Volume 7, No. 1, January 1997
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Let me begin by wishing all our readers a very happy 1997. We carry in this issue a summary of the feed back received from our readers. The editorial team feels happy that most readers have found the Newsletter to be useful and rate its quality as "Good" or "Excellent". We would like to acknowledge the support provided by the IDRC Canada through a two year project grant to IIM Ahmedabad for the publication of this Newsletter. That project has come to an end and we hope that some other donors will come forward to help us to sustain this activity. We carry two articles on social impact of the global information society and several items on spread of internet in many developing countries. Edward Roche has provided some data on the widening gap in per capita computer availability between the US, the rest of the world and the developing countries. Whereas in the US the number of computers per thousand people is nearly 400, the world average is 36 and in India it is only 1.1. It is obvious that the paradigms that are evolved for exploiting internet or any other forms of IT will have to be quite different across countries. In the US the focus will be on delivering a variety of products and services through the home PC, whereas in developing countries we still need to focus on organisational efficiency, effectiveness and competitiveness which continue to elude us. We need to develop methodologies for the assessment of benefits from IT applications. Talking to managers and administrators I continue to encounter a very polarized view of the benefits from IT investments in developing countries. Perhaps difficulties in assessing benefits leads most people to ignore this issue totally and treat investment in IT as either mandatory or totally dispensable. Assessment of potential benefits can provide a raison d'etre for building the application as well as provide inputs into the design of the application so that the benefits can materialise. The exercise can also provide a yardstick for post implementation audit so that continuous innovations are made to achieve the benefits. There is sufficient experience amongst us to develop useable guidelines in this area and I hope that WG 9.4 will take up the challenge.
The Internet: An opportunity for developing countries? Shirin Madon Over the past few years, the development of information `superhighways' and global networks has caused speculation for profound changes in the conduct of work and leisure. Amongst the various global networks which exist, the internet has been referred to as the `network of networks'. It is composed of a large number of individual networks run by a variety of organisations including government, academic, research and commercial organisations which provide access to e-mail, bulletin boards, databases, library catalogues, chat lines, multiuser domains, discussion groups, etc. The purpose of this note is to raise some issues concerning the implications of the Internet for developing countries with the objective of stimulating discussion within the Group on this theme. The internet appears to offer a window of opportunity to developing countries in terms of facilitating intergovernment negotiations, to monitor efforts at sustainable development, and to transfer technical data. Recognising this opportunity, a number of international initiatives have been launched in order to improve network connectivity. For example, since as early as 1989, the UNDP has been involved in projects which seek to establish electronic networks across regions in the developing world. One such project is the Sustainable Development Networking Programme which aims to provide a computer network link between users and suppliers of information related to environmental concerns in developing countries. The network has sought to improve the pressing socio-economic problems of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development - problems which have been described in international conferences as being the most pressing ones in the context of socio-economic growth in developing countries. The other UNDP project is the Small Islands Developing States Network which aims to set up a network for assisting in the socio-economic development of the small island developing countries. Since the 1990s, a
number of NGOs have begun to make effective use of networks in developing
countries for voicing their concerns on a variety of issues ranging from
human rights to the environment. For example, the Association for
progressive Communication (APC) was founded to coordinate global networks
working for environmental peace. Currently, APC has member networks
in 16 countries and provides access to over 20,000 progressive activists
and organisations in 133 countries. APC networks can set up e-mail
and electronic conferencing systems on small, inexpensive microcomputers
at cheap rates. These networks reflect the growing role of
NGOs in international policy-making and constitute a powerful tool for
political expression. It is an impressive demonstration of the potential
of electronically-assisted networking to link thousands of citizen groups,
large and small, scattered around the world and to sensitize public
opinion on these issues. In the case of disaster management,
networking has also been identified to be extremely useful for
coordinating relief and evacuation. With the aim of improving intergovernment cooperation between developing countries, COMNET-IT is another networking project originally set up in London in November 1990. It is coordinated and sponsored by the Commonwealth Secretariat and aims to develop networks between individuals and institutions in developing countries in order to identify cost effective opportunities for enhancing human and technical cooperation within the Commonwealth by building networks of individuals and institutions which can be involved in the use of IT to accelerate socio-economic development, and secondly to initiate activities which will facilitate the sharing of experiences concerning successes and failures in IT applications, the impact of national policies, and relevant research and training opportunities. The project has established an electronic network for key management development institutions involved in administrative reform in order to facilitate professional collaboration and provide access to state-of-the art databases on developments in administrative reform. But despite these efforts, many have questioned the utility of electronic networks for developing countries. One can argue that the value of a technology that permits communications with a distant correspondent in the West is of limited use to someone grappling with the day to day problems of poverty and hunger. On the other hand, if developing countries do not take steps to connect with the global web, they will lose their competitiveness in international markets, making it even more difficult to break out of the shackles of poverty. Yet if they become part of the global network, they will inevitably be drawn into further ties of dependency. For example, the Internet is technology-intensive and requires significant capital and technical skills. Many developing countries still lack the minimal infrastructure in terms of digital telephone lines and circuits to support Internet connectivity. As a result, there is a wide variation in the regional distribution of Internet hosts throughout the world with America having twice as many users as the rest of the world put together, and Sub-Saharan Africa being the least connected part of the world and having the most rudimentary services (The Internet Society, 1995). The position is slowly changing with an increasing recognition of the importance of telecommunications in development. A number of ldcs are now privatising their telecommunication services and international telecom companies like Siemens, Ericcson, Alcatel and NEC are increasingly expanding their presence in ldcs. Apart from the hardware required for electronic networking, it is also necessary that an information base in terms of data for decision-making be established in ldcs. For ultimately, the usefulness of networks depends on the utility of information flowing through them. Human resource capabilities for the use and expansion of networks in the case of ldcs is also quite weak although certain organisations are attempting to address this at a regional level with training initiatives to improve system operators skills and increasing the number of end-users. Poor financial, technical and human resource capability in developing countries suggests that the Internet could perpetuate one-way flow of goods and information from the core to the periphery with developing countries kept economically subservient by their need for western equipment and expertise. In return, they sell lower-value raw materials. While networking can augment the potential for communication in developing countries as argued earlier, there is some concern that users of global networks will be caught up in a `big brother' web of control in which all communication will be monitored. Aside from the issue of dependency between developed and developing countries, it has also been argued that electronic networks will increase socio-economic disparity