[LINK] ASIA: Web 2.0 can benefit the poor

[Ivan Trundle]

It's a bit of a stretch, Tony.

Firstly, the authors have equated online web-based apps with 'web 2.0'.

Secondly, they draw an even longer bow by assuming that the cost of  
non-online apps is a significant barrier to their use in poorer  
countries (haven't they heard of piracy?)...

Thirdly, they presume that '[poor people] only need access to the  
Internet to benefit...' - if it were that simple!

They must be dreamin' - or pushing their own barrow.

iT


On 20/02/2007, at 9:12 PM, Antony Barry wrote:

> Linkers
>
> ¿Que?
>
> Tony
>
> 6. ASIA: Web 2.0 can benefit the poor
>
> Source: SciDev.Net
>
> "The growing variety and capabilities of Web 2.0 applications can  
> benefit unprivileged users in the developing world. Two aspects  
> make Web 2.0 applications particularly suited to users in the  
> poorer countries. First, most applications are free to use. They  
> may not be as sophisticated as their commercial counterparts, but  
> they support almost all the features needed for simple or routine  
> tasks.
>
> Second, these applications are all web-based -- users create, save,  
> and retrieve files online. Users are not confined to any particular  
> operating system or hardware. This drastically reduces the cost of  
> using applications, which can be run, for example, through a free  
> web browser and a free operating system. Users only need access to  
> the Internet to benefit from these applications."
>
> Full article: http://www.scidev.net/content/opinions/eng/web-20-can- 
> benefit-the-worlds-poor.cfm
>
> phone : 02 6241 7659 | mailto:me at Tony-Barry.emu.id.au
> mobile: 04 1242 0397 | mailto:tony.barry at alianet.alia.org.au
> http://tony-barry.emu.id.au
>
>
>
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--
Ivan Trundle
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