January 2010 Archives
Syndicated from : http://anatoliygruzd.com/home/?p=87
Today, I participated in a stimulating panel discussion on “From Digital Third World to Digital Citizenship: the state of the internet and how Canada measures up“. The panel was organized by Dan Robichaud from the Halifax Regional CAP Association and it was part of Podcamp Halifax 2010. Below are some of my thoughts on this issue:
Is Internet Access a Fundamental Human Right?
There is really no debate that Internet access is an important part of modern life. We use the Internet to access government information, look for a job, learn, read news, write blogs, keep in touch with relatives, make purchases, and so on. But unfortunately, access to the Internet is not yet universal. Even in a country as developed as Canada, we are still debating on (1) how to connect as many people as possible to the Internet and (2) whether or not a government should guarantee a minimal Internet connection to its citizens. To address these issues, some European countries, such as Estonia, Finland and France have declared the Internet a human right. The question is should Canada follow these European countries and also legally declare that Internet access is a human right?
Personally I do not think that declaring Internet access to be a human right will lead to universal Internet access for all. And here is why:
- Even if Canada were to declare Internet access as a fundamental human right, it would still not necessarily guarantee that everybody in Canada will actually get Internet access. Without the accompanied political and financial commitment from the government and the private sectors, this new “human right” would be nothing but a “feel good” law that will only exist on paper.
- It is also unclear what the Internet as a “human right” would constitute. For example, in order to access the Internet, we need a computer or some other device. So does this mean that the government will now have to guarantee that everyone should have a right to a computer? And how much bandwidth should the government guarantee as part of this right? (Keep in mind that any minimal speed that the government would guarantee now is not likely to be adequate in just a year or two…)
- Also, once we declare that accessing the Internet is a human right, how do we legally keep online predators and other people who have committed severe cyber-crimes from accessing the Internet and not violate their human rights in the process?
- Finally, we tend to look at this issue as a technology only problem. But it would be naïve for us to assume that if Internet access is widely available, everybody would start using it right the way. This will not happen. According to Statistics Canada (2007), lack of access is only but one of many common reasons why some people still does not use the Internet.
In sum, I do see the Internet as an essential service and I agree that everyone should be able to have access to the Internet, but I do not think that it should be legally declared as a basic human right. I believe an effective solution should not be a simple top-down edict from the government, but instead we should pursue a more bottom-up approach to the problem of ensuring universal Internet access. By working closely with communities that still do not have access, we will have a better understanding of what their needs are and how they can best be met with Internet access.
Anatoliy Gruzd, PhD
Assistant Professor
School of Information Management
Dalhousie University
6100 University Avenue, Suite 4010
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3H 3J5
Canada
E-mail: gruzd [at] dal.ca
Homepage: http://anatoliygruzd.com
- Dan Robichaud (click for bio) - Robichaud has spent the last decade in voluntary sector management, with a particular focus on the digital divide, helping Canadian communities increase their online footprint.
- Andrew D Wright - Representing Canada`s oldest running Freenet, Chebuctonet, recently presented a CBC Town Hall on the Digital Divide and will be part of our panel and brings years of insight into running not for profit ISPs and public access framework.
- Barb Allen - A founding member and past Chair of HRCAP and former member of the NSCAP Board, she helped establish the Resource Opportunities Centre, which grew out of the Terence Bay & Area CAP Site, where she managed the facility for ten years. Barb brings the communities of rural Nova Scotia and the issues of public access providers to the table.
- Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd (click for bio) - Assistant Professor of the School of Information Management of Dalhousie University, Dr. Gruzd's research interests include also Online Communities, Context-aware Information Retrieval and Digital Libraries with the goal of developing Canada’s position as a global leader in new media, animation and games
HRCAP Hosted a panel to discuss the state of the Internet in Canada and how we measure up.
Please continue to check our website. Audio & Video podcasts are will be posted (below, link) as they become available.
You can view our full set of
Podcamp 2010 photos and videos here.
As a volunteer in public access, the biggest impact you can have on the digital divide is to prepare your community for the ever rapidly evolving technology. Technology, in fact, which is evolving faster than any example in history.
To bring home the point that this is not science fiction, all of the equipment used is readily available off the shelf. We have been using "thinclients", small portable computers, in CAP sites... similar to those he is using. He uses a portable projector, worn around his neck. Well, we actually own the exact same model. It`s the 3M MmmPro LED project, and we use it every day at theHub. In the next 24 months, everything you see in this film will be mainstream. Ask yourself, what is your community doing to prepare for such a radical change in technology ?