within developing countries. Networking appears to be an elite phenomenon and will increasingly polarise an already fragmented society. Networking technologies in developing countries require substantial investment in telecommunications infrastructure. This implies that electronic nodes will inevitably be concentrated with the urban rich rather than the rural poor, thus increasing the capacity of the urban elite to dominate and influence decision-making. This creates an urban bias as there is a concentration of electronic nodes in urban centres. In order to promote equitable growth, networks should be extended beyond mega-urban centres and elite institutions to cover and empower other regions. Culture and language are other factors which mediates usage of electronic networks in developing countries. Different attitudes to information sharing and respect for hierarchies, for example, may explain differences in levels of networking across countries. For example, American society is culturally far more non-hierarchical and comfortable with giving information access to anonymous people as compared to other societies which exhibit authoritarianism and collectivism. This suggests that networks and bulletin boards may need to be set up which have a distinctly ethnic flavour and preserve cultural values. To date, most of Internet's key resources software and information libraries are in English and e-mail, newsgroups and other text areas are generally limited to roman characters. The availability of local language interfaces would be an important requirement for extensive use of networks in the developing world. While taking steps to extend the reach of electronic networks in developing countries, it is argued that political factors need to be kept in mind. For example, in the case of China, the government views networks as a national security asset and would like to keep foreigners out. Although governments would like to regulate information flows on networks, the exponential rate at which information is becoming available on the Internet for example, makes censoring tedious and burdensome. Can the Internet be regarded as an opportunity or a threat for developing countries? Some of the issues which need to be addressed when debating this question have been mentioned above in order to hopefully stimulate a discussion and finally a report on this theme. We therefore invite the WG 9.4 readers to air their views on this theme. WG 9.4 is trying to formulate a small task force team to help with generating material for this theme with a view to eventually conducting a workshop on the theme. The task force team would try to do the following: Present and analyse case studies of Internet projects in developing countries; Provide quantitative/ qualitative analyses of the phenomenon in terms of numbers and usages of electronic networks in different countries/regions; Present and discuss implementation issues related to `getting connected'; and Discuss some policy issues of the Internet at a national and international agency level. Some items in this newsletter point to the fast spread of internet in many countries. On the other hand there is a feeling (Luis German Rodriguez L. on the WG 9.4 list) that networking has so far been for elites, even in developed countries. We need more discussion. Send your reactions for publication in the newsletter as well as to Dr. Shirin Madon (Secretary WG 9.4). Culture and Democracy Revisited in the Global Information Society This is a summary of a position Paper prepared by Jacques Berleur, Institute d'Informatique, F.U.N.D.P, Namur, Belgium. It was prepared on behalf of IFIP-WG9.2. Information Society and Globalization The background to many of today's questions is dominated by what is now called "the process of globalization of economy and society". This phenomenon has to be distinguished from the traditional processes of internationalization and multinationalization of businesses, since it includes finance, markets and strategies, technology and its related research and development, lifestyles and consumption patterns - with their consequences for culture, regulatory capabilities and governance, as well as political unification of the world. (1) "Globalization refers to the multiplicity of linkages and interconnections between the states and societies which make up the present world system" (2). This development is more than an economic or technological process. It gives freedom to capital and labor to move across political boundaries, anywhere in the world. It identifies a "global world" by playing on intrinsic cultural variables of identity, namely space and time. The so-called "global world" is most probably not the whole world, but the metaphor has its importance in terms of culture. Delocalization is not recent, it has roots in the past; but what is new is, even in the developed countries, the "de-linkage" of the poorest regions and countries, from the networked and interconnected ones. What also emerges is the penetration of more and more "merchandised culture" where culture is identified with "cultural goods and services" and no longer with the content through which people control their own identity and history. "Globalization" is ambivalent. Global world, global village sounds nice in terms of linking people together, and allowing them to overcome distance as well as time. But if competitiveness is the guiding principle called to govern visions, strategies and actions, we are assured that some of today's trends will be accentuated in the future. The scenario of the "global world" is the scenario of "winners": expanding monetary speculative movements, growing poverty of some of the world's population, de-linking between rich countries and the rest of the world (the "triadic alliance"), criminality, drugs, despoliation of common resources, radicalization of fundamentalisms of different kinds, etc. There is no doubt that this scenario of the "global world" will lead to a vision which looks more like "chaos" than "utopia". There is no doubt that information and communication technology has played its part and contributed to this process of globalization: it has made possible such developments as the globalization of financial markets, videoconferencing, telework, telemarketing and teleshopping, just to mention some of them. The Internet could be considered an emblematic symbol of this "unified" world where - it is claimed - everyone has access to any information which they need. Culture Two words appear frequently when we discuss the future of our societies in a "global information society": culture and democracy. The discussion about the so-called "White Book" of the Commission of the European Communities on "Employment, Growth and Competitiveness" shows that public policies on ICT networks have to anticipate substantial qualitative societal changes (3). This is a must if they are to bring the necessary externalities for a real development of a new "information society". Empirical evidence shows that the link between growth and employment is all but obvious, and that new insights have to be provided so that we focus not only on economic activity and income policies, but also on social factors such as social integration and personal identity. "Growth of the service economy as a component of the information society needs to be related to the political and cultural systems which stand for social cohesion. It is clear that the view prevailing in the media and in the official administrations that cultural and political obstacles must be removed to allow economic growth, needs to be reassessed both for the post-industrial countries and for the developing countries" (4). From another point of view, no one can forget the clear warning given to us by Neil Postman. The problem in the "First World" today is no longer information scarcity, but information chaos, information without meaning, information without control mechanisms. Postman says: "The world we live in is very nearly incomprehensible to most of us. There is almost no fact, whether actual or imagined, that will surprise us for very long, since we have no comprehensive and consistent picture of the world that would make the fact appear as an unacceptable contradiction. We believe, because there is no reason not to believe" (5). While former generations of scientists tended toward positivism, the coming generation of highly specialized experts is, in its conception of the world, tending toward irrationalism and superstition. What are the intellectual and moral responsibilities of computer scientists and ICT practitioners in making information understandable and comprehensible? Formal mechanisms of information control were traditionally supplied by school and university. The university gave expression to its idea of what constitutes legitimate knowledge and morality. Today, the traditional control mechanisms are breaking down. What should we restore as information control mechanisms, and how? Without real understanding and knowledge, there is no possible control of the development of technology. And that is culture, that is the way we shape our own destiny and make it understandable and practicable through all the institutions, rituals, means, etc., by which we regulate our violence. New deals require new regulation. People may be upset with