On 11/25/2003, Global Knowledge Dev. Moderator wrote:
Many GKD members have argued that the for-profit private sector must
play a key role in expanding access to underserved communities. The
notion is appealing.
At the outset, let me state that I operate as an entrepreneur, mainly
because
Let me preface my comments by some more general considerations:
(a) No matter how wealthy he might be, a donor is only willing to
finance operation costs -- or even a substantial fraction thereof -- for
1 or 2 years.
(b) As accumulated cost for ongoing operations rapidly exceeds inital
Edward,
Would broadband imply a higher ROI? Not necessarily. The margins for
rural service are always tight. Every incremental cost counts, including
the cost of a basic payphone set. Rural ROI is highly dependent on
willingness and ability to pay for services offered. Rural customers are
very
Indeed, WorldSpace is not a total solution in itself, but only part of a
solution in an imperfect situation. I don't see that anybody has yet
promoted it as 'a substitute for the real thing'. Thus the risk of
that misperception should not cause us to ignore its existence and its
potential uses.
I read Raphael Marambii's post with interest, in particular:
Although cryptography is complicated, we should not under-estimate the
intelligence of people to quickly grasp the basic concepts (snip) It
would be great fun and very empowering to teach villagers about ciphers
and the art of
