Network access in public housing

[Robert Hazeltine]

Tony

On Tue, 14 Oct 1997, Tony Barry wrote:

> >From EDUPAGE
> 
> >OAKLAND ENDS WELFARE AS WE KNOW IT ... BY ADDING THE NET
> >Oakland, California, has adopted a policy statement requiring that future
> >public housing projects be given computer equipment and Internet access so
> >that welfare and low-income residents can learn job-critical skills in their
> >homes.  A pilot project developed in partnership with IBM has provided 100
> >public housing units with IBM network stations attached to a PC server
> >through a local area network.  (Government Technology Sep 97)
> 
> 
> Interesting concept. I wonder about support.

Did you hear the ABC report this morning on Kemp's latest contribution to
the intellectual development of our school kids.  It won't put them up
there with the best in the IT world and has no intellectual content at
all.  The plan of the Federal/Victorian governments, teaching our kids a
skill which can be picked up in 30 minutes, is clearly to make us a nation
of hamberger flippers - and even more sadly, not even good, custom-made
hamburgers at that.

I like the idea of the Oakland pilot project (why is another story) but
initiatives here in Oz that approximated this sort of thinking have gone
by the board since the last federal election.  There is only so much
demand for young underpaid hamberger flippers that they certainly could
use a scheme like the one in Oakland. 

It seems, if there is a choice, as a nation we chose the low technology
low pay root every time.   Kemp's vision combined with our expanding
tourism trade leaves me cold and wondering how we got such a wanker as,
yep, the Federal Minister for Education.

Rob...
Robert Hazeltine
r.hazeltine@nepean.uws.edu.au (University of Western Sydney, Nepean)
grove@zeta.org.au (Private account at Zeta Microcomputer Software)