Message-ID: <1.5.4b12.32.19960410012408.00741af0@monmouth.com> Date: Tue, 9 Apr 1996 21:24:08 -0400 From: Wilbur Streett <mailto:wstreett@MONMOUTH.COM> Subject: Development and Grand Plans.. To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L <mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU>
I just wanted to interject some observations from my 20 years of technology development.There's nothing like wasting a couple of million dollars to get people to pay attention to the work that has to be done. Most of the grand, well funded plans that I've come accross have failed, and failed miserably, but they have also created a situation where people notice that there is an opportunity for a technology to be used. Most often the actual development of the technology was done by a relatively small number of people, without fanfare or recognition, and with little in the way of resources. Most often the people that had the least to do with the technology, and understood it the least, are the ones that take the lion's share of the credit. While the people that have created the model that was repeated over and over again in successful implementations are forgotten in the clamour of glory seekers and people looking to make a profit.
The comment that was made about the Internet being created with little or no funding is quite correct, and we are still doing the same thing. A few years there was a big argument over whether the Government should fund the "Information Super Highway" in a forum frequented by several journalists. I posted a very strong opinion against the propositon, pointing that that we have done pretty well so far, and that the infrastructure already existed in the US for all of the traffic that we would ever care to generate. I pointed out that a government subsidy would just funnel into the pockets of the Telco's and wasn't required. I was promptly asked to leave the forum by the mediator, who wanted to use government funding as her vehicle into the spotlight. I was properly angry when this same moderator went on to write an article for the New York Times that quoted my position almost verbatium. The government still hasn't invested in the infrastructure, and the Internet has exploded quite nicely in spite of the government's best efforts.
Today, the Internet is the vehicle of choice for the Capital markets to generate income, and we have Internet companies going public without ever having turned a profit, or even having established a revenue stream. History has shown us that these companies will eventually fail, since their easy access to capital will prevent them from properly developing the business model and corporate culture that they will need to sustain their operations.
So if Abu would like to create a grand plan, get the big money interests and the Politicians involved, I think that it's a good idea, something needs to be done to keep them busy while the real work of implementing technology is done. Who knows, perhaps the government involvement and large financing will have some positive effect, certainly we should welcome them to the party, since they are going to get involved whether they are invited or not.
On the other hand, I bet that with a few dedicated individuals, and a lot of old surplus equipment, a lot of technology can make it's way to Africa. Perhaps once the technology has found it's way to where it can be useful, funding and government involvement can make a difference, but until the cultural niche has been found, no amount of money or any grand plan is going to make much of a difference.
Wilbur --------------------------------------- Putting a human face on technology. ;-) ---------------------------------------