- KICTANet - KICTANet

PRESENTATION OF RESULTS OF RESEARCH ON TELCOMS AND INTERNET ACTI VITY IN KENYA
by James Nguo 28 Nov '05

28 Nov '05

Dear KICTANet members, As mentioned during the Consumer Protection Consultative Meeting on 24th Oct 2005 at Jacaranda Hotel, I will be presenting the results of telcoms and internet activity here in Kenya. I take the pleasure to invite you all to this meeting. Please confirm your participation through <james(a)alin.or.ke> I have attached an invitation for your review Best wishes James Nguo Regional Director Arid Lands Information Network-Eastern Africa (ALIN-EA), P.O. Box 10098, 00100 G.P.O. Nairobi, Kenya, AAYMCA Building, Along State House Crescent, Off State House Avenue. Tel +254 20 2731557 Telefax +254 20 2737813 Cell Phone +254 -722-561006 Email: james(a)alin.or.ke Website: www.alin.or.ke ------------------------------------------------------------- Enriched livelihoods of the people in arid areas of Eastern Africa through targeted information support and facilitation of information exchange

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meetings and ISP forum
by alice＠apc.org 28 Nov '05

28 Nov '05

Dear all I shall be away from Nairobi from Monday 28th November to December 10, 2005. I will be attending the ICANN meeting. kind regards Alice Wanjira National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws

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WSIS Youth Caucus in Tunis
by constance georgina 26 Nov '05

26 Nov '05

Dear Friends, I hope you are well and in the best of spirits, for more information on the WSIS Youth Caucus RYNICS campaigns and presentations, and substantial positive contribution that we as young leaders made at WSIS Tunis last week, visit: www.wsisyouth.org, www.wsistunis2005.tn, (kenya) www.madeinkenya.org, http://projects.takingitglobal.org/wsisyouthkenya For youth caucus blogs (except those syndicated!) you can check out the events page too: http://events.takingitglobal.org/wsistunis/blog, Photos will also be uploaded soon here:http://events.takingitglobal.org/wsistunis/photos/ Get Informed! Get Involved! Bridge the Digital Divide! Kindest Regards Connie Constance Georgina Khaendi Walyaro Citron Wood President Oxfam International Youth Parliament (OIYP) Action Partner UNOY Peacebuilders Affiliate Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS East Africa Focal Point XVI International AIDS Conference Scientific Programme Committee Member: Track A National WSIS Subcommittee Youth Representative WSIS Youth Caucus RYNICs (Kenya) National Campaign Coordinator 'youth building a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world' OIYP. --------------------------------- To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre.

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WSIS Youth Caucus in Tunis
by constance georgina 26 Nov '05

26 Nov '05

Dear Friends, I hope you are well and in the best of spirits, for more information on the WSIS Youth Caucus RYNICS campaigns and presentations, and substantial positive contribution that we as young leaders made at WSIS Tunis last week, visit: www.wsisyouth.org, www.wsistunis2005.tn, (kenya) www.madeinkenya.org, http://projects.takingitglobal.org/wsisyouthkenya For youth caucus blogs (except those syndicated!) you can check out the events page too: http://events.takingitglobal.org/wsistunis/blog, Photos will also be uploaded soon here:http://events.takingitglobal.org/wsistunis/photos/ Get Informed! Get Involved! Bridge the Digital Divide! Kindest Regards Connie Constance Georgina Khaendi Walyaro Citron Wood President Oxfam International Youth Parliament (OIYP) Action Partner UNOY Peacebuilders Affiliate Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS East Africa Focal Point XVI International AIDS Conference Scientific Programme Committee Member: Track A National WSIS Subcommittee Youth Representative WSIS Youth Caucus RYNICs (Kenya) National Campaign Coordinator 'youth building a peaceful, equitable and sustainable world' OIYP. --------------------------------- How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos. Get Yahoo! Photos

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Fwd: [Kictanet] Internet (ISPs) Consumer Forum....
by John Walubengo 25 Nov '05

25 Nov '05

We have in the recent two weeks, witnessed this 'roller-coaster' phenomena that continues to unfold within our political and social circles... Can we however say that like the Italians, politics never affected us and we stayed focused and are therefore ready to host the above forum next week Thrs 1st Dec 2005 as planned? AITEC (Andrew), I wonder what is the state of the logistics (Invites, Adverts, Venue, etc) on this one? walu.

