One of the our most pressing challenges is global inequality and some hold great hopes that IT can help to resolve this. Historically, technocratic solutions have failed because the source of the problem is not lack of technology but imbalances in power – the technology has ended up in the hands of those with the resources to afford it or it has not been implemented in the interests of the poor. However, the widespread access to new knowledge and information enabled by the internet could change all that. But while the UN and others have been pouring money into expanding access, the World Bank have recently claimed that mobile operators are leading the roll-out. Then the Economist published an editorial saying that liberalising the telecoms markets was the best way to promote development. Maybe, but mobiles have a long way to go before they can match the content offered by PCs.
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With the past news dominated by competition between the handset manufacturers it is interesting to see competition heating up between platform or software vendors. PalmSource is in all kinds of trouble but looks like it will link up with Linux, and Symbian is being threatened by Microsoft muscling in .
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Now UNESCO and FAO have launched a free CD-Rom to teach both info specialists and newbies how to digitise documents and publish them online. With this explosion in access to information, there is an increasing need for information specialists who have the skills to identify, discriminate and interpret.
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Given the resistance to new technology from so many (and all the custom research that has told the mobile players!), it is amazing that it has taken so long to brand so clearly handsets aimed at those who want a mobile phone that is just a mobile phone.
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Looks like the neighbours of the University of Kent are going to benefit from wireless broadband. With this new technology, the whole of Canterbury could benefit from high speed access without cables. Typically though, they are promising lots – from collaboration with the academics on design, through to coverage throughout the whole of Kent. It’s ambitious but with such increasing enthusiasm for wireless broadband how can they fail?
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I was delighted to see Sirsi in their recent monthly newsletter calling for more effective communication of measurements:
Well-chosen measurements can demonstrate the amazing value and impact of libraries to their communities, host organizations, and funders…we must enliven these measurements with the real life experiences of our users.
Those measurements should include not only those that can be generated from library management systems but also the opinions and experiences of users.
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Don’t be fooled into thinking that this is as straightforward as the blogging evangelists make out. Unless you are comfortable with code, especially php, and all the techie language these guys use to talk to each other, go for an easy hosted service like Google’s blogger or pay someone to help. It’s taken me ages to get this far and there is still lots I’d like to do to give it the right look and feel.
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