Steve, While I understand your point, I think you fail to understand my point - at least judging by your response. You see, the point is that technology is changing while this discussion takes place, and like it or not the 'social computer', as you call it, is indeed increasingly becoming the personal computer on the internet. To illustrate this point, the Digital Divide email server is acting like one of your 'social computers' during this interchange. Yet we both need access to computers to access the social aspect - the network.
I understand the need for *telecenters*, which is really what you are talking about. In fact, amongst a few other people on this list, I am a member of the telecenter caucus (WSIS), though of late I have been too busy with other things to be as active as I would like to be. Yet, even as such a member, the arrival of computing which allows people to group as they wish instead of how people plan them to has the potential to revolutionize the way a telecenter is considered; in fact, mobile phones are already doing so. So, while we discuss countries that neither one of us actually live in, and speak of perspectives that neither of us completely have, we need to be careful and appreciate the potential that technology is making available to people that may be used in ways that are far beyond our present understanding - even by, and perhaps especially by, literates in a village, in Africa perhaps, where the average *annual* income is $300 US. Why? Because, friend Steve, necessity is the mother of invention. The trick isn't to get them all computer literate in our perspectives - it's to get them productive from their own perspectives. And that means allowing all technology to be made available for them to peruse, like a Home Depot, so that their imagination and creativity mix with the resources that become available so that they can meet their own needs. Not our needs, and not our needs to fulfill their needs. This is the last I shall write on this, because as good as some consider me to be a writer, I have failed consistently to make these and similar points to you. It is only appropriate that I accept the fact that, should this message fail, that I have to grow more as a communicator to be better understood by you. Good evening. And pat your personal computer for me; it has allowed us to have this stimulating conversation - as mine has. Dr. Steve Eskow wrote: >Imagine a village, in Africa perhaps, where 200 literates are ready to use >computers. > >Their average yearly income is $300 US. > >Forcing the "personal computer" solution--even when the $100 computer >becomes a reality-- requires that each family pay one-third of its annual >income for the device. > >Service and maintenance and the other costs associated with perosnal >computer eats further into tthe meager family budget. > >$20,000 US for computer plus related expenses: an invitation unlikely to >happen quickly, a slow and painful way to cross the digital divide. > >The "social computer" alternative: > >The village association or cooperative purchases 20 computers at $100, for >$2000 US. Each villager who wants to use the computers pays an annual fee: >say $25. Such a fee pays for the cost of the computers plus a sum for >maintenance and service and other related expenses. > >Even $25 is difficult for a family living on $300. > >In the light of the history of squandered donor aid in the Third World, >Negroponte's notion of having governments buy and distribute the computers >to families seems like an invitation to more of the same. > >The analogy to the public library (or the public school, or the public road, >or the public water supply) is this: if 200 people who cannot afford to buy >the book have access to 10or 20 copies of the book, all can read it, even >though they may have to wait a bit. This is not a socialist fantasy, but a >proven social response to human needs. > >Perhaps the best metaphor for the social approach to the digital divide is >the bridge, the public bridge across any divide. > >The bridge allows many to cross the divide, although they may have to wait a >bit for their turn. > >The social computer allows many to enjoy the benefits of the new >communication technologies, to cross the digital divide before they can >afford to cross it on their own. > >Steve Eskow > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > -- Taran Rampersad Presently in: San Fernando, Trinidad [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.knowprose.com http://www.easylum.net http://www.digitaldivide.net/profile/Taran Coming on January 1st, 2006: http://www.OpenDepth.com "Criticize by creating." — Michelangelo _______________________________________________ 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.
