[1811] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Is the personal electron
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Jean Polly)
Mon Dec 30 21:51:59 1991
To: com-priv@psi.com (com-priv)
From: polly@lpl.org (Jean Polly)
Date: Mon, 30 Dec 1991 21:48:18 EST
Reply to: RE>Is the personal electronic
I am responding to how the INTERNET relates to the little guy.
Kent's remarks remind me very much of the response I got from computer
dealers in 1980 when I was seeking advice about acquiring a computer for
public use at my public library.
"Why would ANYONE want to use a computer in a public library-- what on earth
would they use it for???" was the universal attitude, usually accompanied by
a guffaw or two.
Undaunted, I pressed ahead and by October of 1981 we had a 48K Apple II+ out
where the Masses could touch it. (Now my kid has 48K on his watch...)
Ten years later, over 1,500 hours per month are reserved on the seven public
computers in our lab. 75% of the use is by adults, although we have a
percentage of families engaged in home-schooling their children who also use
the lab to advantage.
Our clients use the computers and laser printers for everything from resumes
to learning desktop publishing. They create church newsletters, learn to use
databases, practice languages, print mailing labels.
Last year we got an Apple Library of Tomorrow grant, which brought
interactive videodisc technology to our small village library. We have just
become one of 37 libraries nationally to beta-test the Library of Congress'
American Memory Project. This CD-ROM and videodisc archive contains some
25,000 turn of the Century postcard views of American landmarks, rare film
footage from the 1901 Pan -American Exposition, audio archives of great
American speeches and their text, with photos of the speakers, plus much
more. Subsequent volumes will include Civil War photos by Matthew Brady,
folksongs from the California gold rush days, oral histories from around the
U.S. Everything in the collection is searchable, much is printable.
And yes, we hope to offer INTERNET connectivity in our lab sometime in the
first half of 1992.
FCC and other government regulations strive to protect public interest in,
and access to, cable TV, radio, amateur radio and other communications
highways; likewise should we advocate public uses of computer technology,
and telecommunications.
Haven't you noticed that your colleagues and friends are quickly being
divided into "who's on email" and "who isn't". Don't you find yourself
talking to "connected" colleagues a lot more frequently than your offline
friends? This is Not a Good Thing. Institutionally. Nationally. Globally.
I have a dream and it's happening right now. Kids talking about their lives,
from Moscow to Mexico City, Cupertino to Halifax. People finding out about
their likenesses rather than focusing on what divides them. All possible on
the net.
Gee, you don't need the NREN for just Email, I can hear you say. Right. Not
for text. What about when it includes video, color photos, multimedia?
Gigabits you say. I don't know how much bandwidth I need to my house. In
1980, 48K did all I wanted, now my desktop takes 8 megs of RAM. I used to do
this at 300 baud, now 9600 seems slow.
You know Warhol's "everyone's famous for 15 minutes?" Once you are into
computers you are only satisfied with what you've got for 15 minutes!
("Faster, higher, stronger", the Olympic motto, could be appropriated by how
many of us, gazing into our crts...)
So, to cut to the chase, yes. The little guy not only needs to be informed
about What's Going on Out There, but he needs some way to Be Out There. I
guess you can either be a signpost, or a roadblock, or line noise.
Jean Armour Polly "Don't postpone joy!"
Assistant Director,Public Services
Liverpool Public Library INTERNET: polly@LPL.ORG
310 Tulip St. AppleLINK: UG0314
Liverpool, NY 13088 WELL: polly
USA OTHER: polly@well.sf.ca.us
VOICE: (315) 457-0310 FAX: (315) 453-7867
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