Providing Access to Info in Developing Countries

matt writes "Widernet is a program run at the University of Iowa to provide developing countries access to information. Most of the universities they work with (mainly in Nigeria) have no internet access or have a very expensive, limited one. So Widernet ships hard drives with a data dump of about 100G to place on the local network. Students have access through the eGranery. Some the of the problems they are dealing with are how to provide updates to the already distributed libraries, how to provide the eGranery such that it can be setup with little or no IT knowledge, and how to stretch a limited budget and donations. I sadly had to turn down an internship with them, but would still like to contribute. Surely we can help with time, resources, and/or knowledge." And you thought sneakernet was dead.

Comments

Nigeria has a lot of money

[Anonymous Coward]

This article is lying. I know several people in Nigeria that have Internet access, they send me messages every day. They also seem to have a lot of money to send me, so Nigeria is not really developing country.

Re:Nigeria has a lot of money

[Hatta]

We're too busy with our own corrupt leaders.

This is a good thing for developing areas.

[big tex]

Now that they have the granary, they won't loose all of their food every time the city goes up a level.

Either that, or I've been playing too much civ.