Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] What's on the Horizon?
I'd like to add a set of technologies involving language to the list before this thread is entirely cold: translators, text-to-speech (TTS), and speech-to-text (STT). In societies of the global South that are multilingual, and have strong oral traditions and low literacy rates, these technologies might be used in some interesting ways. For instance, computer translators could be used to help speed up translation of educational materials for publication. TTS could turn any text web page into something oral (even if aethetically not as pleasing as the human voice). STT could be used to assist in transcribing oral histories etc., and I wonder about the possibility of creating synchronized audio-text files with this technology which would facilitate searching. All three of these language transformative technologies exist and are being refined. Aside from time and money to make them work for different needs settings, they do depend on staying with a standard orthography for each language - an area where ICT and language policies need to be coordinated. While computer translators are kind of a gimmick to many in the North and a tool used in a limited (?) way by some businesses, and TTS and STT are, so far as I'm aware, thought of mainly as a way to assist people with disabilities, I think all three could have a tremendous long term impact in the multilingual South. Don Osborn Bisharat.net This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides more information. 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 For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] The Role of the Private Sector
Related to this question: 1. What specific elements does a policy environment need in order to encourage the private sector to expand access to poor, isolated, underserved areas? Where do such policies exist? I just came across the latest issue of Telematics and Informatics http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/07365853 - Volume 21, Issue 1 - Telecommunications Development in Africa. Besides offering some real empirical research (how refreshing!), there is an excellent article titled The Washington Consensus' in relation to the telecommunication sector in African developing countries by Jorn Stovring. Here are a few snippets below, but I strongly encourage people interested in universal access to give this article and the entire issue a read. What the Washington Consensus paper points to, from my perspective, is the critical importance of civil society involvement in national telecom policy and regulatory reform - and the role of donors in building the capacity of civil society organizations, particularly those with rural constituencies (such as farmer organizations and rural NGOs). ..snip... ...The actual practices--e.g. using the public operator as a domain for extended family employment, siphoning operator surplus off through sub delivery contracts, political-administrative use of communication without pay, etc.--are difficult to document, but the cumulative effects are clearly a lower performance than if the [incumbent operator] had been managed on strict commercial conditions in a market context. Transparency on a level playing field is also necessary for deregulation to obtain the benefits of competition. For these forces, to work they must be implemented within capable regulatory frameworks. In a context of neo-patrimonial practices, the rationale simply does not work as in a situation based on good governance premises. Typically, the dominant elite or the main operator may have long established relations to the state department and may try to capture regulatory reform processes. What sets the mobile cellular sub sector apart was the introduction of market forces in the form of competition. The construction of duopoly and oligopoly has in a number of countries resulted in competition. The market dynamics were established through the introduction of a number of new entrants... The fact that more players have been introduced into the once docile monopoly area is going to strengthen the regulatory institutions. The mobile cellular operators are (mostly) united in the need for a level playing field and transparent relations to the main operator. Over time, the plurality of players will strengthen regulatory institutions. Thus, even in structures and institutions with elements of patrimonial practices, the market dynamic may curb such effects. ..snip... Don Richardson This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides more information. 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 For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Bringing Connectivity to Under-Served Communities
On Monday, December 1, 2003, Robert Miller wrote: Simon Woodside wrote: WorldSpace is a broadcast system. With a WorldSpace system you are only capable of receiving data, not sending it. I wish to disagree in that we are currently using WorldSpace very effectively as a global multicast solution to refresh all of the Axxess servers that Advanced Interactive currently has installed across Africa. With a dialup line as a back channel the server maintains contact with the global Network Operations Center that remotely manages this entire network. ..[snip statements I agree with]... let us not discount this technology where a differentiated last mile solution can manage its shortcomings and turn 1-way downlink with a server managed dialup back channel into a viable way of a sustainable affordable connected community. Robert, your post has raised more questions than it answered. Thus far, WorldSpace has been billed as a beachhead information system that can be deployed in areas that have no communications infrastructure. I think I'm convinced at this point that's a valid development, though not one I would ever pursue. It's been assumed so far that once an internet connection is available, the internet is superior. And yes -- since on the internet, my rural users can talk back, hold conversations, email their relatives, use VoIP -- all impossible with WorldSpace. Now you have described a situation which adds a dialup to the regular WorldSpace receiver unit. But why would anyone bother with WorldSpace at all if they have dialup internet access? We run the risk of applying a technology (WorldSpace) just because we can in that situation. simon -- 99% Devil, 1% Angel homepage http://www.simonwoodside.com for the developing world http://www.openict.net member of http://www.mozilla.org/projects/camino This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides more information. 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 For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Using Intermediaries to Facilitate Communication
Pat Hall wrote: ...is there something else going on here - perhaps the language policies of Nigeria have led to the education system favouring English? In response to Pat, Europeans carved up Africa without seriously integrating the polarizational issue of tribe and hence culture. Let us not make the same mistake with ICT. Ideally, Africans should learn to read/write in their everyday spoken language. I believe there is a school of thought that strongly views this as advantageous. Unfortunately, many to most African countries have a different tribal language every few miles. Moreover, each tribe views its language as the best and that it should be the national language if there were to be one. Thus for a country like Nigeria, counting only the big three; should it be Ibo, Hausa or Yoruba. Presumably one would want this teaching to start at elementary schools and onwards. Try teaching Yoruba to an Ibo child--even if it would be for the good of the country. Should one then limit it to only tribal members? Who is going to fund all these regional programmes? The national government that is striving for unity?. One cannot even do it on a regional level because there are children from different areas living and attending school within a particular region -- even though they may not be a majority. There are a few country exceptions that come to mind where a national language can be the village language also and the idea may work better, (Central African Republic, Madagascar to name a few), but this is rare. Consequently, English and French were chosen through the colonial rulers because of its tribal-neutrality and ease of communication with the outside world. In conclusion, the idea in itself is a good one; but like many Western-inspired projects, it does not integrate enough the dimension and complexity of a seemingly mundane African issue called my village. Ivo Njosa Information and Communication Technology This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org provides more information. 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 For the GKD database, with past messages: http://www.GKDknowledge.org