Right now, watching this video is the most important thing you can do for your community and for your CAP site.
On Sunday, January 24 Halifax, NS will yet again be showing its true colours as the interactive, wired city that it has quickly become. Last year was an amazing event bring 173 people together to share what they know about social media, and the Internet. They also shared what they learned with the World Wide Web.
We are pleased to announce that HRCAP is PodCamp's GOLD sponsor this year. Join us January 24th 2010 at Alderney Landing. HRCAP will be hosting a session as well as sponsoring the main venue.Seats are EXTREMELY limited. Fifty extra seats were added this morning. Act fast. Register here: http://podcamphalifax2010.eventbrite.com/
A podcamp is meant to have an open, participatory, user-generated series of workshops. The people who attend are the presenters. In typical Unconference style, audience members are encouraged to make the most of the experience by following their interests and allowing the conversation to flow both in and outside of the presentations.
Podcamp is YOUR place to BE as a public access provider, and will count towards your minimum attandence in order to maintain your cap site status. Each site must attend one meeting or event each year.
2009 Sustainability Grants
These were mailed to you in the last week of December. DO NOT CONFUSED THIS with 2010-2011 year grants which have yet to be awarded.
The grants you received dated December 2009 are for your 2009-2010 operating year (April 1 2009 - March 31 2010). Reporting will be due on March 21st 2009 and will consist of online forms as in previous years. The website will be updated with the reporting tool by March 1st 2010.
As a C@P site you are required to maintain the minimum requirements and your site can be audited or monitored for compliance at any time with or without notice. All standards, minimums & forms needed to run your site can be found here.
Lake Echo Greening
I am pleased to say that we are wrapping up the final phase of the Lake Echo IT Greening test site. Lake Echo has become the first 100% open-sourced, virtualized C@P site in CANADA.
There were many aspects to this research. We started a little over 18 months ago with the quest to find a solid-state, lower energy computer replacement. CKDU Brodcast engineer & author of Open Radio, Stephen Kelly, tested a number of options and operating systems. Our final choice for new computers in the Halifax network is the FitPC2, a compact, solid state "thin client" which consumes only 1watt, and at 340 grams, has the smallest ecological impact in terms of e-waste. Kelly also tweaked the open-source operating system, Ubuntu, as a replacement for branded (and expensive) operating systems.
A second component was to conduct a comprehensive energy audit of Lake Echo C@P both before and after the refit. Mike Lovell, a consultant with his own firm TintedGreen Technologies, started this study by meeting C@P coordinators from across the province durin an initial presentation phase in White Point, May 2009. His report shows that with the consistant use of new systems, Nova Scotia C@P could save as much as 21 000 $ (twenty-one thousand) on energy alone, per year.
As well as being able to replace aging computers with the low energy thinclient, we can also "USB Boot" old computers, giving up to five years more operating life to older machines, for as little as the cost of one USB stick.
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
- After March 31st 2010, you can NOT use C@P grants to purchase branded operating systems, or branded productivity software if an open-source alternative exists.
- Effective March 31st 2010 you may NOT use C@P grants to purchase computers in excess of 8 pounds (weight) or in excess of 40 watts (energy consumption). (PS: we have worked really hard to find you a 1watt, 340gram alternative!)
How this works:
- HRCAP owns a server & operating system which are located in Lake Echo.
- The server does ALL the computing FOR YOU, access points are only "terminals"
- Cap sites will be able to purchase FITPC2 thinclients
- USB Boot Keys will be provided free of charge
- Computers in your C@P sites will no longer require local storage (hard drives) or operating systems (Windows), they will get these directly from the server
- Once migrated with a USB Boot key, your computers will operate on the custom EdUbuntu operating system located on the server. THIS REPLACES WINDOWS.
- Every time a patron signs in, the sever creates a new copy of our customized public access system.
- Many users may log on at any given time without effecting the others.
- Once a patron logs out the server deletes all traces of that session, operating system included.
This is a groundbreaking new way to deliver public access.
As a Halifax C@P site, the transition away from Microsoft branded products may seem difficult at first, but please be patient. You are part of an experiment in O/s virtualization with no precedent in history.
We are offering "a twenty thousand dollar solution to a million dollar problem", all while, significantly reducing the operating costs and carbon footprint of our C@P Sites. By leading by example, we can help other Canadians have cost-effective, environmentally friendly internet access not only in C@P sites, but in homes and businesses too.
Together, we can make a difference.
