Been a While ....

I know it's been a long time but I am still answering inquiries from the last few posts ... I sorta struck a nerve, I think - 350 emails can't be wrong ....

A few updates - I was at the WSIS PreCom in Geneva and am now planning for the World Summit in Tunisia. I have a whole treasure of articles that I am writing. The right to communicate is a human right and the concept of the Internet being a human right is very interesting. I was also impressed by the economic development arguments being applied to the Internet. Naturally, the social implications - coupled with the two points above - make this a whole new argument. Let me get my thoughts put together on this and then we'll chat.

Believe me, this gives us Internet Managers a new platform to build on.

Although there were several articles criticizing the WSIS meetings (google it - lots of links to the Economist, BBC and naturally the American media giants) there is a strong position being taken up by the middle and least developed nations. The local telecommunications oligopoly and monopolies (read: government) are now being threatened (Skype anyone?) and the ITU is not doing enough to counter-balance this.

The high cost of communication is artificially being maintained by corrupt governments. This has resulted in an increase in the cost of information. We can read this as an increase in the basic cost of education, self improvement and yes, choice. Decision making power is reduced with limited information - see where I'm going? This is the point - it back to old style colonialism and slavery. Harsh? Not really when you think about it.

Basic information should be public domain - not necessarily free - I understand the arguments of Richard Kaser but I take a different position - public domain - accessible - affordable priced if you will - that's not an argument but fully accepted in the modern world.

MIT, Standford, CMU, Google, and others are the poster children of free education/information. Corruption and some governments are the hold-outs.

LIVE8 is not the solution (read here ). Corruption is halting the benefits of the internet - our own companies and organizations are also involved. The discussion has started.

I'll be back in full writing mode soon - as I also have a day job, and the activity on this site has been extraordinary high - I'm just regrouping ... watch this space ....