<P>
Joel, <BR>
Given the Telecentres models are consumer centric, the concept means different things to different people. <BR>
IMO our group is divided into two sections, one offered by the those organizers at grassroots level who can offer ground realities & the other tools developers and related opportunities whose definition may sound too theoretical but may offer to visualize an alternative scenarios Thus both the sets are mutually complementing.<BR>
IMHO, the best way to reduce the chaos is offer liberty to each member who is at the grassroots level to share their war stories & express his or her hopes fears, disillusionments unhindered. I am sure down the line we shall find a recurring pattern. <BR>
BTW India too has its own share of similar experiences as you have opined. <BR>
<BR>
Sincerely <BR>
<BR>
Ashish<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
On Mon, 04 Oct 2004 Joel Galgana wrote :<BR>
><BR>
> >Date: Sun, 03 Oct 2004 20:18:55 -0400<BR>
> >From: "Elizabeth Carll, PhD" <ecarll@optonline.net><BR>
> >Subject: [Telecentres] Basic Telecentre Items/ICT<BR>
> > Definition<BR>
> >To: telecentres@wsis-cs.org<BR>
> > David,<BR>
> > Excellent point, as ICTs are certainly only a means<BR>
> > to the end product of learning and participating.<BR>
> > To what other appropriate tools are you<BR>
> > referring, in addition to ICTs?<BR>
> > Elizabeth<BR>
>...<BR>
> > -----Original Message-----<BR>
> > From: telecentres-bounces@wsis-cs.org<BR>
> >[mailto:telecentres-bounces@wsis-cs.org]On Behalf Of<BR>
> > David Leeming PFnet<BR>
> > Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 7:04 PM<BR>
> > To: telecentres@wsis-cs.org<BR>
> > Subject: Re: [Telecentres] Basic Telecentre Items/<BR>
> > ICT Definition<BR>
> > Hi,<BR>
> > If we're talking about the Information Society<BR>
> > then we should concentrate on the information<BR>
> > activities and not the techology. A telecentre<BR>
> > may be simply described as a place where people<BR>
> > can participate (and learn to participate) in<BR>
> > the wider emerging information society, using<BR>
> > appropriate tools including ICTs.<BR>
> > David<BR>
><BR>
>IMHO, I believe that David "hit it on the head". Most<BR>
>of the discussions so far have mostly been focused on<BR>
>ICT and telecenter definitions, on the tools, the<BR>
>hardware and software, the sustainability models and<BR>
>so on. But as mentioned (and I assume we can all agree<BR>
>on) , the aforementioned are but tools, or mechanics,<BR>
>or means to an end... (Just consider the very title of<BR>
>this thread - "Basic Telecentre Items/ICT Definition".<BR>
>)<BR>
><BR>
>I humbly propose that we identify first WHAT the<BR>
>telecenters would be used for, maybe coming up with<BR>
>matrix of categories of telecenters, and based on the<BR>
>various applications / objectives, THEN focus on the<BR>
>details.<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
>If I may relate the (mostly sad) experiences we have<BR>
>gone through in our country, Philippines (in the hope<BR>
>that we can constructively critique it and thereby<BR>
>learn and move forward)...<BR>
><BR>
>The initial government attemps towards a "connected<BR>
>community" or "telecenter" was the establishment of<BR>
>"barangay Tawag Centers", or just basically putting a<BR>
>telephone in every major community. This failed,<BR>
>mostly due to the lack of infrastructure and a<BR>
>management mechanism :(<BR>
>(there was a known technology, an identified need, but<BR>
>focus was on the mechanics)<BR>
><BR>
>Another approach, used by the CBCP, was the<BR>
>establishment of internet cafes with a social purpose.<BR>
>Again, this failed due to the lack of parameters and<BR>
>control systems<BR>
>(in short, the top manager ran away with the money and<BR>
>the Bishops did not even know what he was doing).<BR>
><BR>
>There have also been a lot of individual/corporate<BR>
>efforts to harness the internet to build "telecenters"<BR>
>in the country, but most of these for-profits<BR>
>eventually became gaming centers (which were<BR>
>eventually banned or restricted by most city<BR>
>governments) as there was no other viable/perceived<BR>
>application/business justification.<BR>
><BR>
>A more pragmatic approach, and one that is currently<BR>
>being recognized as workable, is the use of mobile<BR>
>communications technologies. We now have a term -<BR>
>"M-government" (mobile) for the use of SMS<BR>
>technologies for interaction between the citizenry and<BR>
>government.<BR>
><BR>
>This approach was demonstrated at People Power II,<BR>
>when SMS (text) technology was used to urge the<BR>
>citizenry to meet at EDSA (again, sigh).<BR>
><BR>
>Note the differences. The initial examples focused on<BR>
>technologies and relied on "experts" who know what the<BR>
>technologies are. They failed due to what can be<BR>
>attributed as social/economic/moral issues (whatever).<BR>
><BR>
>The use of SMS, on the other hand, relied on a<BR>
>technology that was already available, and which did<BR>
>not even have a central planning unit. There was an<BR>
>identified need, and a concerned citizenry volunteered<BR>
>for the (minimal) effort required to inform others.<BR>
>The results speak for themselves.<BR>
><BR>
>Just my $0.02,<BR>
>-Joel<BR>
><BR>
><BR>
><BR>
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