So I'm writing this up as something to provoke some thought in our IT minds as we go about innovating and creating policies in IT.

I believe it would be fair to say that computers don't solve our

rather they make the solutions more efficient and/or convinient.

Many people believe that computers and similar gadgets solve their

If it's good enough ;~).   --- On Thu, 8/7/08, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote: From: Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] computers and problems. To: kiriinya2000@yahoo.com Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 11:43 AM On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 11:36 AM, wesley kiriinya <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com> wrote: problems, problems.

Companies that create computers and marketers have used this idea to sell their products to the less IT knowlegable population. Because of various lies and half truths the ideas of the original creator of a product are never communicated therefore one finds people with different understandings of the same technology and what it does. Although this has existed for a long time it's only coming out clealy in the IT field because of its fast changing nature. Within one year what one knows about a technology can change as more about the technology is revealed.

Looking at what computers do, they are machines that run software, and software is just a bunch of instructions that manipulate hardware. A piece of software seems to solve a problem to the un-knowlegable IT user but to the originator/creator the solution was already created even before it was implemented in software ( otherwise what would the software be doing? Reminding you about your problems? ) and it is from this perspective that I believe computers can be viewed because by doing it the other way round one ends up with managers who buy tonnes of computer equipment and software thinking their company woes will suddenly come to an end ( It's easier to ask God for a miracle! ).

The problems need to be defined and solutions created in the ordinary way, leaving out the machines. Then let the machines do what they do best, crunch numbers faster and transmit data faster than humans.

Comments and criticisms most welcome.

Criticism: Which section of the ICT Policy document would you like this to go into? The preamble, maybe? :-) -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" --from a /. post

ICT/IT basically comes down to the machines. My point was that the idea that computers can solve our problems may be the wrong approach.   I see in the list stuff like digital villages and they are meant to enhance the livelihood of people living in rural areas. The idea of putting computers there is awesome but what solution are these computers helping to enhance i.e. the computers, in themselves, aren't the solution but this is the image that seems to be marketed generally about IT solutions and not the idea that "here is your solution and here is the computer to enhace the solution".   Another example, education. The image given to many of those primary school kids about computers is that they are like the ultimate solution to our problems.   8~)   --- On Thu, 8/7/08, Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote: From: Odhiambo Washington <odhiambo@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] computers and problems. To: kiriinya2000@yahoo.com Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Thursday, August 7, 2008, 12:08 PM On Thu, Aug 7, 2008 at 11:47 AM, wesley kiriinya <kiriinya2000@yahoo.com> wrote:

If it's good enough ;~).

Honestly, I did not see the relevance to this list. It occurred to me that you were thinking aloud only. But maybe it will make good material for some form of "alternative" inspirational/motivational speaking - not sure how to put it though. Inspirational for my boss - so he shouldn't be thinking that getting me a new computer will make all his problems to be solved in half the usual time. Motivational for me - now that the boss knows, I'll not be under so much pressure to deliver because it's me working, not the computer! You can become a motivational speaker to employers and employees:-) -- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Oh My God! They killed init! You Bastards!" --from a /. post