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Fw: [governance] Assessment of WSIS Outcomes for Internet Governance
by alice＠apc.org 24 Nov '05

24 Nov '05

This analysis is currently available at www.IP3.gatech.edu . It should soon be available at www.InternetGovernance.org November 23, 2005 An Assessment of the WSIS-2/Tunis '05 Outcomes The outcomes of the Tunis World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) are significant -- and rather surprising. ICANN emerges from the summit both unchanged and significantly different. After WSIS it has a stronger claim to legitimacy. ICANN emerged unchanged, in that its institutional structures - most notably its mechanisms for political oversight - were not amended. ICANN continues to operate under the formal authority of a single government, the US. Such a unilateral globalization model is a novel arrangement, quite unlike what is used in other global sectors (e.g. telephony or communication satellites.) The US continues to exercise a kind of unipolar authority it does not have in physical space. But ICANN also emerges from WSIS radically different: it is now endowed with a greater degree of legitimacy. Over a period of four years the UN family of nations intensely scrutinized ICANN, Internet governance, and unilateral US oversight, and they came to a decision: they declined to change ICANN's structures. Whereas US control was previously the product of a unilateral assertion, it is now the outcome of a lengthy process of scrutiny by all nations. Thus ICANN's greatest weakeness - its lack of legitimacy and its related lack of support from governments around the world - is less after WSIS. From now on, governments that criticize ICANN are criticizing an arrangement that they themselves reviewed and left unchanged. The WSIS decision cannot really be called an endorsement of ICANN. The text nowhere mentions ICANN by name, and there is no real declaration of support. Still, the UN has decided not to act against the organization, and this collective inaction is the final word after years of debate. The Internet Governance Forum Another important WSIS outcome is the launch of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). Two features characterize the IGF. First, it is a multi-stakeholder forum. Although a creation of the UN, the forum membership will include more than just UN member states; participating equally will be entities from the private sector and from civil society. Second, the forum has no concrete power. It is an advisory body. Its member will discuss and formulate collective recommendations, but those recommendations will not carry the weight of policy. Still, the forum could become powerful. A forum is a prerequisite for collective action at the global level, making possible communication, interest aggregation, bargaining, and decision. WSIS was itself a forum, and it made possible certain collective decisions of great political import. (For more on the functionality of forums see the article "Understanding WSIS" in the journal Information Technology and International Development.) If the new forum makes continued collective decision-making possible, it could be a powerful entity. Its recommendations could be formalized by national governments. Still one might ask, what is new about this forum? ICANN already has advisory committees for governments and for civil society members, and the private sector controls its board outright. Why create another mechanism for formulating advice? The answer is that this new forum will primarily have a policy focus. Whereas ICANN's bodies ostensibly focus on technical coordination, the IGF will focus on all issues of Internet governance. This dual arrangement formalizes the questionable division of Internet governance into two domains: ICANN's domain of technical coordination and the IGF's domain of public policy. It risks validating the inaccurate claim that ICANN is a purely technical body without policy-making content. Implications: ICANN and IGF In an earlier analysis entitled "ICANN Reform: Establishing the Rule of Law" I argued that ICANN needed a legislative mandate. It now has some of that. The Tunis documents are a major step in that direction. The locus of policy making will now shift. Fundamental disputes about ICANN's structures of policy-making have been settled (at least for now.) The next step is to work within those structures. WSIS defined two forums for policy making: ICANN, for matters of technical coordination, and the IGF, for everything else. In the short term, most Internet governance activity will switch to ICANN, where debates will