Re: [atlarge-discuss] Membership fees/One solution for the digital divide

[eric@hi-tek.com]

We know that Asia is far more inclined to use PC Bangs or Internet Cafes. We are having trouble quantifying the usage and China seems to have some problem with them. We are trying to get a handle on Latin America.
But we are making some progress in the Postal Unit area. North America is clearly a mixed bag and PIA (Public Internet Access) seems to run the social gambit of libraries, schools and cafes.  One of the biggest problems is that many are bootlegged using a private connection and then hooking many units up and selling time illegally which means it is difficult to survey them.  This also leads to other problems such as fire prevention violations.

Costs run from a small 50 dong (VN) to huge Yen costs (JP) based upon social prestige.  We still run a huge load through Yahoo and Hotmail.  We are falling behind in ccTLD registrations so making data available for country access is difficult along the lines of individual pinging.  Just throw all of the above into a bag and you get the EU picture loud and clear.

The result of all of this research and expenditures leads me to believe, along with the positive results of Cavebears preliminary results that a non-profit based in So Cal is not a bad idea with large number donations to a properly run non-profit.  It will never work to have a membership fee.  A poll tax is a bad idea, regardless of it's scale ability.

Damn that digital divide, but globally I am not sure one exists.  I think that more likely the internet is the poorer womans eyes and ears to the world.  The elite do not use my net to communicate.
Hail the dotcommoner.

Eric



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