Computers and Society
In "Africa Goes Online," Daniel Akst and Mike Jensen discuss thepotential of the Internet in combating the "information famine" in Africa.In a country where there are little resources to spare for social services,virtual universities could bring learning to millions at a fraction of thecost of traditional schools. Educated residents in these countries wouldhave a larger, global outlet to market their skills and services. The authors cite several case studies as examples of this potential.In Dakar, Senegal, for example, video link-ups allow medical students tostudy under a group of physicians from Brussels. Secondary students fromNamibia are working on a website to showcase the important Africanentomological collections in the country's National Museum. Anorganization called SchoolNet Africa is teachi
However, in Africa,information technology truly has the power to change the way people live. However, there are significant differences as well. My personal thoughts One thing that struck me about this article is the similarities anddifferences between Internet users in Westernized and African countries. A distant village in Ugandathat only receives snail mail every few weeks, for example, now has acommunal computer station that receives e-mail for every resident. On the similarities, the current batch of most frequent Internet users inAfrica are educated, affluent and - even in Africa - Caucasian. Net2Phone, for example, is not a very popularservice in the United States, where phone rates are relatively low. Perhaps the greatest difference between digital technology in theUnited States and Africa is the way users view this technology. I was also struck by the impact certain digital technologies couldhave in Africa, even if they are of little interest to people inindustrialized countries. While computerusers in the United States fear obsolescence and are on the lookout for thenext killer app, African programmers often undertake "heroic" coding to getan IBM XT model to working order for a small village in Uganda. While theInternet is presented as the "information superhighway," many Western usersalso see the Internet as a source of entertainment. How my article relates to chapter 3 Much of the networks in Africa rely on technology like e-mail andnewsgroups, though a growing number are using video and web technology. These networks allow people to exchange information about their servicesand their products or simply to keep in tough. Poverty and lack of infrastructure aresignificant problems, but activists are optimistic about their efforts. ng basic technology skills tochildren around the continent.
Common topics in this essay:
SchoolNet Africa,
IBM XT,
Mike Jensen,
United Africa,
Caucasian Internet,
Westernized African,
Brussels Secondary,
Dakar Senegal,
National Museum,
technological gap,
village uganda,
internet users,
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Acceptance Essays