present politics, new market trends in the hands of a "happy few". Culture remains the way to find new political and economic regulations, according to the genius of nations and particular people. What is intriguing, in our present age, is the paradoxical claim for both universal and particular, global and local. Maybe claims are in different mouths. Nevertheless, there is a need for reconciliation between what seem to be extremes. Diversity of cultures is advocated as the only means for personal re-appropriation of what has been "stolen" by external driving forces." The danger of radical breaks in societies, which retain the traditional ignorance against technological development leading to complete rejection or a polarized position of uncritical acceptance, lies in severe damages to global cultural diversities: worldwide information, communication and media technologies tend to unify the cultural perceptions, leaving little room for regional or national accents and historically grown peculiarities. Sustainable cultural development needs an open debate, and this means before all, it needs sufficient time - time for thought, understanding the challenges, and evaluation, and time for planning, action and correction" (6). Respect for cultural diversities and differences, need far more precise visions of the future, preservation of culture, information overflow and capacity of interpretation according to different human perception patterns are necessary to preserve us from the ambivalence of globalization. There is no control out of an understanding space. Democracy When speaking of information society from a "political" point of view, many people stress different dichotomies: developing and developed nations, women/men, young/old, computer literates/illiterates, rich/poor, able/disabled, minorities/ majorities, technophobia/technophilia, etc. Others act to "empower people". FreeNets and other Digital Cities are presented as democratic tools for public participation in the building up of the information society and for meeting public needs. Discussions about "universal access" to information infrastructure are going on all around the world. Personal participation in the civil society is diminishing. Are civil rights not threatened by the integration of formerly separate technologies? Democracy is at stake when contemplating information society development. Merging of big businesses all around the world, such as between Time Warner and Turner or the two "Baby Bells", Bell Atlantic and Nymex, or English BT and Italian Mediaset, one of the Berlusconi's holdings, etc., is also felt as domination by a few even though these may not violate any State regulation. Reactions to the US National Information Infrastructure (NII) Agenda for Action, as well as to the G7 Global Information Infrastructure (GII) Project or to the European Bangemann Report highlight the issues at stake in terms of governments' roles, participation of the citizen, protection of non-profit sectors, etc. The lack of consensus on the way economics and politics are handled and envisaged reveals opposing visions and ethics and requires more close relationships, and a kind of conviviality in order to re-create spaces for democratic discussion. The post cold-war period has revealed, if not created, a state of affairs where democracy is on trial. "Devolution" is in the air. The social fabric has been torn to pieces and has to be woven again by recreating social spaces and social solidarities, in order to restore a common language and build up consensual decision. History shows that the weakening of the middle-class - what could be translated in firms in terms of an impoverishment of intermediate positions, especially due to ICT diffusion - results in a totalitarian regime. The development of a nation is due to the strength of its social fabric, its related institutions and the presence of a well trained middle-class. Fracturing communities and exaggerating self-realization is an anti-democratic process which will most probably lead to the explosion - perhaps a chaos - of societies. "Democracy in Cyberspace" would at least maintain and develop some specific roles for governments, as it has been stressed recently in one of Britain's responses to the information superhighway. Let us mention these proposals: create a coordinated focal point for debate and action; position the information superhighway strategy at the center of socio-economic policies to ensure it is allocated sufficient priorities and resources; establish effective processes to develop and enact national and international legislation that takes account of the new capabilities of interlinked applications and the speed of technological innovation; ensure government has the authority and resources to assert and monitor the protection of public interests in applications and developments; find suitable mechanisms to support non-profit "public interests" applications; seek novel and effective means of encouraging social and organizational innovation in the use of the new ICTs; drive innovative applications by using networks to offer a greater range of direct electronic service delivery (ESD) of public service; and develop appropriate policies for supervising new media regimes, avoiding the growth of multimedia and transnational monopolies. There are many challenges which lie ahead in the development of a global information society. Culture and democracy are two areas which may be under particular threat. It is the proposed role of IFIP-WG9.2 and colleagues to analyze and define the relationships underlying information, globalization, culture and democracy, and to provide to the information society's major decision makers possible options for future solutions and actions. References
Computer Industry Almanac: Data on Computer usage Contributed by
Edward Mozley Roche The increase in computer usage has been phenomenal in the last 20 years. The computers per capita table shows the explosion in computer usage. In 1965, there was only one computer for every 10,000 people in the United States. In the next ten years, computers per capita increased nine-fold. Then came the PC. In the following ten years, from 1975 to 1985, the computer density grew 100-fold as the computers per capita zoomed to 9 per 100 people! In the next ten years, the computers per capita grew four-fold to 36.5 computers per 100 people. At year-end 1996, there were 40 computers per 100 people in the U.S. with PCs accounting for 38 of these or over 95% of the total computers in use. Year
1975
1980
1985
1989
1991 Year
1992
1993 1994
1995 1997
2000 The computer density will continue to grow strongly in the 1990s. Currently the computer density per 100 people increases by about 3.5 units per year in the U.S. This trend will put the computers per capita at 55 to 60 per 100 people by year-end 2000. If the emerging application-specific computers such as NCs, Web TVs and information appliances are moderately successful, the computers per capita will hit the 55 range by the 21st century. If these inexpensive and easy-to-use computers really take off and speech recognition and virtual reality live up to expectations, the computer density could even approach 60 to 70 per 100 people when the 21st century begins. The Computer Industry Almanac is an annual reference book for and about the computer marketplace. The 8th edition, covering 1997, is an 800-page book filled with information on companies, people, products and technologies. A popular chapter is the salary and wealth rankings of the top computer people and the average salaries of computer occupations. The 8th edition of the Almanac has 70 computer market forecast summaries and estimates of the number of computers in use for over 50 countries of the world. A technology forecast focusing on the year 2001 reviews the expected advances and product capabilities. There are numerous directories including listings of companies, associations, publications, conferences, research firms and people (all available on diskette). The 8th Computer Industry Almanac sells for only $53/$63 (softcover/hardcover) and is available from Computer Industry Almanac, P.O. Box 600, Glenbrook, NV 89413-0600, 800-377-6810, 702-749-5053, Fax 702-749-5864 or cialmanac@aol.com. Barbados Scores a first with Supermarket Shopping on the Internet James Corbin The continued rapid expansion of the Internet with an estimated one million new members per month is levelling the playing field and creating opportunities for entrepreneurs in developing countries. Super-market shopping via the Internet is an example of such an opportunity and was pioneered in Barbados by 3W Publishing Inc and Super Centre JB Master Mart. Barbados, the most easterly of the Caribbean islands is located immediately east of the Windward islands and 460 km northwest of Venezuela. The country has a population of 264,000 and GNP per capita of $11,080. The telephone penetration is 30.4 per 100 persons. There are three Internet Service Providers, who provide unlimited access at US$25 per month. The Internet user base is about 4000. In the US the first major initiative in online supermarket shopping was launched in June 1996 by Supermarkets Online (http://www.supermarkets.com). The program, launched in California with about 1600 supermarkets delivers advertising and promotional services to shoppers with applications ranging from advertisements, ideas on meal menus, sweepstakes and coupons. Other initiatives in the USA in supermarket shopping include "Stop and Shop" which was launched in September in Boston and "Groceries to Go" which was also launched in September. Tesco, the English supermarket giant launched their service in November and supermarkets in Hong Kong went online earlier this year. The supermarket service (http://www.supercentre.com) was launched in Barbados in October. On accessing the site, the potential customer is required to "Sign In". This step provides the customer with a customer identification number and a password. The system provides the identification number but the customer selects his/her own password. Once a password and customer ID have been assigned, they can be used to gain entry to the supermarket shelves which contain some 1500 items. The items in the supermarket is arranged in ten aisles as follows: Aisle 1: Wines,
