrote:

> Since debates about whether or not to use software from the dominant
> software maker often come up in discussions about bridging the digital
> divide, I'm posting the following from Slashdot (old news for you
> Slashdot readers out there, but I'm catching up on a lot of email and
> saw this only today):
>
> ++
>
> "NewsForge (a Slashdot sister site) is carrying a 2-year
> OpenOffice case-study on a Detroit high school who switched
> from Windows NT and MS Office 97 to Linux and OpenOffice.
> The results? Better than expected. In 2003, the school, who
> saved over $100,000 in the process, converted 110 Windows
> NT machines to Linux with OpenOffice. After several
> surprising developments, including OpenOffice's ability to
> open old Word documents that even the new Word versions
> were having troubles with, the school now uses it almost
> exclusively, has classes on it's use, and encourages
> students to use it whenever possible. From the article:
> 'While OpenOffice.org is now used by 100% of the faculty
> and students in the school (though some administrative
> staff still uses Microsoft Office due to specific software
> requirements), students are not required to use
> OpenOffice.org when working at home. However, a
> presentation is given to students at the start of every
> school year to advise them on the use of OpenOffice.org,
> the availability of free copies, and potential problems of
> converting from Microsoft Office formats.'"
>
> http://software.newsforge.com/software/05/05/18/1944227.shtml?tid=130&tid=93
>
>
> Slashdot discussion:
>
> Discuss this story at:
> http://linux.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=05/05/27/1721224
>


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Re: [DDN] Update on the Simputer

[Taran Rampersad]

John Hibbs wrote:

> At 10:02 AM -0700 5/29/05, Dr. Steve Eskow wrote:
>
>> If the Simputer is a superior product, and mass producing it will
>> dramatically lower its price, the Simputer firm might emulate
>> Negroponte and
>> insist on mass orders.
>
>
> "Insist"? How?
>
> How much good would it do to set a date ceartain - as Earth Day has -
> and make a 24 hour, round the clock, round the world - effort to focus
> on this call? An event designed to engage grant writers, pundits,
> distance educators, distance trainers, radio stations, humanitarian
> relief agencies, the UN, appropriate government officials at high levels.
>
> Is there a better way that picking a date certain - say six months
> from now? - and then putting our collective shoulders together to make
> sure that a zillion people hear of the Simputer - and cause the
> ordering in the millions? 

Oddly enough, I just got done with an email on this to a client. The
problem is that classic NGO and even UN structures do not leverage the
power of swarms. Everyone is going top down instead of bottom-up.
Funding goes to what the funding agencies are told by donors. Hungry
people worry about the next meal and we starve them for the cure to
cancer and the AIDs vaccine. I'm not criticizing, I'm stating realities.
Can we do better? Probably, if we atomize our approach to communities
and allow them more say. Ironically, the Simputer and machines like it
have the potential to give them that ability. So there's a vicious cycle
that can only be broken if people get out of the theoretical office
discussions and get into the field.

Millions? I don't know that there is a need for millions... I *believe*
there is, but being as objective as possible, I cannot say that there is
a need. The key is demonstrating to people that something can increase
the quality of their life. That's what sells SUVs, and 'faster'
computers, and even alcohol (if you count sex as a quality of life
issue). And then the irony of things bad for you selling so well kicks
in as well. Why? Because they taste good, and we *think* that it's an
increase in the quality of life.

Competition might help just as much at this point. And funded by a
Non-Profit, that is guaranteed to drop prices. But there's also the
issue of allowing the people who did the work to recoup their costs...
and the best way to do that is to work with them. Many people view
competition as adversarial - indeed, the obtaining of funds is
adversarial in nature, so there's no surprise that we have adversarial
attitudes involved. But working together, there can still be competition
- healthy competition. And with an open platform such as the Simputer,
an improvement in Africa for the Simputer translates into an improvement
around the world at lower costs.

-- 
Taran Rampersad
Presently in: Panama City, Panama
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.knowprose.com
http://www.easylum.net
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran

"Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo

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[DDN] [Fwd: Open Access News von FQS]

[Claude Almansi]

Hi All

The forward below gives resources, some in German and some in English, 
about open access to content. Daniel Boos, of the committeee the Swiss 
Internet Users' Group , sent it to the working 
group on public domain, open access and media, of comunica-ch 
, the Swiss Platform for Information Society.


