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i4d is a bi-monthly publication. It is intended for those interested and
involved in the use of Information and Communication Technologies for
development of underserved communities. It is hoped that it will serve
to foster a growing network by keeping the community up to date on many
activities in this wide and exciting field. Your involvement and
participation is essential to the success of this endeavour.
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A print magazine for ICT?
In an ICT meet I attended recently, the role of the media in
disseminating and propogating the successes of ICT was part of the
agenda. At the workshop, there was general concurrence from all present
that the media could play a very positive role in educating the public
at large, attracting much needed investment and resources, as well as
providing an interface for members of the field to interact with the
outside world.
They were, of course, talking about mass media.
That set me thinking. Isn't there also a need for a medium that enhances
and propogates discussion within the sector? One that allows for
information interchange, sharing of ideas, experiences and opinions? One
that facilitates cooperation between various agencies, leading to a
synergy of manpower and resources?
After a lot of discussion, questioning and trepidation, it was clear
that i4d would be a reality. And so, today, it is. Our aim is to
establish a channel of communication both within the ICT community as
well as provide an interface to the world outside.
There is much work to be done; in the words of Prof. Kenneth Keniston
".there is so little contact between excellent projects, that new work
so often begins from scratch, that there is so little sharing of
knowledge and experience, that there is no network of communication, to
say nothing of coordination, that each project begins, as it were, anew,
when often within a 100 kilometers there exists another project from
which it might learn and borrow, and whose success it might imitate."
As far as what directions and dimensions i4d will take, will depend upon
the guidance, which you as our valuable readers and contributors will
provide us. I conclude with a quote from Ghalib -
[I walk for a short distance with each fast moving traveller; I still
don't know who the guide is]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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In this issue
Features
IT for the common man: Lessons from India. "India does - or could - lead
the world in creating both the technologies for reaching ordinary people
and the grassroots social experiments that could teach both India and
other nations how to use those technologies for the common good."
The kiosk networks: Information nodes in the rural landscapes. "This
article critically examines digital development in order to reveal the
larger impact that ICTs could have on rural economies and societies, it
goes further to identify Information Kiosks as the most effective
vehicle for digital development."
ICT innovations by civil society organizations in rural India: De-hyping
ICTs. "The Hype Cycle depicts the progression of technologies from
inception and over enthusiasm, through a period of disillusionment to an
eventual phase of maturity. It highlights patterns of overreactions,
typically originated by unrealistic expectations and reinforced by media
effects."
These articles and more can be read for free by logging in to the i4d
website <http://www.i4donline.net/>. Registration is free and easy.
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Rendezvous
Digital GMS
"The Digital GMS Conference addressed the issue of the Greater Mekong
Subregion (GMS) nations lacking essential information and communication
technology and its applications to economic and social development and
various factors that continue to foster such digital divide"
The Indian development experience
"Is Information and Communication Technology the ticket to India's
development? Or an impediment to overall growth? Can the enormous growth
and prosperity of ICT continue? Or will success vaporize - moving on to
China or another country - leaving only hopes for transformation in its
wake?"
ICTs for development
"The working group consultation on ICT for development and cross media
partnerships had, as its focus, community radio, eGovernance and public
private partnerships, access to information. It aimed at bringing
various experiences from these areas to a common platform. "
These articles and more can be read for free by logging in to the i4d
website <http://www.i4donline.net/>. Registration is free and easy.
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Columns
Insight - Bytes for all. Bit by bit.
"BytesForAll (bytesforall.org) is a voluntary, unfunded venture from
South Asia, that looks at how IT and the Internet can be used for
development in the region. Frederick Noronha, the cofounder of the
initiative, shares his experiences about the project."
What's on
Events, conferences and exhibitions related to the field.
Etcetera
"...putting legal software on a million odd Indian computers will result
in the total value of software imports far exceeding software exports.
Or put more bluntly, India's software business is profitable only
because it pirates software. The net effect of the global intellectual
property regime is that it impoverishes developing countries like
India."
These articles and more can be read for free by logging in to the i4d
website <http://www.i4donline.net/>. Registration is free and easy.
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