occur within the ICANN structures. They will focus more on substantive issues relating to technical coordination. Of particular note is ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC). The GAC is the forum where governments have the opportunity to look in on ICANN decision-making and offer their advice. It will likely become a much more important body - perhaps the most important body - in ICANN. At WSIS governments made it clear that they want a greater voice in ICANN decisions, and the GAC will be the vehicle for that. Thanks to WSIS governments now know a lot more about ICANN issues, so their participation should be more informed and effective. Civil society does not have a strong base within ICANN. The Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) operates at a disadvantage vis-à-vis the multiple commercial constituencies. Even weaker is ICANN's At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC), which is a pale shadow of the earlier user representation on the board. Ever since business and technical interests eliminated elections, civil society participation has been constrained. Outside of ICANN, the Internet Society (ISOC) is not a reliable home for civil society. Since 2002 business interests control ISOC by virtue of having rewritten its bylaws in a manner similar to ICANN. ISOC, however, still claims to be a civil society organization. What user organizations are in ALAC are mostly sub-units of ISOC. In summary, the situation for civil society in the post-WSIS ICANN is a major source of concern. A top priority for civil society should be reforming ALAC. With ICANN confirmed as the one operational institution for global Internet governance, civil society should develop a more effective voice there. Investing in ALAC and NCUC is one way to achieve that. The second forum emerging from WSIS is the Internet Governance Forum. The IGF can be thought of as a continuation of the WSIS, since it provides a place for multistakeholder discussion of a very large number of issues. The key question here is whether governments embrace it. With GAC already established and offering a rich agenda, some governments may question the utility of a second advisory forum. Industry interests are likely to be cool to the IGF, since they have so much more influence in ICANN. Civil society, with its weak base in ICANN, may have the most at stake in the IGF, but they may not be able to make it succeed without the commitment of those other stakeholders. Conclusion Before WSIS ICANN was a sort of Frankenstein organization created in the basement of the US Department of Commerce. No formal delegation of authority from the US Congress authorized its exercise of public powers. Nor did its global elections give it legitimacy, since they were canceled before full implementation. Now ICANN can claim some degree of public authority. Many people may regret the UN's implicit endorsement of ICANN, but no one can easily dismiss the validity of the process. ICANN is the same but different. The next step in the policy process will be to work within its structures. There is one additional possibility, not mentioned above, that looms over Internet governance: technology re-design. With WSIS leaving ICANN in place, those dissatisfied with ICANN are likely to move away from a political strategy. Instead, they may see more promise in trying to eliminate the single root. One example in this trend is the Open Root Server Network (orsn.org) which is creating a parallel network of servers that are autonomous of ICANN. With such innovations in place, the power in controlling the authoritative root server is reduced. In the near future, it will be interesting to see how many groups propose technical innovations that effectively decentralize the root. References WSIS Decision: "Tunis Agenda for the Information Society," 15 November 2005, WSIS-05/TUNIS/DOC/6(Rev.1)-E "Understanding WSIS: An Institutional Analysis of the World Summit on the Information Society," Information Technology and International Development, published by MIT Press, 2005. "ICANN Reform: Establishing the Rule of Law," web published analysis. Articles can be found at www.InternetGovernance.org and www.IP3.gatech.edu. Author is Hans Klein, Associate Professor of Public Policy at Georgia Institute of Technology and Partner in the Internet Governance Project. The paper benefited from comments by Milton Mueller. ### -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > _______________________________________________ > governance mailing list > governance(a)lists.cpsr.org > https://ssl.cpsr.org/mailman/listinfo/governance >

