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Still More on Connecting Laos
Rackemup writes "A story on Wired has some updated information on the progess made by the Remote IT Village Project attempting to connect several isolated villages deep in the Laotian Jungle to the rest of the world using wireless networks, pedal-power and Laonux (customized Linux installs translated into the Laotian language). Power surges can be a hassle when the nearest computer store is hundreds of miles away, but they're shooting for a May 18th "go live" date."
Simple solution: leave.
Looks like they're planning on using 802.11b... Wouldn't there be range issues? I'm assuming these villages are a decent distance from each other or wherever they could get a transceiver...
How is the Laotian government reacting to this? Any support or opposition? While I don't know much about Laos firsthand, I do know it's one of the last five remaining communist countries on Earth.
Other countries such as China and Vietnam have taken measures to regulate and censor the flow of information via the net -- will this be any different?
There's 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
"After this wondrous event, we all gathered at my co-founder Bounthanh's parents' house," Thorn said. "There her dying father, Pone, told us that he wanted us to launch before June 1, before the rainy season. He said he wanted to talk with his daughter in Canada before he died."
Yeah, it really stinks when technology is able to give someone their dying wish.
Did you read the article? (like that's ever happened) This isn't just Internet access, it will also provide phone service as well.
The people of Phon Kham seem (at least from the article) seem to be in favor of the project. Has anyone ever thrown you an all day water buffalo barbeque and beer bash? Didn't think so.
Still, with a plan, you only get the best you can imagine. I'd always hoped for something better than that. -CP
nut now te can find out how to build a windmill to convert wind to electricity. Hel there are a couple of sites that will tell you how to do it from old parts.
so now this village has learned how to harness the wind. Now they can improve there irrigation, and power a water purifier.
mamybe a could of smart kids gett the backing of the community to let them learn programming and computer skills so they can start there own company.
that could generate revenue to get what they ned to conrinue to impriove there life on there own.
See? do you understand? or are you sued to having things easy and not starving that you have no clue what it takes to buld a long term solution.
in short:
Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a life time.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
"its my opinion that the last thing these folks need is the corruption of the internet"
One mans corruption is another mans.... exercise left for the reader.
I wonder about this. One of the best ways to motivate people is to piss them off. If all you have in your third world village is state sponsored radio it's entirely possible you simply wouldn't know just how horribly bad you have it. I am convinced that most third world inhabitants are just plain ignorant of their relative condition. Even third world people who aren't dirt poor were staggered when Baghdad fell. They honestly believed Iraq had the means to defeat US forces, because they've been told so all their lives. When McDonalds first opened in Moscow, the patrons were often impressed with the quality of the food! What if the truth is that by providing uncensored access you do the greatest good by way of raising expectations?
Lord knows nothing else seems to work. The left would have us believe there is some unknown amount of money us selfish westerners are supposed to be using to make it all better. The right offers platitudes about boot straps. Why not give these people something to be angry about by showing them just how bad off they are? Being pissed off is often very motivational.
Maw! Fire up the karma burner!
...another man's imperialist running dog propoganda.
First off, people in the third world are quite aware that the US is loaded. Its shoved down their throats to the point that the myths of America told 2 and 3 hundred years ago are still believed. The roads may not be paved with gold but everyone is as beautiful as Jennifer Aniston and has a bitchin' apartment.
But, what I'm saying, what I'd prefer, is that if we're going to help them in any way lets not help them to be us. Let's help them enough so that they can figure out who they are.
How sad would it be that all the world is America? How boring? I'm in no way saying that I want them to remain a quaint village we can all visit and take pictures of. It would just be nice if they could remain the people they are at the core but be able to reap those benefits of technology they deemed useful.
America is like crack. We use peer pressure to push ourselves on the unsuspecting masses. "See, America is great, cold icy drinks come out of a tap in the wall! you need to be just like us to enjoy the benefits of the almighty slurpee."
I'm not a self-hater. I love America. I think of myself as a patriot in the unperverted sense of the word. I think America is great for me. I just don't think America is great for the rest of the world. If you want to come here fine but, don't clone our world. Don't make a doppleganger of Britney. Do your own thing. If you need a hand ask, I'll gladly help out.
Don't destroy your world to be like ours. Part of being American is being able to enjoy other worlds. It would suck if all the worlds were the same wouldn't it?
didn't mean to get off on a rant there.
-
Sorry Guys I been working on IT in Laos on and off 2 years and only know this
Story from the Slashdot spin, but if true I hope that the pure Laos guys Get to learn English as the lao keys are not to be found any ware on the net, btw most
Far located jungle towns in Laos has a general issue with reading in the first place.
Anyway Welcome to some hundred more targets for SPAM and radical Sex ads.
I just hate bit SPAM, (www.netnoise.com.kh)