Rum and Liquor As a customer browses the aisles, selected items are placed in a shopping cart. When all items have been selected, the shopper can select the "checkout" button. Items ordered are displayed with their individual price and a total bill is produced. The customer can indicate whether the items are to be delivered to her home or whether she will pick up the items at the supermarket by selecting either the "home delivery" or "pick up" box. Payment is by check or credit card. A search function is also provided, whereby a shopper can look for a particular item simply by entering the partial name of the product and clicking the "go get it" button. The search will return a list of products matching the search criteria, the container size of the product and the cost. The search function returns the character string entered in the search irrespective of its location. For example the search string "can" will return "Mount Gay Sugar Cane Brandy", "Canadian Sardines" & "President's Choice Butter Pecan Cookies". The system keeps a record of all shopping done by a particular customer and this is used to assist the customer in personalizing her shopping list the next time shopping is done. Furthermore, if the customer cannot find a particular item on the supermarket shelves, then she can request the item at the point of checking out by using the 'extra' box. These items are priced on the day of collection and are not included in the current bill. According to officials at 3W Publishing Inc, who are the developers of the project for Super Centre JB Master Mart, the number of items available to shoppers will be expanded in January. Initial response for the project which was tested with customers living within close proximity of the supermarket was excellent and as a result the project was rolled out to the entire island. 3W Publishing Inc, a company wholly owned and operated by Barbadians has two other Internet applications. These are Cricket Cricket and the Caribbean Financial Times. Barbadians take their cricket just as seriously as the Brazilians take soccer. The cricket site (http://www.cricket.com.bb) carries statistics about the West Indian cricket team, as well as biographies of the major players and stories by some of the game's most respected commentators and writers such as Tony Cozier and Michael Holding. It is, infact, the unofficial site of the West Indian Cricket Board of Control. Anything one wants to know about West Indian Cricket can be found at this site. The Caribbean Financial Time (http://caribft.com) provides one stop shopping for investors thinking about investing in the Caribbean. It lists the financial statements of major business across the Caribbean, provides current stock market information from the region three stock markets in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and business news from the Caribbean News Agency (CANA). At the moment, the company is working on the concept of a Caribbean Plaza which will provide online shopping for all kinds of merchandise and will be targeted at the complete Caribbean area. Education and Research in the Virtual University: The Internet Challenge for DC's Madanmohan Rao This paper will address some of the online challenges facing university researchers and educators in emerging and developing nations, particularly in Asia. It will also identify areas of opportunity for virtual universities outside Asia hoping to tap into the growing education and training market in Asia. The Internet is increasingly emerging as the platform of choice for national information infrastructures, which can be harnessed by the government, education, business and media sectors, as well as the consumer market. Its diffusion across and within countries is not uniform, however, and concerns have been raised that the Internet may continue to exacerbate the North-South gap in information technology and access for the business and educational sectors. The explosive growth of the Internet needs to be viewed in the context of four worldwide trends: globalisation of the economy and culture, regionalisation via the formation of localised trade blocks, increasing informatisation in activities ranging from business to education, and the growing production of and conversion to information in digital form. Coupled with its potential for the educational sector are the challenges the Internet poses to governments in areas like intellectual property rights, political dissidence, and online access to pornographic material. Virtual Universities and the Internet The Internet can offer more of a global scale and diverse pedagogy than other distance-education platforms like video-based or televised delivery. As compared to closed and proprietary systems like Proshare and PictureTel, an open system like the Internet affords greater choice of application products, more diverse information resources and more sustained growth rates. Educators and researchers are viewing the Internet as a way to enrich teaching and learning, make local educational sectors globally competitive and even cut costs in creating and delivering educational material. Via direct e-mail, group conferencing in synchronous mode (eg. Cu-SeeMe) or asynchronous mode (e.g. mailing lists), and the multimedia Web, learners in multiple time zones can participate in online education through virtual seminars, collaborative discussion, electronic news retrieval, database search, and library access. Online instruction and research conducted via the Internet include credited courses, certificate programs, vocational training, informal education, workplace training, electronic publishing, and sectoral reinforcement. Such online offerings include: Non-Formal
Educational Enrichment: Canadian Mathematical Electronic Information
Services: Massey University (New Zealand) The Internet in Developing Nations Figure 1: Density
of PCs & Telephone Lines (ITU, 1995) Northern
52.3
18.7 Southern
5.2
0.7 Figure 2: Telephone Density in Asia-Pacific Country
Lines per 1,000 people Figures 1 and 2 indicate the disparity in computing and telecommunications availability in the countries of the South, especially Asia, as compared to their counterparts in the North. Access to online media like the Internet in developing nations will be restricted to affluent users or those affiliated with organisations that can afford or have access to public funds for Internet access. Thus, in addition to accessibility, affordability of PCs, modems, and Internet accounts will continue to be a challenge in most developing nations. For instance, although import duties have come down drastically, the cost of computers continues to be quite high. Besides the basic 20 per cent duty, the manufacturer of computers in India has to pay a 2 per cent infrastructure levy, a license fee of 10 per cent and an excise duty of 15 per cent. Modems in countries like India and Indonesia are about one-and-a-half times more expensive than in the U.S. In developing nations, fewer than one library in 10 has a computer, let alone a CD-ROM station. At the same time, however, such figures of nation-wide infrastructure mask other realities. For instance, though India ranks low in Asia in terms of telephone and computer density, its US$200 million software industry is viewed by many analysts as an emerging IT (information technology) superpower. Similarly, the Philippines too is regarded as a formidable player in the software development sector. Education and Research in Developing Nations One of the many challenges facing educators and researchers at universities in developing nations is being able to afford the ever-escalating subscription costs of the burgeoning number of academic journals. According to a report published by AT&T Bell Labs, the number of scientific papers published annually has been doubling every 10-15 years for the last two centuries. From the end of World War II until 1990, the number of mathematical papers published has been doubling every 10 years. As if keeping up with this avalanche of research material were not formidable enough, many scientists and researchers in developing nations also feel trapped in a circle of neglect and even prejudice on the part of the Western academic press. "The 2 per cent participation in international scientific discourse allowed by Western indexing services is simply too little