My World

Cyberspace has come a long way over the years. Right in the beginning it was still fairly expensive, thus not accessible to everyone. But as time went by and the cost went down more and more people were able to afford it. So here we are today with so many “lily pads,” as Michael Best describes it, that many people now in rural areas, for example, are able to use the internet, as well. This is great news, especially with regard to the attempt to eliminate the digital divide – to get more people access to the internet.

I’m not sure what is meant by accessibility standards. Is it using WLAN or WMAN as a standard? By looking at the chart that Best provides on global Wi-Fi policies, it becomes pretty obvious that different countries maintain different national policies when it comes to using wireless LAN’s. If we want to do something about the digital divide, isn’t it crucial to streamline policies across the world?

I wonder what will happen if everyone got access to the internet, even those people who live in rural areas and don’t live according to the western ideologies on capitalism that dominate the Net.

• What advantages does it have to get access to the internet for people in remote areas whose lives are “off the grid?”
• What is the ultimate goal of connecting the world together through the Internet?
• How much money are we willing to give up to connect poor people to the Internet?