Dr. Steve Eskow wrote: 'Some of us believe that we need to point out
that there are other choices, and "the social computer" is one such
alternative, a lower cost alternative to "the personal computer" '
Sandra Andrews wrote
'Who are we to make the decision as to which approach is the best?
Shouldn't the people involved have a say, and, in order to allow them
to do so, shouldn't we allow various initiatives to go forward, so
that people can use them?'
Others have made additional points about the involvement of people
concerned.
Perhaps it would be helpful at this stage to offer an example of how
personal/social computing works within the CawdNet network and how we
are trying to open up debate between those who know about and/or are
experiencing the problems and those who know about and/or want to
implement potential solutions.
On the personal computer side we have CAWD (The Charity for African
Welfare and Development - from which CawdNet takes its name). CAWD
volunteers are what we describe as "bandwidth rich". They have personal
computers, and can go online for hours on end without any cost
constraints. (see www.cawd.net and click on CawdNet - new volunteers
extremely welcome - please contact me). The bandwidth rich personal
computer users can search for and filter information on behalf of
their fellow "CawdNetters" who are "bandwidth poor" (or simply
"bandwidth challenged")
Then we have the "social computers" in rural Nigeria. The "CawdNetters"
there are at Fantsuam Foundation, with its Community Learning Centre
(CLC) at
Kafanchan, and at the OCDN (Oke-Ogun Community Development Network)
InfoCentre at Ago-Are. People there are making do with shared access to
(low-specification) computers.
Staff, volunteers, students, and other clients there, are "bandwidth
challenged" - both in terms of the equipment they are using and their
access to it. Access to the computers is dependent on electrical power.
Mains power ("NEPA") is something that is possible - but not really
expected - and certainly not to be relied on in any way.
The generators are a much more reliable source of power, but are
expensive to run. They are usually only turned on when there are
sufficient people *paying* for computer access to justify the cost of
the fuel. So, despite VSAT
connections at these two locations in rural Nigeria, the situation is
very far removed from "normal bandwidth richness". Social computers
should not simply be assumed to be "like personal computers but shared
between more people".
It is important to realise that the social computers available at the
CLC and InfoCentre are way ahead of anything else in their areas. People
based at those sites are "bandwidth challenged" - but elsewhere there is
"bandwidth starvation". There are Internet cafes in urban areas but
nothing in smaller rural places.
The challenge of serving rural areas is more that a question of
providing access to "social
computers". It is a wider issue, something I don't have a name for -
"social computing" or "social computer
systems" perhaps.
How can the bandwidth challenged - with their "social computers" share
the benefits of connectivity with the wider communities that they serve?
What in fact are these benefits? What difference can/does ICT make in
places like Kafanchan and Ago-Are? A few examples may give food for
thought - focusing briefly on all three parts of ICT (Information and
Communication and Technology).
1 - Technology
Obviously people can learn about it and develop appropriate skills. We
run various ICT courses and we are gradually developing appropriate
kinds of courses for different groups, such as teachers and local
government officials.
(e.g. http://www.cawd.net/daisy/CawdNet/g1/805.html )
2 - Communication - people can communicate.
The benefits of email are remarkable in places like Kafanchan and
Ago-Are where the
postal service is unreliable and there are no telephone networks. Email
is our most used means of communication, plus yahoo chat.
We have started to explore Skype and yahoo voice chat too, but
it's still early days on that (and, as with all things in rural Nigeria,
not as straight forward as outsiders might expect).
We don't have the
bandwidth to exchange video clips, but we do send photos. In addition I
have collected video clips to take greetings and messages back and forth
between Ago-Are and the UK (overcoming language barriers and literacy
barriers). VCDs are much easier to transport than bulky video tapes -
and we look forward with interest to a time when it may all be possible
online and we can bypass human couriers.
3 - Information - so important in areas that are book-poor and
training-poor.
Thanks to the communication links between the bandwidth
rich and the bandwidth poor new ideas are being exchanged. When funds
allow we follow up interests with practical training - as with recent
courses enabled by COL (Commonwealth of Learning) on solar cookers
http://www.cawd.net/daisy/CawdNet/g1/742.html and solar cooking
http://www.cawd.net/daisy/CawdNet/g1/800.html
This solar training is something that people have been requesting for
over two years - so it has been wonderful to have the resources to
respond now. Training about solar cooking was requested because the
general idea of solar
cooking had been discussed in Ago-Are, and people were taken with the
idea. The initial information was shared because a local woman shared a
cooking problem with someone on the CAWD side. On the CAWD side - the
bandwidth rich side of CawdNet - it is easy to do research. Even on the
rural Nigerian side - despite being bandwidth challenged - much more
research is possible than where there is bandwidth starvation. This
meant we could start to learn more about solar cooking, in theory, but
for a couple of years we did not have the resources to move on. We could
collect theoretical knowledge - but didn't have the capacity for
practical implementation - to pay a trainer, to provide materials, to
cover participants travel costs, and such like. Now we have been able to
make a start with that.
ICTs and "social computing" means that two way discussion becomes
possible. It becomes
practical to discuss questions like "What's the problem?" "Would
any of these ideas be any good?" "Why?" "What do you want to try out?"
"How's it going?"
ICTs on their own aren't enough for such information exchange and
knowledge development - but they are an essential element.
In parallel to the recent solar cookers and solar cooking training
there was also training in video production - another important part of
ICTs/digital technology. The video training is important because when we
do find good ideas worth sharing, and get the money to run courses, we
want to have the video skills ready to share the training content more
widely.
It is hard to communicate the full picture as so much is tied in
together. For
example the solar cooking also ties in with "The Positive Kitchen"
which ties in with the nutrition course being run in connection with the
health service for people with HIV/AIDS.
The point is, that in the real world of rural Nigeria, the issue isn't
as narrow as personal computers (a very dubious priority) versus social
computers. It's not just about bandwidth rich provision (requiring huge
infrastructure development - just on the electrical power side) versus
bandwidth poverty. It is about the next link - beyond the technology
itself - into the social networks. For us it is about "social
computing" - about people and communication, and needs for information,
and how sharing and discussing problems across the digital divide can
lead to the development of solutions.
As a "CawdNetter" I find it encouraging to see the debate on particular
pieces of equipment widening out to include the opinions of people who
might be using "social computers". If you want to get closer to the
opinions of "CawdNetters" who are the bandwidth poor in rural Nigeria
please contact me on or off list. Together we can explore the most
appropriate and direct way for you to make links with the real local
experts - the people who live the life.
Pam
Pamela McLean
CawdNet Convenor
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