to account for the scientific output of 80 per cent of the world," laments Christopher Zielinski of the World Health Organization. An estimated 70 percent of Latin American journals are not included in any academic index. Much research in crucial areas like disease control and public health by scientists at universities in developing nations never makes it to the educational literature of the West; even less makes it across the borders to researchers and learners in other developing nations. As for online educational material, most courseware is currently designed by U.S. organisations. For instance, in Canada, an estimated 90 per cent of electronic course materials is supplied by U.S. companies. "We don't have enough appropriate content or enough Canadian value-added content. If there isn't proper Canadian content, our cultural heritage is in jeopardy," Veronica Lacey of the Canadian Information Highway Advisory Council warned recently. Such concerns are even more acute in developing nations. A UNESCO panel recently recommended a rapid shift to electronic publication of scientific research at universities, with support to developing nations coming from government and private sector initiatives as well as guidance from the International Telecommunications Union. "The huge danger is that the Internet might create a global impoverished class that doesn't have access to information systems," warns Martin Hull of the University of Cape Town in South Africa. A few joint ventures are already beginning to redress this imbalance, though. Indian educational institutions are entering into collaborative ventures with U.S. computer chip-maker Intel. Intel has committed to an outreach programme to give Indian school children access to new, high-performance multimedia computers, and will be announcing in the next three to six months an ambitious plan to help local software companies develop curriculum-based multimedia programmes of world standard. Intel has contributed $100,000 to the laboratories at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai. The Press Trust of India and the National Center for Software Technology are working with the Center for the Advanced Study of India at the University of Pennsylvania to develop software filtering tools that can be used by learners in sociology, mathematics, politics and economics to integrate news about fresh developments in India with their regular coursework. Indian computer training institutes like ApTech and NIIT have set up collaborations with Canadian and U.S. universities to offer courses and degrees in software engineering and telecommunications. AT&T and Alcatel are in the process of creating a continent-wide fibre optic Internet backbone for Africa, with support from the U.S. and African governments as well as international lending organisations. Education and Training for Developing Nations In addition to improving online access and information generation for educators and researchers within developing nations, numerous opportunities exist for educational organisations within and outside developing nations to develop appropriate educational content delivered via appropriate platforms. A recent conference on "The Internet and Educational Computing" in South Africa identified politics and biology as suitable subjects for international online instruction. Another promising area is business management, especially in the international arena. For instance, in the U.S., an estimated $4 billion of the $51 billion spent on training by corporations in 1994 went to university-based business schools - this included post-graduate courses, vocational re-skilling, and company-specific educational projects. A common topic of many such programs was global management. Given the rapid growth of Asian economies coupled with increasing problems in areas like public health and environmental management, relevant areas for Internet-based education in Asian countries include medical diagnosis, environmental assessment, simulation and forecasting, urban planning, sustainable development, disaster relief, standard-isation for global manufacturing, international law, language studies, online journalism, and computer-assisted manufacture. Given the low diffusion and unreliability of Internet infrastructure in many Asian countries, designers of such course material from other countries like Australia and the U.S. need to focus on hybrid configurations for delivery of instruction, eg. mixing Internet delivery with offline delivery via CD-ROM, videotapes, and print material. Alliances and collaborations need to be forged with universities and training organisations in Asian countries, for preparing course material for delivery via Intranets, local area networks, and stand-alone BBSs (bulletin board systems). For instance, the British Columbia Open University in Canada and Pace University in New York are collaborating with computer trainers ApTech and NIIT in India for the design of courseware. Currently, most academic literature and courseware is in the English language; for more utility in developing nations where the dominant language is not English, more effort needs to be devoted to develop software tools and instructional content in the local languages. From a more long term perspective, developing nations would greatly benefit from assistance and advice in publishing and sharing local content - for instance, knowledge bases about emerging technologies or new industries and their local impact, generating meaningful statistics to evaluate and forecast trends in economic and socio-cultural indicators, and developing popular survey mechanisms for policy development. Conclusion Given the rapid rise in the amount and costs of traditional academic publishing, the increasing globalisation of the economy and culture, and the growing role of information age tools, it seems inevitable that the Internet will emerge as the most preferred platform of choice for distance education and research. However, due to accessibility and affordability constraints, designers of such course material within and outside developing nations must pay attention to hybrid delivery methods and developing alliances with organisations in developing nations. Such organisations must include libraries and museums to support a wide variety of learning methods. Future Internet-related developments like Java and VRML are likely to play an important role in delivering low-cost, sophisticated educational material. At the level of access to experts as well as access for motivated learners, the Internet is bound to play a vital role in the developing nations of Asia. It would be appropriate, then, to conclude with the words of Professor D.B. Phatak of the computer science department at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai: "The Internet can ensure that students in engineering colleges in [the northeastern state of] Nagaland can benefit from the expertise available at any of the IITs. In a country of limited resources, the Internet can truly enhance education." Telecommunications in Asia: Policy, Planning and Development Edited by John Ure Review by
Madanmohan Rao (rao@igc.org),
Communications The countries of Asia are witnessing the largest expansion of telecommunications in history. Asia now boasts five of the top ten telecommunications equipment markets in the world. From rural exchanges to information superhighways and the Internet, the demand for equipment, information and services is growing faster in Asia than anywhere else in the world. However, there are very few publications which provide a conceptual and structural snapshot of telecommunications in this part of the world. Hence the importance of "Telecommunications in Asia," edited by John Ure, which does provide a comprehensive overview of a wide range of telecommunications issues in Asia, such as planning and development of telecommunications networks, methods of financing, market reforms, regulations, transborder information flows, and equipment procurement, cannot be overlooked. Unfortunately, though, the book does not adequately address the telecommunications scenario in the Indian subcontinent or Japan; the focus is mainly on the countries of SouthEast Asia and East Asia. Further-more, some of the material especially with regard to online services and the Internet, is quite outdated. Still, the book provides a useful foundational overview of telecommunications infrastructure and policy dynamics in Asia. Dr. John Ure is Director of the Telecommunications Research Project at the Centre of Asian Studies, the University of Hong Kong. The collection of essays includes contributions from five other telecommunications analysts. Two chapters provide regional perspectives on China, the four "dragons," and the countries of the ASEAN group. Four chapters address capital, telecommunica-tions services, broadcast media markets, and communications equipment. A 14-page glossary of terms and an extensive list of references is also included. The book is also profusely illustrated with tables and charts summarising frequency allocations, calling patterns, network growth, revenue shares, cable and satellite systems, and the size of service markets in the Asia region. Referenced works feature books like "Telecommunicat-ions in the Pacific Basin: An Evolutionary Approach" by E. Noam and S. Komatsuzaki; "Telecommunications and Economic Development" by R. Saunders, J. Warford, and B. Wellenius; and the International Telecommunications Union's "World Telecommunicat-ions Development Report," as well as journals (Asia Journal of Communications, IEEE Communications Magazine, Media Asia, Pacific Telecommunications Review, Telecommunications Policy) and newsletters (Telecommunications Report International, Asiapac Telecoms, Telenews Asia, Telecommunications Strateg-ies Report). Ure argues that
