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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=2 face=Georgia><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Georgia'>Thanks for – yet again-
outlining the reality for some stakeholders!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=2 face=Georgia><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Georgia'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on"><font size=2 face=Georgia><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
Georgia'>Carlton</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font size=2
face=Georgia><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Georgia'> Samuels<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=purple face=Georgia><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Georgia;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'> kwasi
boakye-akyeampong [mailto:kboakye1@yahoo.co.uk] <br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Saturday, July 28, 2007 7:16
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">governance@lists.cpsr.org</st1:PersonName>;
Norbert Bollow<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: SV: [governance] IS
THE DIGITAL DIVIDE A PHANTOM?</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Norbert, you wrote:<br>
"<b><i><span style='font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>This of course
needs to be funded somehow, but as<br>
soon as this has been achieved, <u>all visually disabled people<br>
everywhere will be able to benefit from this</u> ...</span></i></b>".<br>
<br>
I disagree with the underlined bit because in the developing (under-developed)
regions, even the non-visually impaired are struggling to have access to
computers. Internet access is even worse. So for the visually impaired it is
worse for them in developing countries.<br>
<br>
Believe me, the digital divide issue is worse than we make it sound. Most of
the solutions we propose are just not practicable in the deprived regions. They
are models fit for the developed countries. For instance, most developing
countries are struggling with electricity supply even in the cities. Most rural
communities are not connected to the national electricity grid. So bridging the
digital divide goes beyond providing them with computers. <br>
<br>
Greetings,<br>
Kwasi<br>
<br>
<b><i><span style='font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Norbert Bollow
<nb@bollow.ch></span></i></b> wrote:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Kicki Nordstrom <kicki.nordstrom@srfriks.org>wrote:<br>
<br>
> World Blind <st1:place w:st="on">Union</st1:place> has tried to negotiate
with the producer of screen<br>
> reading programs, that we from industrial could pay more to reduce<br>
> the price for customer in developing countries. But this was not<br>
> possible due to business tradition.<br>
<br>
I think this calls for the development of a good screen reader program<br>
as Free Software. This of course needs to be funded somehow, but as<br>
soon as this has been achieved, all visually disabled people<br>
everywhere will be able to benefit from this, and will be able to<br>
always use the newest version without big extra costs, without being<br>
contrained by the "business traditions" of a profit-oriented company.<br>
<br>
Greetings,<br>
Norbert.<br>
<br>
<br>
-- <br>
Norbert Bollow <nb@bollow.ch>http://Norbert.ch<br>
President of the Swiss Internet User Group SIUG http://SIUG.ch<br>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
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<br>
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 color="#007f40" face=System><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:System;color:#007F40'>..............................................................................................................................</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 color="#007f40" face=System><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:System;color:#007F40'>“If I am not
for myself, who will be for me? If I am not for others, what am
I? And if not now, when?”</span></font></b></strong> - <font
face=System><span style='font-family:System'>Rabbi Hillal</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><strong><b><font size=3 color="#007f40" face=System><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:System;color:#007F40'>..............................................................................................................................</span></font></b></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
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