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Habitat Jam Event at the Pavement all KICTANet members invited
by alice＠apc.org 23 Nov '05

23 Nov '05

Hi all You are all invited to the UN-Habitat JAM event taking place tomorrow Thursday 24th at the Pavement (is it a bar or restaurant?) from 4.00 to 7.00 alice

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Fw: Habitat JAM Info
by alice＠apc.org 23 Nov '05

23 Nov '05

KICTANet members more information on the UN-HABITAT Jam. Brian will be posting more information on tomorrow's event thanks alice --------------------------------------------------------- As a preparation for WUFIII in Vancouver, the UN-HABITAT are collaborating >> with the Government of Canada to create a large internet discussion on >> sustainable cities. This discussion, the Habitat JAM, will be held across >> the world on December 1-3. >> >> A large effort is to be made to include participants from organisations > and >> individuals who will not be able to come to Vancouver. To ensure these >> participants the use of phones, SMS services and internet through mobile >> network GPRS is going to be provided. The World Bank Institute is opening >> about 50 of their GDLN sites for persons who do not have access to > internet >> elsewhere. Local translators will be recruited to make it possible for >> non-English speaking persons to be able to participate. >> >> The Habitat JAM is divided into 6 fora, covering the following subjects: >> >> · Improving the Lives of People Living in Slums (English and French >> fora) >> · Sustainable Access to Water in Our Cities >> · Environmental Sustainability in Our Cities >> · Finance and Governance in Our Cities >> · Safety and Security in Our Cities >> · Humanity: The Future of Our Cities >> >> The JAM participants is divided into four groups: Moderators are high >> profile persons with an interest for urban sustainability; Subject Matter >> Experts are the world's experts in each of the forum topics; Facilitators >> keep the JAM going by providing services as translation, phone and > internet >> support, and reviewing the posts into the JAM; The Participant is > everybody >> else. >> >> More information and brochures can be found at: http://www.habitatjam.com >> >> >> Best Regards, >> Daniel >> >> (See attached file: Overview.pdf) >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Daniel Vilnersson >> Habitat JAM / WUF Consultant >> Global Division, UN-HABITAT >> P.O. Box 30030, Nairobi 00100, Kenya >> e-mail: daniel.vilnersson(a)unhabitat.org >> tel: +254 20 62 3188 >> cell: +254 725 892 243 >> www.unhabitat.com >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> Register NOW for the Habitat JAM at www.habitatjam.com! > > -- > A Wanjira-Munyua > National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) > Association for Progressive Communications (APC) > alice(a)apc.org > http://www.apc.org > http://www.catia.ws > > > > >

