• DocumentCode
    1287529
  • Title

    Narrowing the gap to Internet access

  • Author

    Baran, Paul

  • Author_Institution
    Com21 Inc., USA
  • Volume
    4
  • Issue
    1
  • fYear
    2000
  • Firstpage
    49
  • Lastpage
    50
  • Abstract
    As the Internet evolves, the gap widens between information “haves” and “havenots”, between highly developed nations and those where it is said that two billion people are yet to make their first telephone call. Not surprisingly, in underdeveloped nations where a telephone is rare, access to the Internet is even rarer. As technologists, what can we do to ameliorate this problem? At the practical level, we can´t do much for the throngs of illiterate older folks who have barely enough food to eat in those underdeveloped countries. But, if we handle it right, there may be much that the Internet can do for their children. In the longer term, providing their children with Internet access may also benefit our children. The wars of today are primarily among the poorest countries of the world, and small country wars have a historical propensity to act as tinder to ignite larger conflagrations. The author believes that technologists can offer access to the world´s information to all the bright kids around the world and accelerate the process of global educational equalization
  • Keywords
    Internet; educational technology; politics; socio-economic effects; Internet access; children; global educational equalization; highly developed nations; illiterate older folks; poorest countries; small country wars; underdeveloped nations; wars; Costs; Economic forecasting; Feeds; Government; Internet; Investments; Marine animals; Physics; Protection; Satellites;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Journal_Title
    Internet Computing, IEEE
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • ISSN
    1089-7801
  • Type

    jour

  • DOI
    10.1109/4236.815850
  • Filename
    815850