The Digital Divide

[Perd Hapley]

I'm taking some Computers for Morons courses lately, and the textbooks all want to warn me about the Digital Divide; those with computer/internet access have an advantage over those without.  Even public libraries and schools in poorer neighborhoods are at a disadvantage with those in more affluent areas.

I'm not sure why this is brought up.  Do driver's education courses talk about the divide between those with and without cars?  Lack of transportation can be a pretty serious disadvantage in the job market. 

Aren't the poor always at a disadvantage in just about everything?  Isn't that why we all want money? 

Or am I missing something? 

[lee n. field]

Even public libraries and schools in poorer neighborhoods are at a disadvantage with those in more affluent areas.

Not necessarily true.  Computer and Internet use can be a trap.  I'd take a library with no computers, and good books, any time.

[freedom lover]

I'm not sure why this is brought up.

The authors might feel strongly enough about the issue to put it in their book when it is not necessary. What that tells you about them is your decision.

Aren't the poor always at a disadvantage in just about everything?  Isn't that why we all want money? 

Most definately.

[FTA84]

Job security?

Poor people don't have access to (), I teach (), therefore there should be government assistance to pay me to train the poor in ().

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Aren't the poor always at a disadvantage in just about everything?  Isn't that why we all want money? 

That's what I always thought.

Even public libraries and schools in poorer neighborhoods are at a disadvantage with those in more affluent areas.

So not only are there two Americas, there are two Googles?

[Perd Hapley]

The last two posts are awesomes!!11

[Standing Wolf]

Leftists focus upon divisions. America has always focused on similarities.

[Declaration Day]

So not only are there two Americas, there are two Googles?

Yes.

[MicroBalrog]

There are excellent charities out there hepling poor people get access to computers.

[vaskidmark]

There are excellent charities out there hepling poor people get access to computers.

But the French all have computers through their telephones, which are operated by the Post Office.

And we want to be just like them?  Why?

stay safe.

skidmark

[Perd Hapley]

Because they're thin and sophisticated. 

[Standing Wolf]

Because they're thin and sophisticated.

The French still tend to bathe once a week whether they need it or not.

By the bye, it may be worthwhile to look up the word "sophistry," which resides at the root of "sophisticated," a word of fairly recent origin.

[Antibubba]

I'm still surprised by how many Americans under the age of 60 don't have a computer.  I'm shocked by how many don't have an email address they can check at the library, church, or community center.  What the authors don't note is that much of the divide is voluntary--money not spent on computers or access is poured into big screen TVs, cars, you name it.  No one can believably claim they have no means to access a computer for 40 minutes a week, or that the means to do so is arcane and difficult. 

[Harold Tuttle]

[RocketMan]

I'm not sure why this is brought up.

Simple, it's to make you feel guilty.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Because they're thin and sophisticated. 

And they wear scarves everywhere.  Mustn't forget the scarves.

[Gewehr98]

I'm still surprised by how many Americans under the age of 60 don't have a computer.  I'm shocked by how many don't have an email address they can check at the library, church, or community center

I'm not. 

My parents finally bought a computer 2 years ago, and really don't use it much to this day.  It's not as much a necessity for them as much as it is a trinket, widget, or novelty.  They're fairly affluent, well-traveled, but haven't bought into the concept that one needs a home computer to manage their day-to-day lives.  I envy them at times.

[Declaration Day]

Computers are racist.  Now I've heard it all. 

[Regolith]

Computers are racist.  Now I've heard it all. 

Reminds me of when the California government decided that the master and slave designation for primary and secondary drives was racist.

[RevDisk]

Reminds me of when the California government decided that the master and slave designation for primary and secondary drives was racist.

...

Please tell me that was an April Fools' joke or something.  Hell, I'm fervently hoping the quote by the gentleman from Oakland is from the Onion or whatnot.

I'm deeply aware of how stupid people are at times, but both cases reveal something different than stupidity.  They reveal a deep disconnect from simple logic and reality.

[lee n. field]

Please tell me that was an April Fools' joke or something.

Nope.  I remember that.  Clicky the provided link.

[Regolith]

...

Please tell me that was an April Fools' joke or something. 

Unfortunately, it wasn't.

That one stuck out in my mind because that happened to be the same year I learned how to build computers and took an A+ course. I had just learned all of the lingo, so to speak, and I was flabbergasted when I heard California's "stance."

[FTA84]

Worse yet, when I was an undergrad, I had a professor that refused to call designate things "Master and Slave", which is very common in computer engineering even aside from drives.

I don't blame him though, he was a great guy, he was lazy and knew that people (liberals) would yell and scream over such a designation.  Ignorance of history I suppose, almost every race has been a slave at one time or another.