Digital Divide This: _Food_, _Shelter_, _Security_(family/community),_
literacy / __education_, _technology_. Priorities in order. Community
Computer Media access, in the form of a Public Access station or
community computer center is not obsolete. At least a Community Computer
lab or a Public Access Community Media center can provide access and
technology training for those who can barely make it past the first
three. Just my two cents on this discussion.
Mauro DePasquale, WCCA TV 13 "The People's Channel", Worcester, MA
Dr. Steve Eskow wrote:
The voice of Peter Lopes--the voice of the literate, intelligent poor in the
U.S. and around the world--is a voice that needs to be heard and brought
into the conversation if we are to bridge the digital divide.
Steve Eskow
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter S. Lopez [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, October 12, 2005 10:09 AM
To: The Digital Divide Network discussion GROUP; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: GROUP
Subject: RE: [DDN] A Littl' More On Bridging the Digital Divide in the US
"Dr. Steve Eskow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
< wrote:
<is obsolete— disadvantaged kids, starting at a the preschool level,
need a
computer in their home in order to have a chance at parity with their
more
affluent counterparts. Want to Improve High Schools? Put Computers in
the
Homes. is now published on the Digital Divide Network website.>>
And of course Ronda is joined is this conviction by Negroponte and many
others.
My own hunch is that leaping the stage of "the social computer" and
moving
immediately to "the personal computer" is an invitation to failure.
Unless the computers never need servicing, never get infected.
Unless the computers are never given to the home without local and free
servicing made available.
Unless free and ongoing instruction in their use is made available to
parents as well as students.
Unless the computers are solar powered or hand cranked.
If these conditions aren't met, a majority of the computers sent to the
homes will not be functioning within six months.
A social setting for shared use of computers-- a school, a library, a
church, a community center--allows for instruction and servicing. Each
user
of such a computer as the Simputer can have his or her own card that
allows
for personal use of a shared device.
The arrival of the low cost paper back book did not make the library
obsolete.
The arrival of television did not make the shared technology known as
the
school obsolete.
Steve Eskow
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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REPLY ~
Wednesday Morning ~ I agree with you Dr. Eskow and am pleased at your
common sense.
I am not sure how many people on this DDN Discussion List are actually
poor themselves in the economic sense. Nevertheless, we must all clearly
understand that the ‘big factor’ in there even be a ‘high tech’ digital
divide is the social-economic existence of the misery of poverty suffered by
billions of people upon Mother Earth.
For the poor, access to the Internet Technology is NOT a top priority,
finding the next decent edible meal, temporary shelter and/or satisfying a
urgent medical need ARE among basic daily survival priorities.
I certainly am poor right now and I must be honest, practical and
realistic or invite peril, disaster and self-delusion. I am one of those who
come from the social set and settings of the inner-city urban poor in
Amerika.
I am one of those who found out about the existence of the ‘high-tech’
digital divide bridge and once I crossed that bridge I naturally,
immediately and enthusiastically ‘got online’ and got involved in Internet
Activism; in conjunction with the TOP PRIORITY of being involved in local
activism in my own local community.
Relevant Link ~ http://www.netaction.org/training/reader.html
I am blessed to even have a 'home' and have the electricity tuned on at
home! The idea of spending money on computer repair to a computer service
man is to me a Yuppie fantasy.
Thus, I have learned to take care of my computer best I can: by not
opening attachments from unknown sources, daily defragmentation, regular
software maintenance that I got FREE from download.com and other sources.
I think if we look at these questions as simply technical ones we miss
the whole point of WHY we want to build bridges to cross the digital divide.
These are social, cultural and educational questions that will be answered
over decades. These questions involve promoting a social culture of literacy
that promotes education as a key survival tool; as we continue to fight for
our very survival on a day-by-day basis. It all hinges on the ‘set and
settings’ of the cultural matrix.
A community-based group setting is ideal as there are benefits of seeing
others involved in the same activities we are doing in a ‘sane and sober’
environment that promotes on-going basic literacy, computer literacy and
general self-improvement. We must have faith in the people and our capacity
to comprehend, to develop as humane beings and to respond to the demands of
connected reality.
Remember: even the educator needs educating, ever the counselor needs
counseling and even the doctor needs continued treatment.
Help Build Bridges, Not Borders!~
Peter S. Lopez~Field Coordinator
Sacramento, Califas, USA
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HumaneRightsAgenda/
http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/sacranative
P.S. At the risk of seeming ludicrous, for impoverished children
it will take more than 'a computer in their home in order to have a
chance at parity with their more affluent counterparts.' It involves the
total elimination of poor oppressive conditions
on a global scale altogether to bring about 'parity' fo po' folks!
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