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Re: I am told the Radio Station is now back on air...
by John Walubengo 18 Nov '05

18 Nov '05

In an even more suprising move, the .KE Govt seems to have put back on air the recently disabled vernacular station... Incidentally, I do not support abuse of the press freedom by the media. However, Government has an obligation to follow laid down regulatory procedures with regard to implementating some of its penalty clauses. The Radio Station's lawyers would (may have) argue(d) that CCK may not have followed the procedurs when it came to shutting down the stations operations. Such regulations apparently provide for written notices of intention to shutdown - complete with reasons as to why the action is to be taken. This would give the offending station an opportunity to mend its way, or face the penalty it may deserve in 'due' course. walu. >>> "Wainaina Mungai" <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> 11/17/05 10:00AM >>> Dear Walu, In the interest of public good and a responsible media, I believe it is unfair for us to condone a media house that encourages violence no matter what side of the political divide it may support. We need a more responsible media and should not allow a bad press to hide behind "press freedom" whenever they are caught breaking the law. Even the KANU government had a good basis for shutting down a certain media house in the past. There was clear evidence of slunder and some of you may have listened to some broadcasts. That aside, the media house had installed masts in locations where it had no clearance for the same and used signal strengths higher than required resulting in interference witrh other communication equipment. Residents (consumers) especially in Karen complained to CCK and action was taken. Not everything done by CCK (govt for that matter) is politically motivated. --- Wainaina Mungai http://www.madeinkenya.org SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. > -------Original Message------- > From: John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> > Subject: Re: [Kictanet] US RETAINS INTERNET CONTROL-as Kenyan Govt Cracks down on Broadcasting Station > Sent: 17 Nov '05 09:10 > > Meanwhile, back home, the .KE govt shut down a local broadcasting station in a move reminiscent to the old days of a former Kenyan regime. The station is assured that they will be back on air AFTER the crucial referendum vote on a proposed National constitution scheduled for early next week... > > mhhhh...very interesting and contentious development on the local ICT scene. > > walu. > > > > > >>> <alice(a)apc.org> 11/17/05 07:06am >>> > US RETAINS INTERNET CONTROL > 17.11.2005. 10:36:34 > > Control of the domain name system that governs internet traffic will > remain in US hands under an agreement adopted at a United Nations > technology summit in Tunisia. > > Under the eleventh- hour deal the California-based Internet > Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), which answers to > the US government, will remain in control of the daily management of > the internet. > > The European Union says the agreement will lead to "further > internationalisation of Internet governance, and enhanced > intergovernmental cooperation to this end". > > But despite EU pressure, there is no mechanism forcing United States > to share oversight of the domain name system. > > US Ambassador David Mr Gross, who is the head of the US delegation at > the meeting, says the deal essentially endorsed the status quo. > > "There's nothing new in this document that wasn't already out there > before," Ambassador Gross said. > > Nations such as China and Iran had been pushing for an international > body under UN auspices to oversee the net. > > Widening the web > > The three-day meeting, convened by more than 170 countries, aims to > find ways to use information communication technologies to help > improve living standards in some of the world's poorest nations. > > Opening the event, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the world > to do more to narrow the technology gap between rich and poor. > > But worldwide only 14% of the population is online, compared with 62% > in the US. > > In his address to the meeting, Mr Annan said that "for far too many > people, the gains remain out of reach". > > "There is a tremendous yearning, not for technology per se, but for > what technology can make possible," he said, urging delegates to take > action. > > "The hurdles are more of a political than financial nature," he added. > "It is possible to lower the costs of connectivity, computers and > mobile phones." > > But money remains a key issue. A voluntary Digital Solidarity Fund > intended to help finance technology projects in developing countries > has so far only raised $9 million in cash and pledges. > > "The challenge to the developing world is now to make sure they have > the infrastructure, rules, legal processes and the market systems to > attract the investment of the technologies that we see on display at > the summit," said US Assistant Secretary for Commerce Michael Gallagher. > > Wind-up Computer > > At the conference, team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of > Technology (MIT) unveiled a wind-up laptop computer that can be bought > for as little as $130- a price tag low enough to offer bring the > benefits of the Internet to many people living in developing countries. > > The relatively basic machine uses a 500 MHz processor and is installed > with the reliable and free Linux operating system. > > Other features include wireless Internet connectivity and a small, 1 > Gigabyte memory space, still enough to allow users to access the Internet. > > The most outstanding feature is a crank-handle fitted on one side of > the machine that allows its battery to be recharged by manual winding > - a precious asset where access to electrical power is scarce. > > The model, which is scheduled to go into production in 2006, will not > be available for sale but will be distributed to schools directly > through large government initiatives. > > A new, non-profit association, One Laptop per Child (OLPC), has been > created to co-ordinate the computer's distribution. > > The aim is to produce some five million units a year, with the first > models destined for distribution in Brazil, China, Egypt, South Africa > and Thailand. > > > > SOURCE: World News > > > > > > Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica > > Also if you are interested to join a Swahili/English discussion group click > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kiswahili > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > a.. Visit your group "DigAfrica" on the web. > > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com > > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > --- > Submitted by: John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> 2005-11-17 01:39:23 EST5 > (Please reply to original submitter for private communication) > --- > You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [wainaina.mungai(a)oneworld.net] > To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-kiplist-cl-117112D(a)lyris.idrc.ca > > _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet

