[LINK] The PLAN, and broadband speeds?

[Karl Auer]

Stewart:

> Whacking in gigabit broadband superhighways is not a solution to problems
> like these. Broadband should be allowed to evolve at its own pace, and not
> forced. 

What I am saying is that broadband connectivity to *everywhere* as a
matter of course is one way to encourage decentralisation.

> Technological fixes like broadband -- with its supposed ability to zap X-ray
> transmission to specialists, do business via video-conferencing, make
> teaching efficient via electronic education, etc. -- are merely extensions
> of the old way of thinking about technology (that it can fix every problem)

None of which is in any way my view. All of those applications are
fringe applications.

> We need a change in our economic thinking to encourage decentralisation.
> This would allow future Australians to greatly reduce our dependence on all
> forms of transport and on communications technology.

By all means reduce *dependence*. But don't reduce *availability*. That
way lies disunity and fragmentation. Lets have decentralisation WITH
great transport system and excellent communications.

Regards, K.

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karl Auer (kauer at biplane.com.au)                   +61-2-64957160 (h)
http://www.biplane.com.au/~kauer/                  +61-428-957160 (mob)