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| <nettime> BytesForAll * Feb 2003 |
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ B y t e s F o r A l l --- http://www.bytesforall.org _/ Making Computing Relevant to the People of South Asia _/ FEB 2003 * FEB 2003 * FEB 2003 * FEB 2003 * FEB 2003 * _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ Helping the blind ----------------- Visually impaired students can now learn any language with the help of a new computer-based technology developed in India. The teacher uses a "talking keyboard" which talks aloud what is being typed and the print of the text also appears in Braille on a mini printer given to each student. http://www.propoor.org/news/xar0203.asp#7 WaterIssues ----------- Want to keep abrest with what's happening on the critical water front in India? Check out a new group (mailing list) called 'waterindia'. Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/waterindia To join send a blank email to [email protected] See also http://www.wotr.org, for WOTR The Watershed Organisation Trust (or, WOTR as it is aptly called) is a development support team of professionals, having core competency, and "committed to motivating and facilitating, rural communities and NGOs, towards sustainable, integrated watershed development with the help of local and external resources". It's based in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. Software Swatantrata -------------------- What's this? It's a Compact Disc that contains 'swatantra software' for the various versions of Microsoft� Windows Operating System. We're told by its compiler, advocate Mahesh T Pai of Ernakulam North: "Swatantra, in several Indian languages means the same thing -- freedom -- freedom from dependence; from slavery. It stands for being able to do what you want to do with / on your computer. Swatantrata - the state of being free - means being able to chose the software you want to use. "Your are not enjoying Swatantrata if you have to buy a particular software because it is used at your workplace or school, or by your business associates. Swatantrata is about not having to upgrade (and pay for) your software every time your employer or friends up grade theirs. Swatantrata is about not having to depend on a monopolist for fixing every little bug in the software which you paid for. Swatantrata is not only your freedom; it means the community's freedom and liberties. It is about being able to help your friends and neighbours." Among the packages this CD contains include Further details from: [email protected] Maybe, this CD might be available for sale at some of the outlets in India that sell low-cost copies of Free Software (www.linuxplaza.org in Mumbai or www.LinCDs.com in Banglore and lincdz.2ya.com from Pondicherry. Cygwin (simulates the GNU/Linux environment in Windows), database tools (MySQL, GUI, MySql ODBC for Win9* and WinNT), developer tools (Gtk, or the Gimp Tool Kit to develop GUI widgets for programs), RPMBrowser, Developer CPP, Minimalist GNU for Winows, Prima, Python the programming language), several tutorials, guides and HOWTOs, and information on "why you should use Swatantra software". There are also editors, ranging from the simple text editors (Yudit, a unicode tool for many languages including Indian; JEDIT using Java; the much-famed Stallman's GNU EMACS, ASPELL spell checker, GhostView to view PDF files, Malayalam TeX, Perl, etc). Graphics tools, Internet software, langauge support, multimedia and office tools are thrown in too. Quite a good collection! microPower: ---------- Infrastructure is a major issue any ICT enabling effort - be it the Simputer, Village Internet, WiFi... About every hamlet among your potential sites may even have an educated, sometimes computer-aware if not entirely PC-literate person as your potential user. But the supporting utilities such as transmitting-receiving networks, land-lines and basic to all these -- reliable mains power at a reasonable voltage -- are often insufficient if not absent, while the local administration and official figures may point otherwise. By way of a solution, microPower promises autonomous power solutions for the rural / semi-urban beneficiary and says it will soon follow this up with OEMs in the ICT sector with appropriate built-in solar power and energy storage devices. To elaborate on this initiative, a data sheet on microPower solar photovoltaic battery chargers as well as PDFs on the product range (35KB) and its underlying concept (115KB) are available on request. For enquiries: The microPower Initiative c/o Udit Chaudhuri, Unika Enterprises e-mail: [email protected] Tel - Fax: +91-22-26045595 Knoppix ------- Kapil Karekar <[email protected]> of Libre Technologies (www.libretech.com) in Mumbai informs us that he and others are working to make a customized distribution of Knoppix. Perhaps, he says, even an Indian language support-bundled version. What is Knoppix? It's a bootable CD with a wide collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many grapics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals. It is one of the Free Software demo tools that became immensely popular within months of its release. Knoppix can be used as a GNU/Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system or can even be adapted and used as a platform for commercial software product demos. http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html