 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
Open Economies - Bridging the gap [Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] Bridging the gap
Mikael Thanks for doing this, I think that it is important to try and get some of the larger issues out of the way as the discussion group moves on. Here are some extra thoughts on your questions. Best to all Finbarr > > >1. Is there a gap? What is it then? > >Yes. There is a gap in countries and between countries and between >continents in respect of: >1. computers >2. access >3. general IT knowledge and >4. use. And there will always be some sort of gap. Although technologies diffuse, they do so at different rates, and to different plateau levels - for example not everyone in the United States has a telephone, and there will always be some small fraction of the US without. >If one of the factors 1-4 is missing in any given community, the digital >gap will eventually evolve. In a community with high rates of 1-4, the >digital development will flourish. > > >2. Where is the gap? Are we talking about the gap worldwide in developing > >countries or even on a national level in welfare countries with internal > >differences and gaps (i e USA or Sweden)? > >I think the gap is relative and could be applied and considered both on a >domestic and international level. This is to me a REALLY important point, as the gaps between countries may have longer term impacts than the gaps within countries. Why? Well, if whole economies are blocked from taking part in digital trade, they will fall behind, but if the international gaps are narrowed there is then some hope of countries keeping pace, and then being able to deal with in country differentials. Possibly this comes down to a strategic choice, in terms of which you attack first, and of course it is somewhat recursive, as the in country gap will reflect up to the inter-country gap. > >3. Should we bridge the gap? (Should you answer no to this question, the > >rest of the questions may not be useful.) > >I think we should consider the world throught the John Rawls veil of >ignorance. Rawls is well-known to all scholars of jurisprudence and most >likely all of you, but just to make sure we are on the same page: the basic >idea is that the choice of the pinciples of social organisation is to be >made by persons who have no idea of the actual position they will occupy in >society or of their interests and inclinations. Rawls is wideley critised, >maybe best by Nozick, but I still consider his ideas as a good tool and >framework for any regulatory or policy discussions. > >Seen through the eyes of Rawls we should bridge the gap at least if we do >enjoy the benefits of a digital society. Whilst I am working to try and make equal access a reality, I do not want to fall into using or thinking in terms of the 'right' to access, as I fear that this discussion sometimes goes that way. There is no fundamental right to Internet access, and we have to approach it from different perspectives. > >4. Do we have a responsibility as humans to brdige the gap? Why / why >not? > >Yes, according to the answer to 3. > > >5. Are there any negative consequences of bridging the gap? Do we (i e >the > >rich filthy bastards) profit from the differences? > >Iqbal Mohomed has addressed this issue very well in his submission. > > >6. Are there any positive consequences of bridging the gap Do we (again >the > >rich filthy bastards) profit from minimising the differences? > >Iqbal Mohomed has addressed this issue very well in his submission. > > >7. How do we bridge the gap in short time with lack of funds? > >I think we should be very generous with our knowledge. It will not cost us >much to set up web sites spreading our knowledge and works to other >communities. The open source and free software movement could be the most >important step towards digitalisation of Africa. Sweden is one country >spending a lot of funds on financial aid directed towards developing >countries (often referred to the Group 77 countries). Maybe we and other >nations should refocus and educate and ditribute or knowledge instead of >cash. > >At the United Nations Millenium Summit the prime minister of India, Shri >Vitar Bhapal Vhajpayee stated: > >"A 'New Economy' drives the world today. Yet, nearly a quarter of the >people this Assembly represents have neither prospered nor gained from >these developments. Often,they find themselves further marginalised and >more vulnerable as development economics gives way to unbridled market >economics and social objectives are erased by profit motives." As a believer in education as a key to many issues, I think that there are lags that we can do very little about. There are technology issues (infrastructure, regulation, etc) but then there are fundamental human issues (education, income, languages ...) that may be more determinative in the short and long run. > >8. How do we bridge the gap in long time with lack of funds? > >Actually, the same answer as 7. We also probably could donate a lot of >outranged equipment to the Group 77 countries or to less fortunate people >in our own contries. > > >9. How do we bridge the gap in long time with lots of funds? > >I thikn we should address these issues through the United Nations or a >similar organisation and fund a special program aiming to wire the world. > > >10. Name one measure you can initiate today to bridge the gap. Will you >do it? > >I have translated the GNU GPL v 2 into Swedish, which - to my surprise - >was very much appreciated by Swedes lacking knowledge of the English >language. If you are not a programmer, easy things like this could actually >improve the world, although it may seem simple and naive on the verge to >pathetic. I have also published some of my works online, which has turned >out to be helpful to a few people. It is not a huge effort, but if we all >do something it could have some impact. You do not have to go into Pay it >forward-sleazy movies extremes .-) > >My new task will be to write easy to grasp guidelines to use computers with >free software or open source software. It will cost me a few hours, but >hopefully someone will be helped. > > >P.S. Will someone please throw Al Hammondof the list? D.S. > >Thanks Wendy, for your quick action. > >If anyone read this far, I am very impressed. Thank you for your attention. > >Best Regards > >Mikael Pawlo > >_________________________________________________________________________ > > ICQ:35638414 mailto:mikael@pawlo.com > +46-704-215825 http://www.pawlo.com/ > > >_______________________________________________ >Openeconomies mailing list >Openeconomies@eon.law.harvard.edu >http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/mailman/listinfo/openeconomies _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp
|
