I was traveling last week and left you the Shift Happens clip to ponder. While I was away I accessed my blog from an island, both via wifi and from a hard-wired library terminal. As I was sitting at the library kiosk I was reminded of my graduate work because I interviewed 100's of library card catalog users. Back then, only 20% of all card catalog users were willing to use the electronic terminals. The early adopters were an easily defined group: white, male, highly-educated and had reported previous computer exposure through either employment or education.
In light of the Shift Happens clip, I'm reminded how fast technological resistance is breaking down but only in some socio-economic segments of society. And how due to the digital divide, other segments of the world's population will likely be excluded from globalization.
Also, about a week ago, Read/Write Web posted this Technorati chart called:
It underscores how rapidly the diffusion of an internet technology can be for the "haves". Because it's a few months old, it's completely outdated. But, it gives you a good visual for what you already know intuitively. If it's an online technology that's within reach, we want it.
In October I posted about 100 million websites up. I'm pretty convinced those numbers don't represent much of Africa. Just look at a clustrmap. Since my husband and another of our staff pastors are headed there, I want data. No, not that DATA. Statistics on who's utilizing Web 2.0 technology in Africa. Who's got any updated research resources?
Thanks for the emails. I’ve checked out whitewallweb, mike stopforth and allafrica.com. Helpful but I’m really focused on wanting research data. Any more?
Made a few changes to the plugin and I am leaving a comment as an average user rather than being logged in as admin. This comment should be shared.
So, are you basically saying that because of my amazingly strong site traffic you’re using me to alpha test widgets?
Your comment at 7:44 was not shared – now I need to do some more checking. And the answer to your question is…
yes of course.
Can you please leave me another comment below this one. I want to see if it gets shared. Thanks.
Okay, now I am logged in as admin as if I were you. This better work. The idea is that comments should be shared whether the logged in admin or not.
I am starting to have a little identity confusion. Which blog am I on? Which admin am I? Who’s password do I use? and things are only getting more complicated!
Logged in as admin and leaving comment 8:21pm Monday.
Logged out, leaving comment as average user.
8:22pm Monday.
Got tied up. It’s 9:19 – you think this is a sandbox and just anyone can comment here? Oh, sorry I didn’t know you were a programmer.
Did I forget to mention Super Admin ? They are the ones just above admins. Watch out for them they think they know what they are doing but they are constantly mucking things up.
This better get shared. Gotta go to my real work now FedEx has arrived.