Re: [GKD] Portable System for Distance Education
Dear Joe, I had a brief look at your site. What you have done is great and sounds interesting. My compliments to you and your team. Can you explain how the video of the lecture (and questions if any are asked in a live class), can be captured? Also how the blank screen is used for sketches? It would be an ideal medium for local language lectures. Can the cost be brought down to USD 500 to 1,000, to have a larger reach in the many poor and developing countries? We would like to collaborate with you, to spread the message. Kris Dev, Peter Burgess, Lutfor, Ahmed, Jeff, Tod, John, .. The International Transparency and Accountability Network, A not-for-profit, global consortium in Asia, Africa, Americas, http://Tr-Ac-Net.blogspot.com On 6/8/05, Joe Monahan wrote: > I wanted to share a system I put together here and ask for feedback or > suggestions as to its best use and/or limitations. And ask for opinions > regarding next steps! > > Link to details of the system is here: http://www.pangeaeducation.org/ > > It's a portable system for capturing and producing high quality > educational content in real time with little prep work for faculty. It's > based on the larger format (15 inch) tablet PCs and uses a screen > recording software to capture, edit and convert video to a stream-able > format. The in-class lecture notes are produced on the fly as the > teacher teaches, converted to PDF files for students to download. The > software provides for a voice-over, which would facilitate translation > to other languages. ***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-DOTCOM] Indonesia ICT and Decentralization Experience
Dear Eddi, I read with interest your posting on introducing transparency and accountability in Indonesia. Hats off to you. You have hit the nail on the head straight and square!! I have invariably seen that most world bodies fund where they can have a hold. Hence they target the local Governments. Then they get a red carpet welcome wherever they go. Invariably most funds are misused. It suits everyone to make the rich and powerful, more powerful. If they instead fund the community, whom can they approach to show off to the world. In another message posted to a different list, I made the following points: My observations are simple and straight. The community knows what they need. The Digital Divide is created and felt by outsiders to the community and not within the community. The present attempts at e-Governance are a ploy by the MNC electronics, hardware and networking vendors to push electronic gadgets and computers on poor countries, which are hardly put to right use. It's high time this is exposed. Unless true use of ICT tools and computers is done to alleviate poverty, all forms of the divide shall continue. The poor nations are making the rich nations richer at the cost of poor nations, thanks to the fooling around of people through ICT. So neither the world bodies nor the local governments will come forward, unless there is lot of money available. Thus the local community is a victim of circumstances and incidentally may get some short-term benefit to their long-term detriment. I have seen this happen with many loans given locally, fraudulently, and huge interest collected and then written off. If true development is envisioned, there must be no cash transactions and every penny spent must be made transparent and accountable to the community at large. It should be a voluntary affair, of the locals, by the locals, for the locals. Kris Dev On 5/6/05, Eddi Sakti <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: ..snip... > We started decentralization of the government responsibilities many > years ago. Ministry of Health tried to decentralize a lot of > responsibilities as was demanded by the law. The World Bank funded > putting computers into kecamatan (Moderator's Note: 'district') to help > improve their operations. The trouble was that the funding was too > limited and most of the kecamatan did not get enough funds for them to > use ICT to do their new responsibilities. Some of the funding required > matching from the local government and many were not able to meet this > requirement. This was not the fault of the Ministry of Health or the > Government of Indonesia. As for my opinion, it was the fault of the > World Bank's limited funding. These things cannot be done halfway or > quickly. You need a lot of training and helping people change the way > they gather, analyze and use the information in addition to the > computers and the Internet. > > The funding is one problem, but there is an even bigger problem. Donors > are saying that decentralization will help "transparency" which means > that the local people will be able to see what their local government is > doing and will be able to have more control over it. But at the local > level the people do not know how to get the information that will keep > their local government honest. > > This problem can be solved. Since it is impossible to train all the > people in how to use ICT to get information, I think the best way is to > train the local civil society organisations. It is an obvious solution! > The problem is that the World Bank and other donors like to work with > and through the government, and the government is often the main > problem! Whereas the local community organisations can give ICT training > and honest advice to local people about how to use ICT to get > information they need. But of course it is also important that the > donors pick the right community organisations because often > profit-minded private companies act as though they are nonprofit and > working on behalf of the local populations. ..snip... 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 past messages, see: http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