IndicComputing -------------- We could never emphasise enough on this. Given the enormity of the task, and the relevance of its work, attempts at IndicComputing need all support. Check out the Indic-computing-users mailing list http://indic-computing.sourceforge.net/ [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/indic-computing-users (Other Indic-Computing mailing lists: -devel, -standards, -announce) Govts for Free Software? ----------------------- Free Software or proprietary? "While some developing countries such as India seem to be moving towards proprietary software, a growing number such as Malaysia are going up the open source path," sais a recent newsletter of the GKD (Global Knowledge for Development) partnership. Why? Apart from lower costs, champions of Free/Libre and Open Source Software are quick to point out that governments have a role in cracking existing software monopolies, such as Microsoft, giving a chance to other players to flourish. The question raised is: should a government adopt proprietary software, the requirement for compatibility with proprietary standards makes the system biased towards specific software vendors, perpetuating a dependency? This charge is strenuously denied by supporters of proprietary software who argue that the General Public License model promoted by open source threatens to destroy commercial software, undermine intellectual property, stifle innovation, and limit entrepreneurism -- ultimately reducing choice in the market. Their arguments are, of course, premised on the supposition that commercial organisations tend to have deeper pockets and therefore, the ability to invest in longer-term-solutions -- unlike cost-conscious supporters of FLOSS, who may be pushed into creating short-term solutions. What are basic skills? ---------------------- In the first of a series of Briefing Papers, the UK-based humanITy called for a radical debate on basic skills. The paper says that the gap is widening between ICT development and skills policy so that what we consider important will soon be economically irrelevant. Launching the Paper, humanITy Director Kevin Carey said: "I don't doubt the good faith of the UK Government in wanting to use ICT training to decrease social exclusion, but we must be careful that the skills that we teach don't pin people down at the bottom of the heap. The ICT industry is moving faster than skills policy and we must stop travelling into the future with our backs to the engine". Full details of the Paper can be found at: http://www.humanity.org.uk/articles/pub_ictdevelopment.shtml sadhanaconcepts.com ------------------- This is a site dealing with "the most powerful and advanced breathing program available in Conscious Breathing on the planet". Created with an introduction and three progressive breathing patterns for synchronous breathing. Conscious Breathing, we are told, is using a circular breath where the inhale and exhale are connected together with out any gaps in between. The more circular your breath becomes the more energy you are able to generate, releasing blockages in the body, negativity, stress, and tension that can be dissolved by the breath. Breathing patterns on this CD were recorded with the most efficient and natural breath possible by using sound and frequency analyzers to achieve the waveform that reflects the correct breathing pattern of Conscious Breathing. Promoting tourism ----------------- India's southern state of Kerala is trying to use IT to promote tourism. It has put out some slick CDs, on a range of subjects -- Ayurveda, a picture-book of Kerala, and another called 'Kerala: Temple of Healing, Watercolours by God'. More details from www.keralatourism.org or via email [email protected] GKP in Asia ----------- The Global Knowledge Partnership organized a knowledge sharing session on "Information Society Issues: Asia Pacific Concerns, Challenges and Solutions" in conjunction with the WSIS Asian Regional Conference in Tokyo, Japan on 11 January 2003. Participating for the first time in a GKP activity were 20 representatives from Pacific island states. A highlight of the session was the spontaneous offers of intra-regional support and assistance in response to voiced concerns and needs by various participants, particularly those from the Pacific Island States. One special offer was made by the representative from the M.S. Swaminathan Foundation (Chennai,India), who indicated the willingness to assist in the training of development workers from the Pacific Island States on how to set up and manage effective community access or information centers. Partners -------- Partners is a monthly newsletter featuring the latest news on ICT for development. Currently, its circulation stands at 1,500 subscribers: reaching GKP members, partners and interested parties around the globe. Each issue of Partners is emailed to the subscribers as well as uploaded onto the GKP website. Previous issues of the newsletter can be viewed at www.globalknowledge.org. Established in 1997, the GKP aims to facilitate knowledge sharing, networking and advocacy to promote sustainable development using information and communication technology. It sees itself as the first broad based multistakeholder partnership that operates at the global level. Our members hail from all levels, from grass roots to international organizations; all sectors, from governments and their agencies to private sector organizations, civil