[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Maybe we need to see that the infrastructure is all there. Or build > it, using > the cheap stuff available locally. I like the idea of using discarded > water > bottles to do wifi (if available cheap) That is from > http://www.usaid.gov/stories/mali/pc_ml_geekcorps.html
Right! I've seen antennas with aluminum and styrofoam linking two offices in separate buildings in Panama City (Willy Smith), and quite a few other things. Creative use of what is there really does work... but the problem is usually the policy. Not that its' a problem, though... most of the time policies meant to regulate telecommunications are ignored if they are too constrictive. Trinidad and Tobago has a few examples. :-) > > We talking about bridging divides: what do the communities we hoping > to brige > want? Do they know the options available? Have we let the hordes of > curious > kids (kids are curious everywhere, once they belly full - they are > kids first) > loose on the technology we have? Kids can be poor, or rich, but are > mostly too > innocent to have the adult conception that technology is hard and > difficult to > understand. I wonder sometimes if the people working in ICT have forgotten how to 'play', honestly... I mean... we're dealing with kids, and kids get what I call 'Eureka eyes' when they use a computer for the first time. The flip side is that regulation, policy and trade have to be changed during this time to allow present and future generations jobs in technology without forcing them to leave their own country for lack of jobs. This is a really interesting topic in itself, and one that could probably afford being rehashed. > > While the community technology (like straw) should be light and eaay > to carry > (and even that is open to dispute) - a big word for portable, it > should not > cost the community a lot of money, or tie them into packages, rather than > (better, IMO) ideas about computing... The ideas... Not just 'using technology', but 'pushing technology'. Everyone on this list is 'using' technology, but how many are using it creatively to solve their own problems? > > There may be some idea coming out there. Besides, cheap cell phones are > probably the true wave we should be riding, though I have no > particular dog in > this hunt. That's one aspect of the MobileActive Convergence that was touched on, and one I would like to see some more of. > > -rj, long time lurker, first time poster. And it's great seeing you posting here, Richard. -- 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 DIGITALDIVIDE@mailman.edc.org 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.