[GKD-DOTCOM] Transparency and Accountability in Local e-Government
Dear Teruhiko, I totally agree with what you have stated about transparency in governments to improve service, in your following words: On 5/10/05, Teruhiko Yoshimura <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Ideally, the implementation of e-government initiatives has the > potential to increase opportunities for economic and social development, > and make governments more transparent and responsive. This however would > require governments to offer services according to citizen's choices, > make government and its services more accessible, ensure and facilitate > inclusion of weaker groups, provide information responsibly, and use > public resources with greater efficiency and effectiveness. I am reproducing some material I had sent to others earlier, about what we have done to introduce transparency and accountablity in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry States in India. These initiatives are unique of their kind and may be of interest to you. I am giving below the example of what we have done and how it is encouraged by the Government of Tamil Nadu towards its e-Government initiative, as part of the National e-Government Action Plan (NeGAP) of Government of India. I am reproducing below what the minister of IT has said in the Tamil Nadu assembly: The Hon. Minster for IT, while replying to the debate on the demands for grants for his department said: "The Government had also decided to take-up development of four generic softwares -- paperless office, electronic delivery of service, development of a government portal and Integrated District Information System (IDIS). Of these, the paperless office was already in place in ELCOT". Life Line to Business (LL2B) has developed a web enabled, platform neutral, paperless communication solution using open source technology, for introducing Transparency and Accountability (TrAc) in Governments, corporations, institutions and NGOs, leading to better e-Governance. The tool has been adopted in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. We have developed for the first time in India, a customised integrated e-Platform for Industrial Guidance Bureau, Department of Industrial Development, Directorate of Industries and Commerce, Government of Pondicherry, India, using our e-Administration tool... This e-Platform is web enabled, platform neutral and developed using open source tools such as J2EE, JBOSS, PGSQL, all running on Linux. It integrates 21 departments including all the elected local bodies such as Municipalities and Panchayts (Commissionerates of Pondicherry, Villianur, Nettapakkam, Bahour, Mannadipet, etc. Municipalities/Commune Panchayts), on a simple LAN / dial-up, for on-line and off-line working, with the central repository server, at the District Industries Centre, Pondicherry to electronically receive applications, review and seek clarifications, monitor electronically all pending cases date-wise and area-wise, grant approvals and issue Licenses, all electronically. The details can be seen in the Budget 2004-2005 address of the Lt.Governor of Pondicherry to the State Assembly <http://pondicherry.nic.in> and <http://www.pon.nic.in/open/depts/finance/lgspeech2004.pdf> A number of leading Indian newspapers such as The Hindu, The Hindu Business Line, The Business Standard, The New Indian Express, The Financial Express, The DQ Week, etc. and magazines like The Digit and India Together have recently brought out articles on the initiatives of the Govt. of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in going paperless; and LL2B.COM's active role in implementing it. Recently there has been an article in Indiatogether.org on Tamil Nadu Government's e-Government initiatives: http://www.indiatogether.org/2005/mar/gov-tnsystems.htm Our most recent implementation of the paperless office in the Commissionerate of Treasuries and Accounts, Government of Tamil Nadu, Chennai that handles about Rs. 66,000 crores (USD 1.5 billion) of Government funds is a real achievement and is the 'talk of the town'in Government circles. The Secretariat in Chennai is following suit. Already trial implementations have been made in the Departments of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Planning Development and Special Initiatives, etc. The international Transparency and Accountability Network (Tr-Ac Net), a global not-for-profit consortium has adopted e-Administration as a Transparency and Accountability Tool, for creating a level playing field in communities and society. -- Kris Dev, for Tr-Ac Net, Chennai Transparency and Accountability A global not-for-profit Network http://Tr-Ac-Net.blogspot.com http://ll2b.blogspot.com With Peter Burgess, Tr-Ac Net, New York email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "You are not going to have moral people until you have moral institutions. You will not have moral citizens until you have a moral government." This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by the dot-ORG USAID Cooperative Agreement, and hosted by GKD
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Help Improve Local Governance?