society groups and think tanks; and all countries, from those that are 'least developed' to those that are fully industrialized. For more information, please email [email protected] or visit www.globalknowledge.org $2.5B on e-learning ------------------- Is this realistic, or is this just another set of soon-to-be-forgotten promises? The Indian government, PTI reports, announced a plan to spend 120 billion rupees (USD $2.5 billion) to bring e-learning to 600,000 schools across the country. The project, to be funded by the government as well as private industry, would set up computer labs in schools over the next four years. Terming India's population of one billion as both "a digital opportunity and digital challenge," Shah called on the IT industry to explore new ways to tap into the national market. She also announced plans to set up "citizens portals" in each of India's states to help facilitate e-government activities. Open Source Network ------------------- Isa Seow <[email protected]> informs us that the Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) has launched the International Open Source Network (IOSN), which will serve as a Centre of Excellence on Open Source technologies and applications. It will aid countries in sharing information on Open Source (OS), assist with the development of needed toolkits and resource materials, support "localization" efforts and, generally, help facilitate and co-ordinate OS programmes and initiatives through networking. Let's hope many from South Asia too can take advantage of this. For more information, please see http://www.apdip.net/iosn/default.asp A dedicated IOSN web portal http://www.iosn.net is to go online soon. Mallapuram plans ---------------- There's an ambitious project that seeks to provide computer education to make Mallapuram district in southern India's Kerala state the country's first totally e-literate district. See http://www.propoor.org/news/xar0210.asp#8 Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh is talking of extending the fruits of IT to farmers and village women with upgrading of 5,000 telephone booths into Interent kiosks. http://www.propoor.com/news/xar0206.asp#5 India-Drug ---------- The INDIA-DRUG discussion group is a partnership between SATELLIFE (www.healthnet.org), WHO Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy (www.who.ch), and the Delhi Society for the Promotion of the Rational Use of Drugs (DSPRUD) in India. To send a message to india-drug, write to: [email protected] To subscribe or unsubscribe, write to: [email protected] in the body of the message type: subscribe india-drug OR unsubscribe india-drug To contact a person, send a message to: [email protected] Farmers via HAM --------------- SridharL <[email protected]>, a long-time friend looking for solutions that work in ICT4D (information and communication technologies for development front) writes in to say: "I found some interesting article in which they have used HAM radio as a tool for agri extension. I have always wondered why we always go for a high end tools like computers for agricultural extension. The project was funded by Inetrnational rice research institute in Philippines. I think it is an excellent idea and also a low cost technology facilitating two way communication with mobility. See the Rice Towards Optimal Productivity (RTOP bulletin 1/2002)." (This explains the use of HAM radio for agricultural extension in Tamil Nadu, India. Farmers in South India are now provided with a means to interact with scientists and extension officers involved in different aspects of agriculture via an interactive delivery system, amateur radio or HAM. The IRRI-COL-TNAU-CER project aims to enhance the value of the HAM radio by recording, editing and disseminating useful conversations through local radio stations for the benefit of farmers at large. The recording can cover farmers' local knowledge or wisdom expressed through conversations with researchers, and comments and responses from the scientific community. The idea is to enrich scientific research through including farmers' local experience and wisdom, and at the same time providing up-to-date scientific knowledge to the rural populace for their information and education. This is believed to be the first and pioneering attempt in the whole of Asia to link farmers with researchers and extension staff through HAM radio network. More information from V Balasubramanian, IRRI email [email protected] ) Sign language ------------- INB Education & Science <INB_Education_&[email protected]> had this story on how there could be a drastic way in which people learn sign-language. It said Signing Online, LLC has launched a "revolutionary new learning web site", http://www.signingonline.com. The web site brings sign language education to anyone with an Internet connection, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. "Thirty million Americans have some degree of hearing loss," said David Stewart, CEO of Signing Online and a prolific author/educator of the deaf and hard of hearing. "Many people have complained in the past that they have no time to take a sign language course, or no courses are offered where they live, or they feel intimidated sitting in a classroom. Signing Online addresses these concerns." At its launch, http://www.signingonline.com contains a series of four American Sign Language (ASL) courses that teaches the basic skills to become fluent in