I know German speakers are a minority in this mailing list, but I hope 
this is acceptable nonetheless: after all, cultural minorities are also 
a Digital Divide issue. Besides, there are also English and Spanish 
versions of http://www.qualitative-research.net .


Apology to Myriam Schweingruber for the repetition.

Have a nice day!

Claude Almansi

http://www.adisi.ch
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Claude
 Original Message 
Subject: Open Access News von FQS
Date: Tue, 31 May 2005 08:45:02 +0200
From: Daniel Boos
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

[domaine public]
Hallo zaeme

im FQS Newsletter (Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung)  hat es immer eine
Rubrik Open Access News. Ich habe euch mal diesen Teil angehaengt. Der
Teil ist immer sehr gut und gibt einen ueberblick was passiert.

Info zum Newsletter:
http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-d/bezug-d.htm

Teil zum Thema Open Access News.

F) OPEN ACCESS NEWS

Die Mai-Ausgabe des SPARC Open Access Newsletter findet sich unter
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/newsletter/05-02-05.htm.

Texte:

- Richard Sietmann: Wissenschaftler fordert: Open Access gehoert ins
Urheberrecht, heise online
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/59496

- Richard Sietmann: "Open Access" als Publikationsalternative unter
Wissenschaftlern kaum bekannt, heise online
http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/59796

- Praesentationen im Rahmen des DINI-Symposiums zu Open Access im Mai
2005 in Goettingen
http://www.dini.de/veranstaltung/workshop/goettingen_2005-05-23/programm.php.


Zeitschriften/Newsletter:

- Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health
http://www.cpementalhealth.com/home/

- Culture Machine, CfP 2006 COMMUNITY-Ausgabe
http://culturemachine.tees.ac.uk/frm_f1.htm

- Cyberculture studies, neue Reviews
http://www.com.washington.edu/rccs/

- Demographic Research, neue Texte online
http://www.demographic-research.org

- eCOMMUNITY: International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction, neue
Ausgabe
http://www.ecommunity-journal.com/issues/issue/2/2

- First Monday, 10(5)
http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_5/

- IASLonline, neue Rezensionen
http://iaslonline.de

- Revue internationale en Sciences du Langage Marges Linguistiques, 9
http://www.marges-linguistiques.com

- sehepunkte 5(5)
http://www.sehepunkte.de/

- Surveillance & Society
http://www.surveillance-and-society.org

- Webology, neue Ausgabe:
http://www.webology.ir/2005/v2n1/toc.html

- Working Paper on Culture, Education and Human Development / Papeles de
Trabajo sobre Cultura, Educación y Desarrollo Humano (neu)
http://www.uam.es/ptcedh

--
FQS - Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung
/ Forum: Qualitative Social Research (ISSN 1438-5627)
English -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-eng.htm
German -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs.htm
Spanish -> http://www.qualitative-research.net/fqs/fqs-s.htm

Please sign the Budapest Open Access Initiative:
http://www.soros.org/openaccess/

Directory of Open Access Journals:
http://www.doaj.org/

Open Access News:
http://www.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/fosblog.html

--
Gruss
Daniel
Groupe de travail "domaine public" de comunica-ch
http://www.comunica-ch.net


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Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe Simputer

[Paula Graham]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Steve and Arun -- I'm in London UK with
a laptop all to myself and it's hugely convenient, but (1) that's all
very well if you can afford it and (2) actually we could learn a lot
from the way that countries like Ghana and India are solving problems of
hardware access -- because, let's face it, I've been working with NGOs
in London for years trying to make technology available to disadvantaged
communities and haven't made half the headway that Subbiah seems to have
made.

Hypercapitalism might give *some of us* in the West our very own
computers but too often at the expense of any sense of community,
ability to share scarce resources effectively,  solve problems
communally and build creatively on what we *can* have.

