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MISTICA: Language vs litteracy - data vs goods

From: D. Williams ([email protected])
Date: Wed Jul 02 2003 - 08:17:24 AST

Two other ideas that might spark something somewhere ...

With ICTs/TICs I am not only concerned with language, but also with
literacy. Whatever the future may hold, at present virtual information
exchange is largely written. Searching is also an acquired skill, and this
can be a major issue where computers are scarce and connect time
expensive/limited. When I mentioned this concern to Fred Noronha, he told
me about a project (in Sri Lanka?) in which information could be requested
by telephone, searched on the internet by someone with expertise, and then
broadcast by radio - a sort of radio phone-in programme. I think such a
service is quite frequently available at telecentres, and if it isn't
perhaps it might be considered.

The second idea is for business. The problem is that the internet moves
information superbly, but not material things. In the South the movement of
money and goods can be a very slow process. Credit cards can move the money
- so move the money and not the goods. The model is "Tortas Peru".
Facilitated by a website, with online ordering and payment, a group of
women in Peru bake and deliver cakes - they even sing "Happy Birthday"! And
the receipt is a treat, an emailed photograph of the cake being received. I
order from them at least twice a year so I know that it works - the service
is wonderful.

Entiendo es aceptable escribir en ingles. Sin embargo gracias para haciendo
el esfuerzo me entender.

Deirdre

Nota de la moderaci�n: sobre el segundo punto me permito recordar
la interesante presentaci�n de Pablo Liendo sobre los peligros de
la "virtualizaci�n de la realidad" en
http://funredes.org/liendo/charlas/virtual/virtual1.htm

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