though the world market is a driver for telecommunications across the
region, attention must be given to local contextual factors as well, such
as the role of local Asian capital. The growth of telecommunications in
Asia also challenges purely evolutionary theories of network development,
since installation of communications systems in many Asian countries is
quite uneven, and simultaneously displays several stages of service
sophistication and extent. Convergence between the broadcasting,
telecommuni-cations, and computing industries has also played havoc with
existing regulatory regimes in Asia. "Online modes of communication may be slow to diffuse, whereas other modes, such as "scribble and send" using facsimile and digitised notebooks, short messaging services, available by pagers and digital phone handsets, and voice-messaging services by telephone, are already very popular." In China, the contradiction between civil reform and political control runs through its telecommunications and information technology sectors. Growth of computer networks, databases, and international e-mail is hampered by resource shortages and the control issue. There are about 800 acknowledged databases in China; packet-switching services nationwide are provided by Chinapac. In Hong Kong, e-mail is of growing importance, and several commercial gateways are already in operation. "In contrast to Singapore, Hong Kong does not yet have a territory-wide EDI network," says Ure. A number of unanswered questions also arise concerning the regulation of telecommunications in Hong Kong after its handover to China in 1997. As for Singapore, despite its internationalism, the telecommunications sector has been mainly closed to foreign direct investment. South Korean telecommunications are shaped by Korea Telecom, DACOM (Data Com-munications Corporation), and the Korea Information Society Development Institute, as well as the industrial conglomerates or chaebols. Singapore and Hong Kong are competing to be regional hubs; Thailand aims to be a sub-regional hub for IndoChina. In IndoChina, early positioning has proved advantageous for Australian companies like Telstra, though U.S. and French companies are likely to step up their presence in the wake of the lifting of the economic embargo on Vietnam. ASEAN nations share a highly bureaucratic approach to policy issues, and a strong sense of nationalism, says Ure. Many companies also tend to be controlled by one or the other of a small circle of ruling families, sometimes including the military. According to Andrew Harrington, research director at Salomon Brothers in Hong Kong, structural changes in the fixed wire public switched telephone network (PSTN) are more gradual than in value-added markets such as paging and mobile telephones. Significant restructuring accelerated after 1993, with large inputs from foreign corporate and domestic institutional capital. The fastest growing part of international telephone traffic is not voice, but data and image, says Peter Lovelock, a graduate student at the University of Hong Kong. Furthermore, intra-Asian trade and telecommunications traffic is growing faster than other regions. Asia's communications growth is also closely connected with ethno-linguistic or governmentnet-works. The proliferation of satellites has also raised other concerns about the ideological effects of "signal spillover." Value-added services like e-mail were first introduced in Asia by companies such as GE Informa-tion Services, Reuters, Tymnet, and Infonet. According to Susan Schoenfeld of Advisors for International Media, and Lovelock, increasing urbanisation is leading to broadcast media services for commodification of local cultures. TV and cable programming is being driven by a combination of global, regional and national processes in the media industries. Issues such as local sensitivity and multilingual programming are coming to the fore. For instance, STAR TV has different strategies for targeting the Indian, Middle Eastern, and Chinese markets. Asian governments are also taking pro-active roles, to protect local media industries and cultural values. Issues like national unity, harmony, and development are important considerations for media programming in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The number of telephone main lines in Asia grew by 11 percent in 1993 - the fastest of any region in the world, says Hong Kong-based journalist Nick Ingelbrecht. "The Asian market provides suppliers with large growth potential, immediate demand for large volumes of equipment, and a growing appetite for state-of-the-art technology," according to Ingelbrecht. Thus, there is also a need for basic skills and experience in technical and commercial planning. "Controls on the flow of hard currency, local job creation, and technology transfer are the bullet which overseas suppliers have had to bite in order to achieve access to Asian markets," Ingelbrecht says. Network customisation and software development are also major accompanying factors. According to some U.S. analysts, national switching systems require about 10 million lines of customised software code, and software development takes up 60 percent of all telecommunications development costs. Asian countries also face challenges in pushing their equipment standards in international bodies. In conclusion, Ure identifies several areas of future research and development in Asia: creation of information markets, availability of universal service, inter-penetration of capital and migration of people, multimedia infrastructure, and studies on the usage of telecommunications by different economic and social sectors. In sum, "Telecommunications in Asia" is a timely examination of the telecommunications industries in this vibrant part of the world. More material on regions like the Indian subcontinent and Japan would have rounded off the book very well; pointers to online information and discussion forums would have also been a useful addition. Still, the book fills a surprisingly large gap in the literature on Asian telecommunications. Information Technology and Globalisation: Implications for Developing Countries Edited by: Mayuri Odedra-Straub, Rogers W'O Okot-Uma and Gunther Cyranek This publication is a result of a seminar held at the London School of Economics, in May 1994, on Globalisation and IT-Networking: Implications for Developing Countries. The articles in this book examine the role of Information Technology on the Globalisation process and addresses its influence on the Developing Countries (DCs). The 10 selected papers address various issues related to this, including the impact of IT on MNCs and TNCs, the implications of virtual organisations on workers, the illusion created by a global network as a socially productive technology, the domination of the developed world in the globalisation process, globalisation leading to modernisation, the globalisation of economies, opportunities for DCs in the global process, IT infrastructures and, policies and plans influencing globalisation. This publication may be purchased for GBP 10.00 from: The Publications Section, Commonwealth Secretariat, Marlborough House, Pall Mall, London, SW1Y 5HX, UK (ISBN: 0-85092-440-5) Global Information Technology and Socio-Economic Development Edited by: Mayuri Odedra-Straub The impact of information technology on socio-economic development of the developing countries has been minor to date. The rapid diffusion of this technology in these countries has not been accompanied by substantial developmental benefits or successful applications. There are a number of reasons for the poor performance of this technology, as explained by various authors in this book, which is a selection of twenty three excellent articles from an international conference, titled Information Technology and Socio-Economic Development: Challenges and Opportunities, held in Cairo in 1995. The various articles, many written by experts or IT users from the developing countries or researchers who have spent considerable amount of time in the field, examine the problems and issues involved in applying this technology to very different socio-cultural and infrastructural environments and make suggestions for its successful application. Their views are based on, and supported by, a number of case studies, research findings or data from developing countries. Areas which would be more appropriate for the application of this technology in these countries, such as education or health care, are illustrated. A number of authors discuss systems development methods which are, or would be more, suitable for developing country environments. A number of articles also dwell on policies and strategies which could possibly help with the process of successful application of this technology or which have influenced the IT industry in a number of countries. A typical dilemma faced by many organisations, whether to introduce the technology or not is highlighted by an interesting case. Not only companies, governments and public agencies in the developing countries will find this information useful, but the same information will also be valuable to similar organisations, especially multinationals, in developed countries which are conducting business in these countries. This book can be
