For those who think that BGP is useful just on routers have some catching up to do. When doing IP anycast, it is essential to have some kind of dynamic routing protocol working on the anycast hosts. The host constantly need to communicate their reachability to the router facing the rest of the world. If the host goes down when there's a satic route, the traffic is null routed.
Thus the resurgence in development of quagga after forking it from zebra. OpenBGPd, i am sure will have more IP anycast nodes running it then someone running it as pure edge routers.
One of the most important reason for BGP to work on host based system i
Yes.!! i too received the e-mail from MERIT. I feel that with the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), coming up in early december, the EU backed down from another high profile conference.
This afternoon (NST=+545GMT), i meet Tsering G. Sherpa in Kathmandu. His is a unique case. He runs an ISP in the foothills of Himalayas. After the national Telecom comapny was not able to provide telecom services, he used his own money to put in EPABX equipment to connect villages. Since the place doesn't have relaible connectivity, he put in his own V-SAT with gateway in Hongkong, there by giving direct access to internet and communications to the numerous tourists and also the local people.
And, his story has never been heard by others in the capital here, who are planning to spend tons of money in 'briding the digital divide'. I have worked with UN Agencies in the past. In recent past, many of the UN agencies and corporates have shown sudden interests in 'bridging the digital divide', but from my experience and knowledge, it is clear that they are sitting somewhere in capital cities, and making plans for establishing telecenters and so on and so forth, without ever bothering to visit their intended beneficiaries.
And in most government policy making, it's the teleco who are in advising position, and the battle is calssical 'netheads vs. bellheads'
And the many international initiatives like the G8 Dot Force have failed to come with anything concrete. Again, it seems to me that people do not understand that technology itself is not the silver bullet, but is a means to achieve targets.
Coming back to UN agencies, a couple of them are actually doing good work and amongst them are definitely UNITeS that Kofi Annan mentions. A notable promoter of Open Source software is UNESCO. Apart from having a special section on their website devoted to opensource, they were pioneers in distributing open source software like CDS-ISIS library management system. (though i don't advise using CDS-ISIS.)
What the person has done is commendable - that's without doubt, but there are REAL problems that the BBC story fails to give out. My self being from Nepal and working in similiar area, I think one of the major concern is not being able to use the available computer in Nepali or other local languages.
I have seen computers being placed in many villages and school - which are ultimately monopolised by people who can understand English. The majority of students are required to understand english - before they can use computers, which is a problem. With the Unicode implementations of Devnagari (the Nepali Script), this may be possible - but can someone point out to any serious work that is being done.
Also, line-of-sight wireless would probably not be so useful as it's a hilly area. If it was remotely possible for the Telco to provide better telephone system (out of the many systems they use), they would do it - as it turns out to be chepaer for them.
I wouldn't worry about wooden casing, as it looks like it's open on one side, so that he can connect keyboard, mouse and monitors.
It is factually incorrect that it is the only school with comptuers for high school students. I know of at least two examples, one from the capital and one from a district in far western nepal.
If i get chance to visit these guys - i will report back to the/.ers. For Nepal related information, www.nepalhomepage.com is the best resource.
Slashdot Mirror
For those who think that BGP is useful just on routers have some catching up to do. When doing IP anycast, it is essential to have some kind of dynamic routing protocol working on the anycast hosts. The host constantly need to communicate their reachability to the router facing the rest of the world. If the host goes down when there's a satic route, the traffic is null routed.
Thus the resurgence in development of quagga after forking it from zebra. OpenBGPd, i am sure will have more IP anycast nodes running it then someone running it as pure edge routers.
One of the most important reason for BGP to work on host based system i
Yes.!! i too received the e-mail from MERIT. I feel that with the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS), coming up in early december, the EU backed down from another high profile conference.
This afternoon (NST=+545GMT), i meet Tsering G. Sherpa in Kathmandu. His is a unique case. He runs an ISP in the foothills of Himalayas. After the national Telecom comapny was not able to provide telecom services, he used his own money to put in EPABX equipment to connect villages. Since the place doesn't have relaible connectivity, he put in his own V-SAT with gateway in Hongkong, there by giving direct access to internet and communications to the numerous tourists and also the local people.
And, his story has never been heard by others in the capital here, who are planning to spend tons of money in 'briding the digital divide'. I have worked with UN Agencies in the past. In recent past, many of the UN agencies and corporates have shown sudden interests in 'bridging the digital divide', but from my experience and knowledge, it is clear that they are sitting somewhere in capital cities, and making plans for establishing telecenters and so on and so forth, without ever bothering to visit their intended beneficiaries.
And in most government policy making, it's the teleco who are in advising position, and the battle is calssical 'netheads vs. bellheads'
And the many international initiatives like the G8 Dot Force have failed to come with anything concrete. Again, it seems to me that people do not understand that technology itself is not the silver bullet, but is a means to achieve targets.
Coming back to UN agencies, a couple of them are actually doing good work and amongst them are definitely UNITeS that Kofi Annan mentions. A notable promoter of Open Source software is UNESCO. Apart from having a special section on their website devoted to opensource, they were pioneers in distributing open source software like CDS-ISIS library management system. (though i don't advise using CDS-ISIS.)
gaurab
What the person has done is commendable - that's without doubt, but there are REAL problems that the BBC story fails to give out. My self being from Nepal and working in similiar area, I think one of the major concern is not being able to use the available computer in Nepali or other local languages.
/.ers. For Nepal related information, www.nepalhomepage.com is the best resource.
I have seen computers being placed in many villages and school - which are ultimately monopolised by people who can understand English. The majority of students are required to understand english - before they can use computers, which is a problem. With the Unicode implementations of Devnagari (the Nepali Script), this may be possible - but can someone point out to any serious work that is being done.
Also, line-of-sight wireless would probably not be so useful as it's a hilly area. If it was remotely possible for the Telco to provide better telephone system (out of the many systems they use), they would do it - as it turns out to be chepaer for them.
I wouldn't worry about wooden casing, as it looks like it's open on one side, so that he can connect keyboard, mouse and monitors.
It is factually incorrect that it is the only school with comptuers for high school students. I know of at least two examples, one from the capital and one from a district in far western nepal.
If i get chance to visit these guys - i will report back to the
cheers
gaurab