Dear Colleagues, As a part of the citizens' local empowerment, we have recommended to the local government to create a database of citizens grievances and the status of the grievance, so that any citizen can make a local call and access the database and know the status of their grievance redressal through an automated voice announcement system. This is one of the best uses of ICT at practically no cost to the citizen to empower them and introduce Transparency and Accountability, eradicate corruption, create a level playing field, etc. For more details, please contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kris Dev, Tr-Ac Net, Chennai, India On Monday, May 2, 2005, GKD Moderator asked: > Which ICT interventions deliver the greatest benefit in improving local > government services? 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 past messages, see: http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] How Can ICT Help Improve Local Governance?
Dear Colleagues, I don't recollect making a posting on our e-Administration, Transparency and Accountability Tool (Tr-Ac Tool), a paper-less office communication tool that has helped empower local governments to render better service to citizens and help citizens realise the benefits of ICT in transforming the way governments respond to the needs of citizens. e-Administration is a web enabled, platform neutral, paper-less intra-office and inter-office communication tool, to introduce Transparency and Accountability in the working of the Local Governments. This creates a sense of ownership among the internal and external customers to the Government and helps minimise the incidence of corruption; it also helps create a level playing field, etc. More details and case studies can be seen at http://ll2b.blogspot.com. Anyone interested can contact the following, for more details. -- Kris Dev, for Tr-Ac Net, Chennai Transparency and Accountability A global, not-for-profit, Network http://Tr-Ac-Net.blogspot.com http://TrAcNet.blogspot.com http://ll2b.blogspot.com --- With Peter Burgess, Tr-Ac Net, New York [EMAIL PROTECTED] "You are not going to have moral people until you have moral institutions. You will not have moral citizens until you have a moral government." On 5/2/05, Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator asked: > How Can ICT Support Decentralization and Help Improve Local Governance? ..snip... > Key Questions: > > 1) What are the 'critical success factors' for using ICT to support > decentralization and improve local governance? > > 2) Which ICT interventions deliver the greatest benefit in improving > local government services? ..snip... > 7) How can ICTs in the hands of citizens help empower them to enforce > responsive local government? 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 past messages, see: http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html
Re: [GKD] The $100 Computer
To my mind, what is required is 5 to 10 community computers available in every village at Indian Rs. 9,000 (USD 200) per computer that can be run on solar power with Wireless Local Loop (WLL) internet connection 24x7 at a very low cost. If this can be ensured, there can be lot of progress from learning to applications. Can this be possible? Kris Dev, Tr-Ac-Net, Chennai, India, [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://ll2b.blogspot.com and Peter Burgess, Tr-Ac-Net, New York, [EMAIL PROTECTED], http://Tr-Ac-Net.blogspot.com ***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] Should "Developed" Countries Subsidize the Internet for LDCs?
