Re: [GKD] Flaws in India's Model e-Governance Project
It is high time to find a technology that will end this holy cow computerisation, so typical of India. I don't know if this attitude holds in other 3rd world countries too. The same thing happenned in several organisations including banks and commercial firms throughout the 70s to the 90s, that the first wave of computerisation pervaded various sectors of the Indian economy. With computerisation of records and information, data-entry operators and those authorised to allow access or process outputs became the new power centres, instead of becoming catalysts for efficiency. However, with progrssively less complex technology, increased computing power in desktop machines, advent of the Net, widespread, networked and cheaper PCs, this power of information is slowly being disseminated to the direct beneficiaries intended to be served, i.e. customers, tax-payers, citizens at large, etc. One expected that with the integration of cheap and powerful hand-helds like the Simputer and slew of Linux boxes, this dissemination would receive a shot in the arm, but we seem to have hit a speed-breaker here too. Udit Chaudhuri - Independent Technical Writer www.writers.net/writers/24261 ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] Social Appropriation of ICTs in Jamaica
Regarding Karin Delgadillo's posting on the social use and appropriation of ICTs in Jamica you may be interested to learn of the work of some of Computer Aid's partners. Computer Aid has sent professionally refurbished PCs to Kingston School to St Patrick's Youth Training Project and on two occasions to the Jamaica Society for the Blind. In the later case we have supplied 170 PCs fitted with adaptive technologies for sight impaired and blind users in association with another UK NGO, Sight Savers International. Voice recognition software and other output enhancements enable users to develop vocational skills and join mainstream education and recreational activities as well as accessing email and the internet. Blind led organisations from other Latin American and Caribbean countries are participating in this innovative project inlcuding Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, St. Vincent, Guyana, and Belize. Computer Aid International is a non-profit organisation registered as a charity with the government in England and Wales. We are the world's largest and most experienced non-profit supplier of quality refurbished Pentium computers to non-profits in developing countries. We have supplied almost 25,000 fully refurbished PCs to where they are most needed in schools, colleges and community organisations in 80 different countries. Kind regards Tony Roberts Chief Executive Computer Aid International 433 Holloway Road London, N7 6LJ. UK. Tel: +44 (0) 20 7281 0091 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: www.computeraid.org Registered Charity no. 1069256 Registered Company no. 3442679 _ This message was sent to you using a quality Pentium PC fully refurbished by Computer Aid International. ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
[GKD] Low-Cost Computers for the Developing World?
http://h2o.law.harvard.edu/viewRotisserie.do?rotisserieId=285 Interesting question being posed by the author: Should the developing world fund research to build a low cost (read around $100) computer or invest in building IT/education upon the platform of a device such as internet-capable mobiles. Thaths -- thaths at aunet.org Slacker At Large http://www.aunet.org/thaths/ Key fingerprint = 8A 84 2E 67 10 9A 64 03 24 38 B6 AB 1B 6E 8C E4 ***GKD is solely supported by EDC, a Non-Profit Organization*** To post a message, send it to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe or unsubscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]. In the 1st line of the message type: subscribe gkd OR type: unsubscribe gkd Archives of previous GKD messages can be found at: http://www.edc.org/GLG/gkd/
