[LINK] Study of non-users of Internet

[Brenda Aynsley]

Jan Whitaker wrote:
> The Pew Trust has conducted a study in the US about those who do not use 
> the Internet.
> 
> http://www.internetnews.com/stats/article.php/2192251
> 
> Pretty interesting stuff.  One chart is about what users and non-users 
> think the Internet is like.  The majority opinion:  a library.
> 


this is interesting, thanks for bringing to our attention jan.

when i opened the Internet cafe in adelaide in 1995, i used to give customers an 
intro spiel about what the Internet could do as part of the deal.  One of the 
observations I made back then was that most young people (up to 30) once shown 
email, browsing and chat (as in IRC) who had intended to come in to surf the 
Net, stayed with IRC to chat.  However those over that age would choose the 
surfing - gross generalisation of course, but generally the case.

So to see the Pew report talk about What do you think the Internet is like? and 
have results as follows
---------All U NonU
Library 51% 61% 36%
Meeting place 11% 10% 12%
etc

makes me wonder two things? Do most Internet users not use the interactive 
communications ability of the Internet ie chat,irc/IM etc?  If they do, is it 
not 'good for them'? Have we not developed sufficiently in our use of the 
Internet to find the chatting satisfactory?  Do we not "type fast enough" to 
have a conversation?  Do we not have the bandwidth to have effective video/audio 
meetings?  (my view: video conferencing is the killer app for broadband - get 
that right, and its on for young and old :-)

Second have we failed to educate people, both users and non users about all of 
the things the Internet can facilitate?  My view is that we have.  For many 
people both users and non-users there views about the Internet hve been formed 
from the mass media, tv and paper, they have learned to "go to 
www.whatever.com.au" from them, but little more.  But at least they have learned 
that much!

All the money spent by governments in supporting community use of the Internet 
seems to come to very little effect IMHO and perhaps thats as much to do with 
relevance of the Internet as it is to do with skills acquisition.

I dont know that our kids necessarily will be much better off since they have 
been 'taught' in the main by teachers who are similarly poorly skilled in the 
use of the Internet.

If I had me druthers, i'd certainly be spending bucketloads of money on:
* R&D to find compression technologies to maximise bandwidth usage for video 
conferencing
* providing computers and learning to every member of the australian population 
capable of using it
* providing everyday services which required use of the Internet to reinforce 
the need and practice the learning ( - what does that look like? not sure)

cheers
brenda
ps happy easter all.





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Brenda Aynsley   ||  Mobile:+61(0) 412 662 988
BA, DipSocSci(sociology), DipAppSci(computing), MACS, PCP
Vice President Australian Computer Society
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