purchased for US $24.95 (for individuals) and US $34.95 (for organisations)
from: Ivy League Publishing, 32 Brackenwood Drive, P.O. Box 7225, Nashua,
NH 03060-7225, USA Carribean Trends in Internet Service Provision Judith Thom The CTU was formed by the thirteen Governments of the English-speaking Caribbean community (CARICOM) to be the specialised agency dealing with government policy and regulation in telecom. The Union has started studying the general trends in the Internet service provisions in the Caribbean and the implications for policy and regulation. Background The Caribbean region is served by national carriers, which are almost all members of the C&W group. In this sector, the region is characterised by a well developed transmission and switching infrastructure which include a regional fibre optic network providing high bandwidth transmission capability between the islands and with the rest of the world. There is also a growing facility of Value Added Services, including Internet, in all countries. There is an Internet node in all countries of the group except one (nodes anticipated by December 1996). In at least three of the countries: Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago there are two or more public Internet Service Providers (ISPs). The first commercial servers in the region have been in place for just over one year and our Member Administrations are now moving to grapple with the many policy issues emerging as well as the trends related to the provision application and challenges to developing Internet service provision in the region. The status after one year is reported below. Private investment and ownership In dealing with this area, it is useful to bear in mind that in terms of technology there is really little control on who provides Internet access since the Internet is now owned by any one and has no arrangements (exclusive or otherwise) with any carrier or service provider. In fact, anyone with sufficient money and equipment can provide access to the Internet free of charge or at some cost, almost independently of any restrictions. The number of service providers in different countries are listed below. Internet Hosts in CTU Member States Country No. of ISP Population Antigua &
Barbuda 1 An Internet node, or host, has the inherent characteristic of being capable of `entering' the telecommunications network at almost any point. So that, anyone (financially capable) can set up a host and use the existing telephone network to allow access by local users. One consideration is whether the national carrier allows such connection to its network. Another is Government's policy (formal or informal) regarding access to telecom networks for all. In examining the Caribbean scenario, we note that while the `national' telecommunications operators are in the majority, as providers of Internet Service, there are some new players entering the market. So that in some countries there are at least two providers of Internet, albeit they are using the network infrastructure of the national telecommunications operators. The non-traditional suppliers by virtue of their using the national network equipment capability, provide nationwide access to their service. These facts point to the increasing amount of public investment in telecommunications and also to new ownership structures in the industry, that move away from traditional arrangements such as Governments-only ownership or Government/major foreign company ownership. Pricing The observations so far indicate two significant areas of pricing to be addressed:
For the user, the rates and tariff structures vary throughout the region. Most countries have a time based charging structure. However, in the country with the greatest level of competition there are providers offering flat rates that are far more attractive than those offered by the Internet Service Providers (ISP) with the time-based structure. Prices have varied significantly since service introduction last year, particularly in member states such as Saint Lucia, St.Kitts, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago. Some examples of pricing in different countries are given below. At a flat monthly rate, the charges in Barbados are $25 and in Trinidad $15-$17. The time based structure in USD is as follows: Country 10 Hrs 15 Hrs 25 Hrs Belize
30
50
80 From the user's point of view, there is also the matter of PSTN charges. The scenario in the region varies from country to country. In countries with one provider (the national carrier) normal PSTN charges may apply. However, some providers in order to gain the competitive edge, tend to offer toll-free connection to the server. In the case of resellers, normal PSTN charges apply for dial-up access. To increase the attractiveness of their service, some resellers are moving towards the establishment of points of presence (POP), to allow users in remote exchanges to pay a local exchange cost instead of the higher inter-exchange charge. Interconnection pricing levels have so far been established via negotiations between the dominant national carriers and the resellers in each country. Despite initial concerns about anticompetitive pricing, resellers appear to have established comfortable interconnection rates with the national carriers. Yet, in the absence of national policy and regulation regarding interconnection pricing, the resellers feel more vulnerable to anti-competitive strategies but more flexible in competing with other resellers. The matter of interconnection, we see, is likely to demand significant attention for policy and regulation. Competition A consequence of the multiple provider scenario in some Member States is that competition has for the first time been introduced into the area of data communications services. The competition enters at two points. Firstly, in relation to Value Added Services. Secondly, with regard to fundamental services such as telephone and fax. Actually, some of the national carriers have noted a small but noticeable downward adjustment in revenues in traditional services, due to increasing Internet use. There is emerging a strong requirement for competition policy to deal with the administration and regulation of competition Value Added Service including Internet. It is also necessary for our countries to consider how (if at all) is regulation of competition in telephone service to be introduced and/or enhanced. Initially, in Barbados and Jamaica, there were concerns as the national carrier attempted to retain control of the market. The new entrant allegedly encountered significant delays and high (some considered predatory) prices for inter-connection. In The Bahamas, some of the existing resellers are concerned about the entry of more resellers as well as the national carrier into the market, since they foresee severe erosion of their customer base. Many ISPs in competitive environments, in the Caribbean complain about the decline in quality of service as a result of increased competition. Many are beginning to suggest that certainly the access channels from each country should be increased. Furthermore, there are now opinions at companies such as Fujitsu ICL and Subbeach that the Caribbean providers should consider a high capacity feed between the USA and the region, the costs of which could be shared among providers. Another consideration is the likely impact of some of the new alliances that are being observed. In one Member State, three privately owned companies recently agreed to a co-operative effort in activities based on telecommunications. Together, the three represent interests in banking, adult education, television broadcasting, cable television and Internet provision. We need to determine how our governments would manage such a potentially useful but powerful and multifaceted union. This is critical because through the convergence of technology, the Internet is not only about computers and data access but also about the provision of traditional telecommunications services and about facilitating other service sectors. So that in Member States, telephone and banking services, via the Internet, are almost upon us. Consequently, it is essential that our policy and regulatory frameworks ensure some measure of protection to the consumer and the provider while fostering conditions for economic and social development. Application The application and growth in the use of Internet in various sectors is still to be completely gauged. However, after one year of service while most users are still residential customers, there is growing use in the banking, education and tourism sectors. Some service providers have granted concessions to schools and universities, where the Internet is used for research and teaching support. Professionals such as lawyers, engineers and dentists also use the Internet for research in their fields. The business and tourism sectors have seen significant activities in communication and advertising (home pages). In Antigua, there is a web-page supplier, supplying the local market and clients overseas. In Jamaica, companies are now winning contracts for Data Entry services based on their use of Internet. They are now winning these contracts over their Latin American competitors. Content Development This area still has a very long way to go in the region. The activity is predominantly in the development of home pages. The main providers include the ISPs themselves and advertising agencies. There are many considerations including:
