Taran, You've clearly described one technical outworking of the idea of "public computing."
There was an influential book some years ago titled IDEAS HAVE CONSEQUENCES. We need technical outworkings of the idea of public computing such as you propose. Perhaps we need separate attention to how we get attention and support for the "idea" of public, rather than private and personal, computing. To pick a controversial example: I go to Ghana on March 9 . Everywhere in Ghana, and Africa in general, religion is exploding. Churches and mosques springing up everywhere, with clergy and congregations committed to public service as well as to faith. These churches often have connections to world networks of their denomination; many of the churches in the richer countries provide support of various kinds for the emerging churches in the "Third World." If those churches could be influenced to see themselves as part of the answer to the "digital divide," we might find computers and training and software and maintenance installed in little churches in the "Third World." The larger question becomes: how do we get churches, and schools, and libraries, and NGO's to see that they have a role in shrinking the digital divide, and becoming the scene of public computing? Steve Eskow [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Taran Rampersad" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 9:33 PM Subject: [DDN] Re: The digital divide and the idea of "public computing" Steve Eskow wrote: >A hypotheis: > >The digital divide will not be solved by "personal computers," and the >emphasis on private ownership of the new communication technologies, but by >the "social comnputesr," computers shared by many people in a public >setting. > >The intention of the terminology is to switch some attention away from the >box, container of the new technology--the "center," as in :"telecenter"--and >to raise connsciousness of the need for sharing the technology and its >maintenance. > >If there is merit to this proposition,--if we need to talk of "publci >computing" much in the same way that we advocate for "public >transportation," then our Digital Divide Network might take leadership in >creating the new discou\rse that emphasizes the sharing and collaborative >use of the new technologies. > >The "public computer" can be in a school, an office, a library, a business, >a church, or a van. Where it is housed will of course depend on the >variables of community and culture: in some cases one computer in a church >basement will be the "center," in another there will many machines and >staff. > >Perhaps we need a $500 dollar public computer more than we need a $100 >private computer. > >Steve Eskow > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > You exactly described a content management system/community weblog as a social computer - which it is! Because you're not staring at it in your office or home doesn't make it less of a computer. $15 for a domain name in most parts of the world (less in some), figure up to $300 hosting fees for a year. It's as public as you want it to be. The trick is having it easily accessible for the community - and this can be done very cheaply with the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP), which allows a central server to 'drive' lower end machines for this purpose. Low cost hardware, low cost software. Run some wires and you're almost done. Then we're left with connecting the LTSP server to the social computer - the server. That's really the biggest problem around the world - and that's the common denominator. P.S. All over the commercial world, people are going crazy about the 'Desktop'. Folks, the desktop is nowhere near as important as the Server - no matter what anyone tells you. In a lot of ways, the computer you are reading this on is probably what would have been called a server a few years ago. I'm not saying that the desktop is dead - by no stretch. What I am saying is that the desktop is now the server. And the server aspect of your computer is the most important aspect right now - as are the internet servers we avail ourselves of. -- Taran Rampersad [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.linuxgazette.com http://www.a42.com http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net "Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.5.2 - Release Date: 2/28/2005 _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