I fully agree with Cornelio Hopmann. To my mind, there should be no subsidy of any kind, as it creates a skewed society and the ultimate beneficiaries are the middlemen - the politician, the bureaucrat, the businessman, etc., and not the real poor. In the name of the poor, these people get the benefits. We have seen this time and again in India, where poor farmers were given Rs. 500 billion loan (the actual amount given would have been less than 50%) and then written off, as it was not returned by the farmers. Everybody has to earn their daily bread and that includes ICT service providers. The services have to become innovative and needs-based, meeting the day to day needs of the common man. Kris Dev India -- Kris Dev (Krishnan) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://ll2b.blogspot.com ***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-DOTCOM] Win-Win Business Models
I am intrigued by Cornelio and Pamela's questions and arguments. Recently I visited the rural kiosk network and addressed about 50 women near Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Most of them don't know English and are 8th class or 10th class pass and in their mid 30s to 50s. They are the volunteer entrepreneurs who have taken loans and set-up computer kiosks, some in their thatched roof verandah (front foyer) of the house, much against the wishes of their own family, friends and neighbours. They are doing a wonderful job of making the poor less poor, by aiding the villagers in their various activities. I offered to support them with our tracking tools for communications, activities, finance, inventory, etc., to run their kiosks more profitably, and benefit the society by helping them, particularly the self-help groups run by women. It can also be used to track grievance redressal for the villagers from the village / municipal / taluk / district / state administration. If the tool is used by the various departments of the government and integrated, all pending activities of any department can be transparently seen by the top administration and accountability ensured. If anyone is interested in more details, they may reach me at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kris Dev (Krishnan) ICT and e-Gov Specialist On Wed, 17 Nov 2004, Pamela McLean <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > On 11/15/04, Cornelio Hopmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > (4) Please name a single example listed at > > that shows using comparative data (either before/after or > > group-in-question/control-group) that the poor end-users of ICT-services > > were made less poor by using ICT. > > This is not an answer to Cornelio's exact question - merely a response > triggered by it. The related question I want to address is "How can > ICTs help the poor to become less poor?". > > The approach that we are working on may be of interest -- ICTs are key to > our approach to "making the poor less poor" by enabling other business > development. CawdNet members network though community development > projects in rural Nigeria and through the Internet. Some key members of > CawdNet have considerable experience of helping the very poor through > micro-credit. They also have experience of squeezing maximum > communication benefit from minimum ICT infrastructure, and are involved > with various training initiatives. The next natural step is to move up > from micro-credit (which usually enables very small enterprises like > petty trading and soap making) to something slightly larger. ..snip... -- Kris Dev (Krishnan) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://ll2b.blogspot.com This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org provide 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 Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html>
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Is Profitability Essential for Sustainability?
I would like to react as follows to Lee Thorn's comments on sustainability and profitability: For any project or venture to be successful, there has to be a return on investment, tangible or intangible. Without this, the initiative is deemed unproductive and hence a waste. Preferably, for sustainability, at least the variable cost should be covered fully. If it covers either a part or fully the fixed cost, it is ideal. If it can also cover the "opportunity cost", there is the possibility of creating other better income generating opportunities in lieu of doing the current project, then there is motivation to continue and scale up the project. This is what is termed as profit by others. I don't know, if I am right or wrong. I would like to benefit by others' opinions. Kris Dev (Krishnan) [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://ll2b.blogspot.com This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org provide 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 Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.dot-com-alliance.org/archive.html>
Re: [GKD-DOTCOM] Can Technology and a Business Approach Make Globalization Work for the Poor?
