[GKD] Computer Donor Organisations
Following a few posts where I have made reference to ComputerBank Australia quite a number of people have posted requests for donated computers directly to me. These are undoubtedly projects worthy of support, however please be advised that I am not in a position to influence ComputerBank donations (and I would not do this even if I could), and any requests for assistance must be forwarded directly to ComputerBank. Contact details can be found at: http://www.computerbank.org.au/ It is also my belief that CB are currently stretched with donation requests from within our region and are unlikely to be able to provide donations or support beyond the South-Pacific (although this is my opinion only and should not stop anyone from asking!) The following is a brief update on the way CB is evolving from an organisation that simply donates computers to one more heavily involved in assisting to bridge the digital divide. ComputerBank Australia (Vic) recently provided a temporary computer network, back-end software services and technical support for the Inaugural World Autism Conference held on-line and physically at the Melbourne Convention Centre http://www.autismcongress.com/. The nature of the conference required computers and services with high-level disabled access features. Computerbank was able to meet this need whilst providing substantial cost-savings for the conference organisers. One highlight was the 4-day global on-line chat coordinated by Computerbank and attended by a number of expert speakers providing QA sessions for the 2,000 conference participants http://www.autismcongress.com/chat/chat.htm. In a second initiative that acknowledges the logistical and other difficulties inherent in providing free computers to overseas recipients; CB-Vic are facilitating links between Rotary Clubs throughout the South Pacific region and branches of the Australia-New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ have offered to donate computers to CB). This coordinated effort will enable local donations to be made to groups and communities thereby negating a need for overseas deliveries. It will also ensure that older ANZ computers will be put to good use in the communities in which they operate. As well as facilitating these links, CB are providing all necessary software, technical and training manuals. Best regards, Don ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
Re: [GKD] RFI: Email for Rural Africa
Pamela McLean wrote: I am exploring email options on behalf of a grass roots rural development project: OOCD 2000+ (Oke-Ogun Community Development Agenda 2000 Plus). Through historic reasons of friendship I use my home broadband Internet connection in the UK on behalf of the project. Any advice on technical issues, or organisational practicalities of setting up and running a bureau would be appreciated. Dear Pamela, My honest advice is: a) you are clearly a great champion and your energy is desperately needed b) you are spending your energy in an inappropriate way... if your personal energy gets spent on a more impactful project it may assist in getting telecoms and energy to this area sooner. The argument is simple, one should not be trying to deliver ICTs or Internet to areas that do not have sufficient food and water. The basics are primary requirements for development. That said, the developing world MUST use ICTs in order to ensure they are not left behind. It's how they use ICTs that is important! Sounds like GSM will appear in Ago-Are, Oke-Ogun, Oyo State soon and GPRS will allow them to make mobile communications happen. Maybe that's a track (more sustainable in nature) you would be better to explore. Regards, Alan ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] Online Publishing for Developing Countries
Thanks to Daryl D'Monte, former editor, for sending this to the India-EJ
mailing list for environmental journalists. Of course, one is not
particularly enamoured by the term 'developing countries' (it suggests
that these countries are actually catching up... the gap is widening and
things get worse with every devaluation of Southern currencies; it also
implies that we all have to aspire to be like the North, but is that the
desirable or sustainable goal?). Maybe the unnecessarily-critiqued and
deliberately-misunderstood term of Third World (the left-out like the
Tiers Etat) is more apt. Anyway, some of the points below are
interesting. -FN
PS: Copyright-versus-copyleft too could be a crucial debate, if the bulk
of the planet is to get access to the information they so badly need! To
liken those copying books illegally with men who attacked ships for loot
in high seas and killed innocents centuries ago means skewing the debate
with our terms ('piracy').
-- Forwarded message --
ONLINE PUBLISHING COULD REVOLUTIONIZE INFORMATION PRODUCTION AND
DISTRIBUTION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
Online newspapers, publications and books... are the developing
countries in a position to get anything out of the digital revolution?
Will the drop in production and distribution costs afforded by the new
technology allow them to catch up with the developed-country firms that
are monopolizing the market? The E-commerce and Development Report
2002, released today by UNCTAD, surveys current trends and suggests
future strategies.
On the plus side, digital publishing technology offers fresh
opportunities for developing countries, many of which produce little in
the way of artistic and literary output due to lack of resources. New
technology could transform the situation. Online publishing gives small
businesses the opportunity to establish a presence in a market dominated
by the developed-country giants of the culture industry. By lowering
production costs and cutting out middlemen, it generates new markets and
enables authors who would not otherwise be well known to expand their
readerships. A Jamaican company, Overdrive, has set up a virtual
publishing centre allowing over 200 publishers to produce and distribute
their books electronically.
In press and university publishing, a quick glance at websites listing
online libraries and media shows that even the poorest -- the least
developed -- countries have been won over to electronic distribution,
which radically alters relations between publishers, the media and
consumers. And although the volume and quality of content, the level of
sophistication and the functions available through search tools vary
considerably from one newspaper to the next, an online presence now
appears essential.
For the time being, the important thing is to stake out a claim and
respond to growing user demand, as it is far from certain whether online
newspapers will prove profitable.
Growing awareness of the potential of online publishing is driving a
number of new initiatives, both national and international. They range
from the promotion of African publications in the United States to the
establishment of a digital scientific library in Brazil, which is now a
beacon for the whole of Latin America. UNCTAD believes that
developing-country governments should make more use of this form of
distributing information, encourage educational institutions to provide
education online and support libraries financially so that they can
computerize their publications and enable the entire world to benefit.
On the down side, the same inequalities to be found in the publishing
world between developed and developing countries are reflected in online
publishing. Then there are technical and practical obstacles, such as
the paucity and high cost of Internet connections and the lack of
training among potential users.
Since the new technology allows virtually anything to be copied to
perfection, copyright is threatened by digital piracy. Such piracy is
becoming exorbitantly expensive, both for the developed countries that
produce most intellectual property and for developing countries as well.
Commercial losses in the United States in 2001 due to book piracy are
estimated by the International Intellectual Property Alliance (IIPA) at
over $650 million. Profits from the informal book industry in Peru are
higher than those from publishing.
The international agreements governing intellectual property rights were
extended in 1995 and 1996 to encompass digital technology. In order to
comply with them, developing countries have to pass legislation and find
the means to enforce it. But they have a lot to gain from the process,
as developing and protecting their creations is very much in their
interest. Thanks to copyright, publishing in the United States was a $4
billion industry in 2001. In Brazil, one of the world's largest markets
for intellectual property, 70% of pirated music is locally produced -
Re: [GKD] World Computer Exchange Article
What Don Cameron states is very important as far as computer exchange is concerned. I think that no matter the legislation concerning the importation of such computers, it is important to continue and encourage it because most of the community centers in Africa always use computers donated, given the fact that they cannot afford buying them. So it is important, taking the case of Cameroon, to verify the use of such computers so that they are not threatened by businessmen who resell them. Olivier Tazo ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