And this crazy idea that if it isn't the same as the adverts  it isn't
worth having. For example, we got some PCs for recycling and started
sorting them out for neighbourhood distribution to people who said they
were desperate for PCs. These were older but could run a graphical Linux
distro such as Ubuntu (which does everything you need and is very simple
to operate), but XP/MS Office was pushing the spec. Also couldn't get
freebie MS because end users were individuals not charities. Lots of
complaining and some people rejected the PCs because XP not available.
Meanwhile, we've donated hours upon hours renovating and installing
these machines which are being offered free of charge. Go figure!

In the West, we need to be aware of the extent to which the effects of
the hypercapitalist
mode on our sense of identity, community -- and our ability to think and
act for ourselves.

Paula

Subbiah Arunachalam wrote:

> I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research
> Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have
> a few computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is
> out of bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common
> assets for the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public
> commons. We cannot afford to provide computers and telephones and
> Internet accounts to everyone in the village. That is the reality. How
> can we overcome the problem? What we lack is the financial resources
> to buy gadgets. What we have is a large heart, a willingness to share
> what little we have, a commitment to care for others. After all
> development is about sharing and caring. The computers and every other
> service provided at the centre (such as information on a whole range
> of local needs) is open to all. It works well. Eventually, when an
> individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something
> he/she may decide to 'own' it.
>
> Arun
> [Subbiah Arunachalam]
>
> - Original Message - From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM
> Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update
> onthe Simputer
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your
>> belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than
>> buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in
>> India or
>> Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer
>> than some
>> of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian
>> earns a
>> year, a year's earning not  quite  enough to buy your Simputer.
>>
>> And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one:
>>
>> <> your
>> only access point, I doubt you would be able to email as often. You
>> wouldn't have leisure time to read articles that *you* might find
>> interesting.>>
>>
>> I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're
>> right: it's
>> not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to
>> get my
>> learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private
>> tutoring.
>> And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly
>> convenient as
>> buying my own and owning them.
>>
>> And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're
>> right:
>> sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one.
>>
>> And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is
>> misleading, and
>> downright harmful.
>>
>> If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be
>> without
>> rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment.
>>
>> And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read,
>> even if we cut down enough trees for all those books.
>>
>> And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the
>> digital divide.
>>
>> If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than
>> that of
>> the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in
>> the
>> poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such
>> time as
>> the folks in the communi

Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe Simputer

[ehewitt]

Hi Arun,
I think you have placed your 'finger' on the essential in this discussion 
when in the context of your entire note you said, "Eventually, when an 
individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something he/she 
may decide to 'own' it"
As soon as the individual or family in the community see's the benefit of 
the technology to his/her own circumstance, is when the real economic 
decision will be taken to learn the skill and "own it" -- then is when the 
sacrifice will be made to 'own' it.
The more heavily discounted the price-- the better [but this is in the 
context where sacrifices are made even for non economic reasons e.g 
'fashion' shoes etc]
The truly important core factor is maximizing the use of the limited number 
of computers by meaningfully applying them to the individual in the 
community "where he/she is... what they are doing and as they are..." 
Taran's point is I think very valid in that the more the computer is 
configured around the needs of the individuals, the quicker and more 
applicable it is seen to be  etc.-- the more applicable [beneficial] it is 
seen to be the greater the passion and the sacrifice for the community and 
the individuals to want to acquire.
To be noted as well is the fact, alluded to earlier by Taran, that while 
purchase is essentially a "one off " matter, maintaining it in use is a 
bigger problem as in most developing countries annual Internet use is much 
higher in cost than per capital GDP.

Errol
[Errol Hewitt <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>]

At 19:24 30/05/2005 +0530, you wrote:
I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research 
Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have a 
few computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is out 
of bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common assets 
for the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public commons. We 
cannot afford to provide computers and telephones and Internet accounts to 
everyone in the village. That is the reality. How can we overcome the 
problem? What we lack is the financial resources to buy gadgets. What we 
have is a large heart, a willingness to share what little we have, a 
commitment to care for others. After all development is about sharing and 
caring. The computers and every other service provided at the centre (such 
as information on a whole range of local needs) is open to all. It works 
well. Eventually, when an individual (or a family) earns enough to be able 
to afford something he/she may decide to 'own' it.