For some Member States the availability of skilled and knowledgeable persons has been cited as one of the reasons for the low use in Internet service. In very few of the countries are there formal training programmes for using the Internet. Initially two inputs to developing this area would be:
Immediate Challenges There are many considerations for countries, like the Caribbean Telecommunications Union Member States, intending to use the advantage of services like the Internet to support economic and social development. We have initially identified four areas:
Operation of Service
Conclusions Ideally these considerations should inform the business plans and policy formulation in countries. In our regions, the issues have come upon us suddenly resulting in a gap between the tremendous potential of the Internet and its actual. Every new technology and industrial era offers opportunities for at least a small group of citizens. One of the main promises of the Internet is that it can offer social and economic development on a wider scale, particularly to those that are considered disadvantaged, we feel that the issues above are critical to development of a successful national strategy for development using the Internet capability. There is evidence of this in Barbados. Finally, it appears from the study that there is a need for dialogue and collaboration between government, business, training and education, in order to effect the strategy which would close the gap between the potential of the Internet and our effectiveness as players in this new era. The Millennium Bug: Export Opportunities for Developing Countries Paul Tjia The October issue of the Newsletter carried an article on the 'Millennium Bug': computer systems will not calculate correctly anymore because the century is not explicitly stored. Although the cause of the problem is trivial (two digits of the year are stored instead of all four), it will cost organizations around the world hundreds of billions of dollars to solve it. Holland is a small country, but it is estimated that solving this problem will cost the Dutch industry at least one billion dollar. However, there might also be a bright side: the Year 2000-problem gives promising export opportunities for software companies from developing countries. I can see three reasons for this: Solving the problem only means that computer systems can be used also after the year 1999. Companies are not happy spending so much money on this issue however, since the functionality of their systems will not improve at all. And in Europe, the introduction of the new single currency (the Euro), starting already in 1999, means that expensive changes will be necessary in administrative systems. The advantage of IT companies from developing countries is clear: they are in a position to deliver cost-effective solutions. There is already a shortage of skilled IT-staff in several European countries. Inspecting large amounts of computer programs on incorrect date-fields, and then correcting and testing these, is labour-intensive work. In several developing countries, there are large numbers of programmers available, with the qualities to do the job. Because of the complexity involved, a lot of European corporations have been reluctant to outsource software development to companies from Third World countries, which makes market-entry difficult. Repairing the Millennium bug however, is a relatively easy job: only the date-problem is involved; the functionality of the programs will not change. Therefore, offering to solve the Year 2000-problem can be a good starting point for IT-companies from developing countries. Several organizations, so far mainly from Asia, are at the moment in Europe offering their services in this field. I know dozens of Indian software companies which are specialising in the Millennium bug; a few of them are now already working for Dutch corporations. There are opportunities for many more companies. Also the work involved with the introduction of the Euro might be a subject to keep in mind. Ethiopia Introduces First Internet This information is from Reuters (Friday January 3) Ethiopia has introduced its first domestic connection to the Internet with a capacity of 5,000 clients through the Ethiopian Internet Bureau, which is owned by the Ethiopian Telecom Authority. Charges for 30 hours of service a month would be $50 (Government), $100 (Non-governmental organizations). Previously access to the Internet was only available from Ethiopia through costly calls to a service provider abroad. Fifty responses were received on the questionnaire distributed with the July issue of the Newsletter. The responses of the readers are presented in the report below. The questionnaire covered the following aspects:
Following is the summary of the feed back received from about 10% of the readership. An overwhelming majority of 93 to 95% received the Newsletter by post and regularly. Surprisingly, nearly 90% of the respondents preferred to receive the Newsletter in the printed version. Only 10% indicated preference for an electronic version. Nearly 60% of the respondents indicated that they read all the articles. 36% read one or two articles or browsed through the Newsletter. About 4% have indicated that they do not read anything from the Newsletter. Nearly 66% of the respondents pass the Newsletter to others to read. Similarly, nearly 60% respondents have indicated that it is kept in some sort of library. It can therefore be concluded that although the circulation is 1000 the readership could be much larger. Ninety five percent of the respondents find the length of the article just right. Nearly half of them indicated that Newsletter should carry pictures/figures which it is not carrying now. Other half felt that it need not carry any pictures. Percentage of
respondents indicating interest in different types articles is given
below: Conference Reports and Policy/Application Articles are found to be of greater interest. To an open ended question as to what type of articles should be carried, the following responses were provided: 1. IT applications
in the Goverment sector. In terms of assessing the overall utility of the Newsletter several questions were asked. Ninety percent of the respondents rated the Newsletter as "Excellent" or "Good". 10% rated the Newsletter as "Satisfactory" and no one rated the Newsletter as "Poor" in terms of the overall rating. On a specific question asking the readers to list three articles that had been appreciated - a total of 30 articles were named. Considering each issue carries 3 to 4 articles, it means that from the last 8 issues a very large number of articles have been found useful by some reader or the other. Some hundred readers have corresponded in the last 2 years to change address, or to add to the mailing list. In its current form the Newsletter is perceived to be most useful for academics, government functionaries and policy makers. It is somewhat less useful for managers, computer professionals and students. The intention of the Newsletter is to address broader social issues and policy matters. This Newsletter is not meant to discuss the technological issues. To a question seeking responses on the ways in which the Newsletter is useful, the following types of comments were received.
Only 17% of the readers who responded have contributed articles to the Newsletter. Eighty three percent of them have said that they wish to contribute an article and the reason for not contributing so far has been a lack of time. On the question of paid subscription for the newsletter responses were evenly divided. Half the respondents favoured no subscription but thirty percent were willing to pay an annual subscription of 10-25 USD. Indonesia To Bring The Internet To Its Villages Indonesia plans to start developing telecommunicat-ions facilities that could provide multimedia services, including the Internet, to all districts across its vast archipelago. The government hopes to start achieving its ambitious goal of making such technology accessible to more than 3,800 sub-districts within five years. More than 80 percent of Indonesia's nearly 200 million people live in the nation's 65,000 villages spread across more than 13,000 islands. The Indonesian postal service has already set up its own Internet service provider (ISP), Wasantara-Net, which can be accessed by local subscribers in all 27 provinces. Computers are provided at many large post offices across the country as they are out of the financial reach of most people in Indonesia, where the average annual income is around $1,000. As of September there were 3.92 million telephone lines in service in Indonesia. |