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Re: [Kictanet] Re: I am told the Radio Station is now back on air...
by Alex Gakuru 18 Nov '05

18 Nov '05

But then, the government also has a sworn duty to protect every Kenyan (even from harming themselves, that's why even those that succeed in committing suicide are charged and found guilty post hummusly). Rules should be followed by everyone including govt (and especially CCK). CCK is in double tragedy because the disenfranchised ICT consumers may sue them soon for failing to protect them when the law commands CCK (inter alia). Sections 23 and 47 of the Kenya Communications Act,1998 "the Commission is required to ensure that communications services are provided throughout Kenya and that the interests of all users of these services are protected with respect to prices charged for and the quality and variety of those services among other responsibilities" Walu, would you know of the contentious content? Our lawyers are reading yours' arguments and acting real soon. AG ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Walubengo" <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> To: <kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke>; <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> Sent: Friday, November 18, 2005 3:22 PM Subject: [Kictanet] Re: I am told the Radio Station is now back on air... > In an even more suprising move, the .KE Govt seems to have put back on air the recently disabled vernacular station... > > Incidentally, I do not support abuse of the press freedom by the media. However, Government has an obligation to follow laid down regulatory procedures with regard to implementating some of its penalty clauses. > > The Radio Station's lawyers would (may have) argue(d) that CCK may not have followed the procedurs when it came to shutting down the stations operations. Such regulations apparently provide for written notices of intention to shutdown - complete with reasons as to why the action is to be taken. This would give the offending station an opportunity to mend its way, or face the penalty it may deserve in 'due' course. > > walu. > > >>> "Wainaina Mungai" <wainaina(a)madeinkenya.org> 11/17/05 10:00AM >>> > Dear Walu, > > In the interest of public good and a responsible media, I believe it is unfair for us to condone a media house that encourages violence no matter what side of the political divide it may support. We need a more responsible media and should not allow a bad press to hide behind "press freedom" whenever they are caught breaking the law. > > Even the KANU government had a good basis for shutting down a certain media house in the past. There was clear evidence of slunder and some of you may have listened to some broadcasts. That aside, the media house had installed masts in locations where it had no clearance for the same and used signal strengths higher than required resulting in interference witrh other communication equipment. Residents (consumers) especially in Karen complained to CCK and action was taken. > > Not everything done by CCK (govt for that matter) is politically motivated. > > --- > Wainaina Mungai > http://www.madeinkenya.org > > SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. > > > > -------Original Message------- > > From: John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> > > Subject: Re: [Kictanet] US RETAINS INTERNET CONTROL-as Kenyan Govt Cracks down on Broadcasting Station > > Sent: 17 Nov '05 09:10 > > > > Meanwhile, back home, the .KE govt shut down a local broadcasting station in a move reminiscent to the old days of a former Kenyan regime. The station is assured that they will be back on air AFTER the crucial referendum vote on a proposed National constitution scheduled for early next week... > > > > mhhhh...very interesting and contentious development on the local ICT scene. > > > > walu. > > > > > > > > > > >>> <alice(a)apc.org> 11/17/05 07:06am >>> > > US RETAINS INTERNET CONTROL > > 17.11.2005. 10:36:34 > > > > Control of the domain name system that governs internet traffic will > > remain in US hands under an agreement adopted at a United Nations > > technology summit in Tunisia. > > > > Under the eleventh- hour deal the California-based Internet > > Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann), which answers to > > the US government, will remain in control of the daily management of > > the internet. > > > > The European Union says the agreement will lead to "further > > internationalisation of Internet governance, and enhanced > > intergovernmental cooperation to this end". > > > > But despite EU pressure, there is no mechanism forcing United States > > to share oversight of the domain name system. > > > > US Ambassador David Mr Gross, who is the head of the US delegation at > > the meeting, says the deal essentially endorsed the status quo. > > > > "There's nothing new in this document that wasn't already out there > > before," Ambassador Gross said. > > > > Nations such as China and Iran had been pushing for an international > > body under UN auspices to oversee the net. > > > > Widening the web > > > > The three-day meeting, convened by more than 170 countries, aims to > > find ways to use information communication technologies to help > > improve living standards in some of the world's poorest nations. > > > > Opening the event, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on the world > > to do more to narrow the technology gap between rich and poor. > > > > But worldwide only 14% of the population is online, compared with 62% > > in the US. > > > > In his address to the meeting, Mr Annan said that "for far too many > > people, the gains remain out of reach". > > > > "There is a tremendous yearning, not for technology per se, but for > > what technology can make possible," he said, urging delegates to take > > action. > > > > "The hurdles are more of a political than financial nature," he added. > > "It is possible to lower the costs of connectivity, computers and > > mobile phones." > > > > But money remains a key issue. A voluntary Digital Solidarity Fund > > intended to help finance technology projects in developing countries > > has so far only raised $9 million in cash and pledges. > > > > "The challenge to the developing world is now to make sure they have > > the infrastructure, rules, legal processes and the market systems to > > attract the investment of the technologies that we see on display at > > the summit," said US Assistant Secretary for Commerce Michael Gallagher. > > > > Wind-up Computer > > > > At the conference, team of researchers from Massachusetts Institute of > > Technology (MIT) unveiled a wind-up laptop computer that can be bought > > for as little as $130- a price tag low enough to offer bring the > > benefits of the Internet to many people living in developing countries. > > > > The relatively basic machine uses a 500 MHz processor and is installed > > with the reliable and free Linux operating system. > > > > Other features include wireless Internet connectivity and a small, 1 > > Gigabyte memory space, still enough to allow users to access the Internet. > > > > The most outstanding feature is a crank-handle fitted on one side of > > the machine that allows its battery to be recharged by manual winding > > - a precious asset where access to electrical power is scarce. > > > > The model, which is scheduled to go into production in 2006, will not > > be available for sale but will be distributed to schools directly > > through large government initiatives. > > > > A new, non-profit association, One Laptop per Child (OLPC), has been > > created to co-ordinate the computer's distribution. > > > > The aim is to produce some five million units a year, with the first > > models destined for distribution in Brazil, China, Egypt, South Africa > > and Thailand. > > > > > > > > SOURCE: World News > > > > > > > > > > > > Dig Africa site welcomes you to join us at > > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/Digafrica > > > > Also if you are interested to join a Swahili/English discussion group click > > http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/kiswahili > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ > > YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS > > > > a.. Visit your group "DigAfrica" on the web. > > > > b.. To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > DigAfrica-unsubscribe(a)yahoogroups.com > > > > c.. Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > --- > > Submitted by: John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> 2005-11-17 01:39:23 EST5 > > (Please reply to original submitter for private communication) > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [wainaina.mungai(a)oneworld.net] > > To unsubscribe, forward this message to leave-kiplist-cl-117112D(a)lyris.idrc.ca > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke > http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > __________________________________ Yahoo! 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