Comments on: Clegg and the Digital Revolution http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/ Everyone has a right to my opinions Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:48:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Lance Howard http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118416 Lance Howard Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:56:30 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118416 Talking about access and digital technology in Africa, I can tell you from first hand experience this year in Uganda, there was coverage for mobile phones even in remote areas of the Murchison Falls National Park and up Mount Elgon in the east of the country. I regularly lose coverage here at home on the road between Fleet and Aldershot! Talking about access and digital technology in Africa, I can tell you from first hand experience this year in Uganda, there was coverage for mobile phones even in remote areas of the Murchison Falls National Park and up Mount Elgon in the east of the country. I regularly lose coverage here at home on the road between Fleet and Aldershot!

]]> By: Robert http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118373 Robert Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:38:29 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118373 <em>From a sociological perspective the interesting question is whether the net qualitatively changes the social world any more than the printing press, the telegraph, the mail, or the telephone did when they were invented. I’m not convinced that it does.</em> I disagree, in that I think it does... or rather, <em>will</em>. Although at the moment, the net refers mainly to PC use. I don't think profound changes will take place until other methods of access become widespread too. Have a look at <a href="http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2005/11/12/alternative-currencies/" rel="nofollow">this post</a> about digital technology aiding development in rural Kenya. From a sociological perspective the interesting question is whether the net qualitatively changes the social world any more than the printing press, the telegraph, the mail, or the telephone did when they were invented. I’m not convinced that it does.

I disagree, in that I think it does… or rather, will. Although at the moment, the net refers mainly to PC use. I don’t think profound changes will take place until other methods of access become widespread too. Have a look at this post about digital technology aiding development in rural Kenya.

]]> By: Matt Munro http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118370 Matt Munro Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:16:11 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118370 I'm not convinced that the net really will negate established structures. Business and government are busily imposing their structures on it, and you could argue that ownership of the net, in the physical sense, is a perfect model of gloablised monpolistic capitalism (restrictions on software and hardware, creeping censorship, elite dominance etc etc) and there is a tendency to assume that it is a tool of the majority when IIRC only around 30% of the worlds populance have net acess. From a sociological perspective the interesting question is whether the net qualitatively changes the social world any more than the printing press, the telegraph, the mail, or the telephone did when they were invented. I'm not convinced that it does. I’m not convinced that the net really will negate established structures. Business and government are busily imposing their structures on it, and you could argue that ownership of the net, in the physical sense, is a perfect model of gloablised monpolistic capitalism (restrictions on software and hardware, creeping censorship, elite dominance etc etc) and there is a tendency to assume that it is a tool of the majority when IIRC only around 30% of the worlds populance have net acess.
From a sociological perspective the interesting question is whether the net qualitatively changes the social world any more than the printing press, the telegraph, the mail, or the telephone did when they were invented. I’m not convinced that it does.

]]> By: Leon http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118282 Leon Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:49:11 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118282 I think it's more than about delivering 'services' to one and other too... I think it’s more than about delivering ’services’ to one and other too…

]]> By: jameshigham http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118064 jameshigham Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:05:03 +0000 http://www.robertsharp.co.uk/2007/12/10/clegg-digital-revolution/#comment-118064 Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube – are about something very different: they are about the surveillance society, the new-feudalism and post democracy post-2010. Google, Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube – are about something very different: they are about the surveillance society, the new-feudalism and post democracy post-2010.

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