signing. "Once people have successfully completed the Signing Online ASL courses, they will have made a solid entry into the world of sign language. They will be able to carry on a conversation, understand the basics of ASL grammar, and be in a good position to decide whether they wish to pursue further their interest in learning sign language," said Stewart. Debate on this issue via the BytesForAll_Readers mailing list however suggested that the US$49.95 price for a six-month enrolment could exclude those who didn't have the dollars to pay. Health Internetwork India ------------------------- India was selected as the first HIN pilot country. The pilot is intended to develop best practices, determine the best use of resources and parterships, and demonstrate impact. According to this website, "the Health InterNetwork aims to support and strengthen public health services and to provide access to high quality, relevant and timely health information". It further aims to improve communication and networking among public health care workers, researchers and policy makers. The cornerstone of the project is an electronic/Internet-based Health InterNetwork (HIN) portal which will provide access to this information and to networks of policy makers, researchers, and health service providers. As part of the HIN, connectivity and training will be also be provided at over 10,000 information access points across developing countries. (Thanks to Irfan Khan's excellent [email protected] mailing list for this and a number of other inputs.) http://www.hin.org.in/index.htm SACHET, from Pakistan --------------------- Zubair Faisal Abbasi" <[email protected]> reports on SACHET, what is believed to be the first Pakistani ICT-for-development model. SACHET, one among very few Pakistani Non Profit Organizations is ambitiously working on a Pakistani model of ICT for Development. The model envisages a sustainable, home grown, self-reliant Information & Communication Technology for Development strategy based on result oriented components of capacity building, research and development of innovative e-commerce solution for rural crafts marketing. It is divided into different phases is currently offering capacity building opportunities for the rural youth of Rawalpindi/Islamabad districts. Equipped with latest hardware/software material and audiovisual aids the rural community is being imparted skills of demand at these Centers. Other activities under SACHET's ICT for Development initiative are development of an online documentation center (with an offline presence as well) envisioned to serve as a comprehensive searching facility for researchers interested in issues of socio economic importance. SACHET's newly designed corporate web site that now contains more information and research material on gender, health, education and poverty alleviation cum income generation. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) of its own kind is also on cards and is expected to be launched later during the year. "Using a sophisticated LAN and intranet applications at its corporate offices has helped SACHET gain a competitive edge on other players in terms of quality of services, smooth, swift and result driven decision making and realization of mandated goals of human development of the disadvantaged in Pakistan," say its promoters. >From the Philippines -------------------- This is an interesting idea, coming from someone in the faraway Philippines, who's work one has often admired from a distance Roberto Verzola <[email protected]> has recently taken on a new job as coordinator of the sustainable agriculture program of a national confederation of farmers called PAKISAMA. "We are just starting to learn to use video technology ($30 VCD players, VHS-to-VCD conversion, etc.) to do information work among farmers," says he, and explains that he is also looking for funding to set up a pilot micro-power radio station for a farmers' organization. SoftwareForAll -------------- Twenty-one year old Ajay Sinai Cuncolienkar of Goa came up with this interesting idea of sharing software. You just visit his SoftwareForAll site http://sofall.vze.com and punch in the titles of distributions you're willing to share with others. Interesting concept. 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 bYtES For aLL is a voluntary, unfunded venture. CopyLeft, 2003. bYtES For aLL e-zine volunteers team includes: Frederick Noronha in Goa, Partha Sarkar in Dhaka, Zunaira Durrani in Karachi, Zubair Abbasi in Islamabad, Archana Nagvenkar in Goa, Arun-Kumar Tripathi in Darmstatd, Shivkumar in Mumbai, Sangeeta Pandey in Nepal, Rajkumar Buyya in Melbourne, Mahrukh Mohiuddin in Dhaka and Deepa Rai in Kathmandu, among others. If you'd like to volunteer in any way, please get in touch. BytesForAll's website www.bytesforall.org is maintained by Partha Sarkar, with inputs from other members of the volunteers' team and supporters. To subscribe to our main mailing list, send a blank email to [email protected] If you've missed out recent debates, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bytesforall_readers 0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0 # distributed via <nettime>: no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a moderated mailing list for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: [email protected] and "info nettime-l" in the msg body # archive: http://www.nettime.org contact: [email protected]