My hope for the West is to lessen consumption of natural resources but even more so to begin adopting a more worldly view. One hand holds the other.
........................................................ Dan Hanrahan [EMAIL PROTECTED] ........................................................ -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Subbiah Arunachalam Sent: Wednesday, June 01, 2005 4:12 AM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was:Update onthe Simputer Dear Paula: I am a great admirer of the creative genius of the Western society which from the Industrial Revolution onwards has invented newer and newer technologies to make our lives more comfortable and enjoyable. At the same time I am also greatly concerned about the wasteful ways of that society. Look at the statistics on the consumption of resources, be it water, gasoline (and other fuels), wood and timber, and you will find the average westerner consumes many times more than the average Asian or African. If only they are prepared to adopt the 'public commons' approach and come forward to share resources as a community (instead of individuals owning resources), the world will be a much better place. While we enjoy the physical comforts provided by Lexus technologies we can also enjoy the peace and harmony of the 'olive tree' societies. That is what Mahatma Gandhi had taught us. And before him John Ruskin. Unfortunately, most of us trying to bridge the digital divide seem to be too focused on technology, connectivity, computers, telecom, etc. and are not addressing more fundamental issues which are outside the domain of technology, such as how do we make people realise (and accept) that when the resources are scarce the only way out is for all of us to share them equitably, and how do we create all the content (for the dissemination of which we need all those technologies in the first place). >From the limited experience we have at MSSRF, it is clear that sharing resources and caring for others can go a long way in building a better future for mankind. The sharing and caring I talk aout is not limited to bridging the digital divide in the telecentre context. Take the case of science and research. It is now clearly understood, more than ever before, that it is important for even the poorest country to have some capacity to carry out scientific research. The US National Academy of Sciences, with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is helping science academies of three African countries develop adequate capacity to be able to provide policy advice to their governments. Scientists worldwide are trying to build interoperable institutional open access archives which will enable every scientist (irrespective where one lives and works) access full texts of the latest and relevant research papers. The common thread between these various programmes is the public commons approach. Arun [Subbiah Arunachalam] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paula Graham" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 8:06 PM Subject: Re: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was:Update onthe Simputer >I wholeheartedly agree with you Steve and Arun -- I'm in London UK with > a laptop all to myself and it's hugely convenient, but (1) that's all > very well if you can afford it and (2) actually we could learn a lot > from the way that countries like Ghana and India are solving problems of > hardware access -- because, let's face it, I've been working with NGOs > in London for years trying to make technology available to disadvantaged > communities and haven't made half the headway that Subbiah seems to have > made. > > Hypercapitalism might give *some of us* in the West our very own > computers but too often at the expense of any sense of community, > ability to share scarce resources effectively, solve problems > communally and build creatively on what we *can* have. > > And this crazy idea that if it isn't the same as the adverts it isn't > worth having. For example, we got some PCs for recycling and started > sorting them out for neighbourhood distribution to people who said they > were desperate for PCs. These were older but could run a graphical Linux > distro such as Ubuntu (which does everything you need and is very simple > to operate), but XP/MS Office was pushing the spec. Also couldn't get > freebie MS because end users were individuals not charities. Lots of > complaining and some people rejected the PCs because XP not available. > Meanwhile, we've donated hours upon hours renovating and installing > these machines which are being offered free of charge. Go figure! > > In the West, we need to be aware of the extent to which the effects of > the hypercapitalist > mode on our sense of identity, community -- and our ability to think and > act for ourselves. > > Paula > > Subbiah Arunachalam wrote: > >> I agree with you Steve. At each one of the M S Swaminathan Research >> Foundation Knowledge Centres in Pondicherry in southern India we have >> a few computers - not more than five in any centre, and one of them is >> out of bounds for all but the centre volunteers. But these are common >> assets for the entire village. What is at work is the idea of public >> commons. We cannot afford to provide computers and telephones and >> Internet accounts to everyone in the village. That is the reality. How >> can we overcome the problem? What we lack is the financial resources >> to buy gadgets. What we have is a large heart, a willingness to share >> what little we have, a commitment to care for others. After all >> development is about sharing and caring. The computers and every other >> service provided at the centre (such as information on a whole range >> of local needs) is open to all. It works well. Eventually, when an >> individual (or a family) earns enough to be able to afford something >> he/she may decide to 'own' it. >> >> Arun >> [Subbiah Arunachalam] >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "The Digital Divide Network discussion group" >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2005 6:46 AM >> Subject: RE: [DDN]The Personal vs the Social Computer Was: Update >> onthe Simputer >> >> >>> >>> >>> >>> Taran, I wish you'd reconsider your "basic economics": for example, your >>> belief that $480 that stays in India to buy a computer is "better" than >>> buying one elsewhere for $300. That may not sit well with those in >>> India or >>> Africa who have to buy a computer. Ghana, where I work, is richer >>> than some >>> of its sub-Saharan neighbors: $400 US is what the average Ghanaian >>> earns a >>> year, a year's earning not quite enough to buy your Simputer. >>> >>> And I wish you'd reconsider conclusions like this one: >>> >>> <<If you've ever had to share one computer with 20 people, and it was >>> your >>> only access point, I doubt you would be able to email as often. You >>> wouldn't have leisure time to read articles that *you* might find >>> interesting.>> >>> >>> I've had to share buses and trains with many people, and you're >>> right: it's >>> not nearly as convenient as owning my own automobile. And I've had to >>> get my >>> learning at public schools, not nearly as convenient as private >>> tutoring. >>> And I've had to borrow books from a public library, not nearly >>> convenient as >>> buying my own and owning them. >>> >>> And I've used computers at libraries and internet cafes, and you're >>> right: >>> sharing a computer is not nearly as convenient as owning one. >>> >>> And I ask you to consider that your convenience argument is >>> misleading, and >>> downright harmful. >>> >>> If we insist on private automobiles, millions will be continue to be >>> without >>> rapid transport, and we will continue to foul the environment. >>> >>> And if we insist on personal ownership of books, millions will not read, >>> even if we cut down enough trees for all those books. >>> >>> And if we insist on the personal computer, billions will not cross the >>> digital divide. >>> >>> If the advantages of the Simputer at $480 are so much greater than >>> that of >>> the desktop at less, let's urge small churches or cafes or schools in >>> the >>> poorer nations to buy one or two or three and share them, until such >>> time as >>> the folks in the community can afford to buy their own. >>> >>> <<In the focus on the reduction of cost, I sincerely believe by these >>> communications that the increase in quality of life as the *value* has >>> been lost.>> >>> >>> You may have it backwards, Taran. Those who insist on personal >>> automobiles >>> and personal libraries and personal computers may be the ones who are >>> slowing down the erasure of the many divides between the haves and the >>> have-nots. >>> >>> Steve Eskow >>> >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> _______________________________________________ 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.
