Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

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At its core, the Internet is the ability to access information. What will
be done with that information is up to the user, hence the term democracy.
If said user desires to jump head first into capitalism, go for it. 

As a person who has attempted to develop a computer lab at my church that
is in one of the most impoverished communities in Durham, I was slapped in
the face with the reality of priorities. When faced with a choice between
installing workstations, networking the church and implement a training
program or making a repair to a 115 year old building, financing a
community health drive or providing church events that will give the locals
something spiritually healthy to do. The computers lost every time.

Even outside of the church, priorities of getting by will always win over
initiatives to move ahead, unless moving ahead is made 1 very convenient
and 2 very inexpensive.

After two years of struggling I realized my own company was suffering from
all the time I put into volunteerism. So I assembled a committee and are
currently acting in a advisory role.

Right next door to our church we have a community life center that is under
construction. This community center will provide a lot of wonderful
services for the old and the young people in the community. I was tasked to
design a computer lab that included blocks of instruction and interfacing
the instruction with the Durham school system. Unfortunately the project is
predicted to go over budget, and my gut is telling me one of the first
things that will scraped is the computer lab, back to priorities.

One of the things I fear from the digital divide conference is it will
result in little more than an academic debate on what the poor people need,
by middle class individuals who rarely go into the same communities that
they are attempting to support. You can't provide a diagnosis until you sit
with the patient and listen to them empathize with them.

Let me stop now because this is getting longer than I wanted it too. Pardon
my candor, and I hope that I do not step on any toes. 

Steve S.

At 01:32 PM 4/5/00 -0400, you wrote:
>Rudy:
>
>Is it me or am I reading this differently, I don't see encouragement of
>"democratizing technology so people can spend more money."  I read this as
>opening windows of opportunity.
>
>"Provide 21st Century Learning Tools for Every Child in Every School."   As
>a parent I recognize the need for this.
>"Create Digital Opportunity...ensure that all Americans have access to
>technology and skills needed to use it"  Access to technology and skills
>doesn't mean "spending"  it could simply be Opportunity.
>
>I read this as opening a door of opportunity.  In order to spend money on
>the net one usually needs a credit card.  Most "poor" people and even some
>not so poor, but rather poor spending types, don't have credit or even bank
>cards. They may use the internet for keeping in contact with family,
>research, and simple functions.  Those spending will need credit or bank
>cards.  Fraud, well its everywhere even with out the "poorer" communities.
>f
>Learn and Serve Program $2.5 million going toward allowing young people to
>make a difference in their communities while going to school.  My children
>use the internet for research all the time.  I encourage anything that
>promotes positive learning in my children.
>
>NetPrep GYRLS training program for 14-16 year old girls.  GREAT!  Where can
>I sign my daughter up at?
>
>Expand Information Literacy.   Well this is self explanatory isn't it??
>
>IMHO
>
>Laura Newberg
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Ruby Sinreich <rubyji AT metalab.unc.edu>
>To: InterNetWorkers <internetworkers AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
>Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000 1:02 PM
>Subject: [internetworkers] Re: Clinton's Digital Divide NewMarkets Tour
>
>
>> I'm not sure where you got the idea that my distaste for the President and
>> his capitalist priorities mean that I do not think this is an important
>> issue that needs to be addressed.  In fact, it's been the focus of my work
>> for the past 3 years!
>>
>> But for the record, I don't think the main reason that technology needs to
>> be democratized is so that people can spend more money.
>>
>
>>
>>
>
>
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