Local community access

I think that the people with most to gain from IT access around here are old people. For those with visual impairments severe enough to not be able to read, e-books can read for them. It can provide them with an easy way to do the shopping. However, the IT would not have such a huge impact, as old people are not severely disadvantaged in Gosport.

Initatives to fund digital divide

Project – old people

Purpose- Provide older people with an experience of computers and their related content.

Relation – Rural areas have a decreased infrastructure when compared to urban areas. This is a way of introducing them to it, and promoting the use of digital communication within the rural area.

Targeted audience – Older generation who may be curious as to how computers work

Strengths/weaknesses – It can allow people to experience something possibly completely new, as well as further educating some people. It also provides an entirely new way of communication. However, many old people may not welcome the technology, and may instead prefer their way of life to the modern way of life.

Impact of IT on pensioners

It has provided an easy way to keep in contact with relatives, and also allows them to shop online, so they can get anything and everything they need and want (within reason) without leaving the house. As many old people have joint problems later on due to age, this can be an incredibly effective way of shopping as it does not involve a middle man, unlike other methods such as asking a person to do the shopping for you would. It is also available at almost any time, whereas the latter method is available when that person is. As for access to the community hall, it has a catch 22. It is generally better and easier to communicate face to face rather than over the internet, and far more fun. However, due to it being 3 miles away, it complicates things by how to get down there.

Who studies IT subjects

In many societies, there is still an underlying rule of girls following a more womanly role in the society (a throwback from the 50’s view on women) however, with each generation this view is becoming less prominent, and more and more girls are joining courses which previously have been predominantly male.

Impact of the internet for the homeless

The internet provides a great resource for finding jobs, setting up a small business, gaining qualifications, general information, and being in contact with the world so as to adapt to any changes.
It could severely limit them, as the internet is a huge resource. However is would not be vital as it is possible to find jobs via other methods (e.g. newspaper ads)

5 things that are more important than the internet are:
Food
Water
Shelter
Sanitation
Medical attention if needed

What did the world summit achieve?

3 positive things that came out of the world summit are:
1. Increased interest in the development of LEDC’s
2. The UN is prepared to lead the operation
3. It has united a few more people in the reduction of the Digital Divide.

3 bad things that came out of the summit are:
1. Arguments over who should own the internet
2. Few major countries attended
3. Majority said was hollow promises

It was successful in the fact that they recognised that something needs to be done about the digital divide, however, it was less successful in deciding how to act to reduce the digital divide. The majority of things suggested was unrealistic.

E-mail and solomons

The main problem of the Solomon Islands is the conflict. If everyone is trying to kill eachother, then no one is focusing on the development of their culture, and economy, let alone the digital divide. The first step of reducing the digital divide, is to stop the conflict. This will allow the economy to grow, a higher population will speed up the development. The UN could maybe provide some basics such as fiber optic cables, so as to let them get a foothold.

Wireless Tech

Wireless technology has boomed recently due to the flexibility of it. It is also a cheaper method of providing an internet service, as you do not have to pay money to lay down cables, and can be considered less of a hazard as you don’t have cables going everywhere. The maintaince of the wireless system in use can provide jobs for people in a digitally lacking country, and can now have access to all the other countries in the world, able to trade information and ultimately, further the digital technology in that country. It can provide schools with more resources, advancing the learning of their students and in the future, creating a better environment. The culture will change to form around the infrastructure, and it will collect more people together, ultimately improving the society.

Data Response

Africa is in need of people trained in IT (e.g. programmers). This is the reason any computer-aid programs have failed, as they do not have people with the required experience to maintain the technology. A primary skill that is lacking is programming. Many computers these days have programs that were created by solo programmers, downloaded for free. It is this system that allows the computer to “evolve” as it is relatively easy to find a program for your specific needs via the internet. It is also lacking a sufficient amount of people trained in the maintaince of hardware, which would be needed to have a working internet infrastructure.

What leads to being on the wrong side of the digital divide?

The least developed countries in terms of digital technology is Chad, Burkino and Fass to name but a few. This could possibly be because of the country being in debt to another country. Therefore, as it is paying the debt back, it cannot afford to research into IT as it has to deal with the bare essentials such as its population. Its primary objective is to take care of its population, and until that happens, it is impossible to spend government money elsewhere.