Arun
[Subbiah Arunachalam]

- Original Message - From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group" 
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM
Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe 
Simputer







Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your
belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than
buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in India or
Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer than some
of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian earns a
year, a year's earning not  quite  enough to buy your Simputer.

And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one:

<>

I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're right: it's
not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to get my
learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private tutoring.
And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly convenient as
buying my own and owning them.

And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're right:
sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one.

And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is misleading, and
downright harmful.

If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be without
rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment.

And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read,
even if we cut down enough trees for all those books.

And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the
digital divide.

If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than that of
the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in the
poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such time as
the folks in the community can afford to buy their own.

<>

You may have it backwards, Taran. Those who insist on personal automobiles
and personal libraries and personal computers may be the ones who are
slowing down the erasure of the many divides between the haves and the
have-nots.

Steve Eskow

[EMAIL PROTECTED]


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[Fwd: Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update onthe Simputer]

[Paula Graham]

I wholeheartedly agree with you Steve and Arun -- I'm in London UK with
a laptop all to myself and it's hugely convenient, but (1) that's all
very well if you can afford it and (2) actually we could learn a lot
from the way that countries like Ghana and India are solving problems of
hardware access -- because, let's face it, I've been working with NGOs
in London for years trying to make technology available to disadvantaged
communities and haven't made half the headway that Subbiah seems to have
made.

Hypercapitalism might give *some of us* in the West our very own
computers but too often at the expense of any sense of community,
ability to share scarce resources effectively,  solve problems
communally and build creatively on what we *can* have.

And this crazy idea that if it isn't the same as the adverts  it isn't
worth having. For example, we got some PCs for recycling and started
sorting them out for neighbourhood distribution to people who said they
were desperate for PCs. These were older but could run a graphical Linux
distro such as Ubuntu (which does everything you need and is very simple
to operate), but XP/MS Office was pushing the spec. Also couldn't get
freebie MS because end users were individuals not charities. Lots of
complaining and some people rejected the PCs because XP not available.
Meanwhile, we've donated hours upon hours renovating and installing
these machines which are being offered free of charge. Go figure!

In the West, we need to be aware of the extent to which the effects of
the hypercapitalist
mode on our sense of identity, community -- and our ability to think and
act for ourselves.

Paula




-- 

Paula Graham

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.alt-synergy.co.uk 



Subbiah Arunachalam wrote:

> I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research
> Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have
> a few computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is
> out of bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common
> assets for the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public
> commons. We cannot afford to provide computers and telephones and
> Internet accounts to everyone in the village. That is the reality. How
> can we overcome the problem? What we lack is the financial resources
> to buy gadgets. What we have is a large heart, a willingness to share
> what little we have, a commitment to care for others. After all
> development is about sharing and caring. The computers and every other
> service provided at the centre (such as information on a whole range
> of local needs) is open to all. It works well. Eventually, when an
> individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something
> he/she may decide to 'own' it.
>
> Arun
> [Subbiah Arunachalam]
>
> - Original Message - From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group"
> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM
> Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update
> onthe Simputer
>
>
>>
>>
>>
>> Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your
>> belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than
>> buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in
>> India or
>> Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer
>> than some
>> of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian
>> earns a
>> year, a year's earning not  quite  enough to buy your Simputer.
>>
>> And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one:
>>
>> <> your
>> only access point, I doubt you would be able to email as often. You
>> wouldn't have leisure time to read articles that *you* might find
>> interesting.>>
>>
>> I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're
>> right: it's
>> not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to
>> get my
>> learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private
>> tutoring.
>> And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly
>> convenient as
>> buying my own and owning them.
>>
>> And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're
>> right:
>> sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one.
>>
>> And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is
>> misleading, and
>> downright harmful.
>>
>> If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be
>> without
>> rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment.
>>
>> And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read,
>> even if we cut down enough trees for all those books.
>>
>> And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the
>> digital divide.
>>
>> If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than
>> that of
>> the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in
>> the
>> poorer nat