updating and centralised review and monitoring. More details can be viewed at: http://ll2b.blogspot.com and http://eadministration.blogspot.com and http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ict/rc/ItemDetail.do~1010854 I just thought I shall bring this to your notice, for any opportunities that may arise by way of mutual support and cooperation. I am prepared to send a Powerpoint presentation on the tool and its benefits in introducing transparency and accountability in organizations. Kris Dev (Krishhnan V D G) ICT Specialist [EMAIL PROTECTED] LL2B.COM Pvt Ltd B4, Ashok Suparna, 27/12, 3rd Main Road, Kasturiba Nagar, Adyar, Chennai-600020. Tamil Nadu, India 91-44-5211 5995 / 5698. On Mon, 25 Oct 2004, Roland H. Alden <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Can technology and a business approach make globalization work for > the poor? > > This is a great first question because it does challenge some > fundamental ideas about what technocrats and business people have to > offer the "less developed" and "least developed" countries of the world. > > I am sure there are many "failed" projects and case studies that will > demonstrate how little technology has to offer. I believe that, in > isolation, technology offers very little; it is a tool but the tool must > be applied in a meaningful context. ..snip... > There are other contexts where resources are either abundant or at least > non-zero, but where the absence of "business" fundamentals creates waste > (often sponsored by corruption) or missed opportunity. In these > situations a sound "business approach" to development, and a "business" > relationship with the world, is a very realistic possibility, if only > the opposing forces can be dealt with. ..snip... This DOT-COM Discussion is funded by USAID's dot-ORG Cooperative Agreement with AED, in partnership with World Resources Institute's Digital Dividend Project, and hosted by GKD. http://www.dot-com-alliance.org and http://www.digitaldividend.org provide 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 Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: <http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/>
[GKD] New Open-Source Tool for e-Governance (India)
LL2B.COM (Life Line to Business) is an ICT organization from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It has developed "e-Administration", a web enabled, platform independent, paperless office solution developed using open source and implemented with great success in Electronics Corporation of Tamilnadu (ELCOT), a Govt. of Tamil Nadu Undertaking in Chennai, the capital of one of the most developed States of India. The tool has helped to transform the organization from a traditional paper-file based organization to a paperless electronic organization. Now everything moves silently through the LAN within the office and through the web from/to for outside communication. The tool has simplified the office work, making it more a pleasure than a pain. There is active employee involvement and ownership of their duties and responsibilities. There is total transparency and accountability from top to bottom. Everyone has been empowered equally to discharge their work. It has brought about a level playing field. Now no longer, any employee / customer / citizen has to wait for days or weeks, for meeting the superior to get a file cleared. Ther are instances, when a file is cleared instantly without any movement of men and files, whereas it used to take an avaerage of 10 to 20 paper / file movements for a single cycle of approval. The budget for paper and stationary consumption can be brought down to 50% level. This can help to conserve nature and create a greener and better pollution free environment. Says V D G Krishnan, an ICT Specialist, who designed and developed this tool, based on his 25 years experience working for the Government Sector in India and a leading MNC in North America, "e-Administration" is the ultimate tool for any organization to transform the entire society. It has universal applicability in Governments, Corporates and Service organizations for ultimate internal and external customer satisfaction." Says Mr. Sudeep Jain, I.A.S., Managing Director of ELCOT, who received an award from The Deputy Prime Minister of India for implementing "e-Administration - a paperless office" and the key person instrumental in bagging the Certificate of The Guiness Book of Records for The world record for the most trees planted in 24 hours by a team of 300 people by the citizens of Nagapattinam District in Tamil Nadu, when he was the District Collector in 2002: "e-Administration has helped us to convert our office, from a traditional file based office, to a truly modern electronic office, by digitising all current files. It has also helped us to cut short the delays, in manual file generation and movement, for obtaining sanctions and bring in transparency and accountability in the working. Any officer can keep track of all pending files of self and subordinates and get them cleared quickly, even while travelling." Based on the success of implementation of "e-Administration" in Tamil Nadu, LL2B.COM and ELCOT jointly bagged an order for implementing a customized, integrated, e-Platform for the Industrial Guidance Bureau of Government of Pondicherry, in South India, linking 18 Departments including local governments, for granting time-bound single window clearance for setting-up of industries in the Union Territory of Pondicherry. ELCOT has signed a marketing agreement with LL2B.COM to market "e-Administration" to various Government Departments and Undertakings, to spread the message of e-Governance. A number of leading Indian newspapers have carried extensive articles on the extent of implementation of e-Administration by the Government of Tamil Nadu. The tool can be used by service organizations to monitor the progress of various projects at the filed level and regional level and also help in knowledge management by supporting the under performing with the techniques followed by the better performing. Kris Dev (Krishnan) ICT Specialist [EMAIL PROTECTED] Links: http://www.business-standard.com/search/storypage_new.php?leftnm=lmnu2&left indx=2&lselect=1&autono=159162 http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20040705124325&Page=T&Title= Southern+News+%2D+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0&aDate=7%2F6%2F2004 ***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/>
