Session-I
-Start & Introduction by Stephane Boyera, W3C
-Welcome by Arun Tanksali, Jataayu Software, India, hosting the workshop in Bangalore
Brief about purpose of workshop
Brief about Jataayu Software activities
-Brief presentation about W3C in general & MWI in particular by Stephane Boyera
Activities of W3C
W3C Initiatives
Key enabling factors such as Outreach, guidelines, Tools & resources such as validators & checkers, training
History of W3C
MWI started in 2005
2006 : help bridging digital divide and provide access to Mobile Web
Role of ICT to sustain development (Areas-egov,education ,health, banking, Community services, business etc.
Need for Mobile Web
Mobile phones have penetrated fast in Developing countries as compared to PC
Success stories Successful pre-web mobile applications in banking, e-gov, business, news through SMS & WAP
Challenges
Mobile Applications
Network Technologies
User Interface
Concentrated discussions on next steps & how W3C can help
Thanks to sponsor INRIA TNO, European commission IST programme, 3GWeb project
Thanks to Host : Jataayu Software
Agenda of workshop
Few words by TBL
Movie by S.de Gennaro
Panel on mobile applications
Panel on Network Technologies
Breakout session
Panel on fieldwork
Panel on Technologies
Panel on UI design
Next step & Workshop output
Video Address by Sir Tim Berners Lee
He welcomed all to workshop, and emphasized on importance of mobile web, Changing Technologies, Feedback from developing countries on acceptability , Internationalization, Localization and for these W3C will be opening offices in developing countries
Movie by S.de GEnnaro, Head, CERN
Founder Informaticiens Sans Frontiers
Movie was about concern for Digital Divide. Movie was shot 3 years ago. It focuses on how Internet and technologies are changing life of people. It covers several places like Dakar, Mali, Rajmako, Timbuktu to collect information and people reaction who want to make something from nothing. The position in Africa is that single computer is there for 50 people. Internet here means communication to them. New technology provides opportunities to people but Africa needs a lot of commitment.
It has to face problems & barriers such as availability of basic infrastructure in remote areas such as electricity, People want to keep contact, send mails but have priorities other than Internet. Its top technology, but messages were sent before also using post but important question is how Internet affects life of poor people & woman. UNESCO/UN may think about it that people have to be prepared for technology , before bringing Internet.
Nets are required for fishing ,Internet is not solution to every problem, we need rivers
Tech comes in steps, they are not ready. For ICT in Africa barriers include political problems, corruption, monopoly, taxes etc. as shown in presentation.
For the people there are things in life that needs to be addressed first before the use of technologies, Internet is great technology, but there are problems which need to be sorted out in daily life for their survival, betterment of society. PC penetration is low, Electricity position is bad, Telephone lines fail sometime. They need to be made aware of technologies educated about it but in steps. First their basic problem of livelihood should be sorted through better use of technologies. There are cultural barriers like illiteracy, moral beliefs. Through promotion of literacy, capacity should be built to assemble computers locally to make it cost effective.
Raghunathan, Google
Question : Saving through assembly of Computers, does it save cost ?
Ans. Targeting volume through NGO, fixed computers are needed to be spread across Africa. NGO can help them to produce volumes to cut cost. Some sponsors can come in to support it.
Prashanth : mobi SiteGalore
Que: Position of Content availability locally
Ans.:Universities create content on web. There are lot of promotional websites by companies in Africa.
Ken Banks, kiwanja.net
Que: ICT too many organizations working together
Ans: We are open to collaboration, If we can join then there is big forum and we can work together to cut cost
Arun , Jataayu Software
Q: Keyboard and mouse are enough for input or you need other devices?
Ans. : Possibility of using microphones to speak to websites, a lot of people in Africa are mapping their languages in actual keyboard to work through conventional keyboards. New devices are also important as it is interesting to work using these.
Gopinath, IISc
Que : What Script is used in African countries covered in film
Ans.: This film was shot in countries speaking French. Local languages in Mali are 9 different languages. Developing keyboard for mapping languages is important so that it could be used for their languages. There is lot of content volume in these languages.
Guido Grassel,Nokia
Que:What sites the people visit: local sites
Ans. : People go to cyber café for email, Search for jobs, Internet is expensive, they don’t spend time in surfing, they follow International sites. A functional site was created with functional forms providing services and lot of people use it.
Stephane Boyera W3C
Que: e-gov kind of site is mentioned by you , do people use it
Ans.: They want to connect together through the system which is functional to pay the tax, they use it in limits as cost of connectivity is high
V NShukla, CDAC
Que : Users of Malaria project, who are the users of project
Ans.: These project came as Idea , looking forward to an application with lot of computing needs. We found an institute which wanted to works on infections area. 2000 people are downloading and using this in the first phase.
Navjot : Opera: Level of general awareness about information about outside world
Ans:There are people completely isolated. In towns in Western Africa there ate French TV channels so they are exposed to International culture.
Bill Gillis, CBDD: What is the level of preparation needed to make them use online technologies ?
They need a lot of preparation needed, you have to think of financial aspect and how
Anush shetty, Student: Need of Information on employment, to use it as as tourist guide or make their ivelihood and employment in Africa
Its required. It is available on web and they look out for jobs on Internet. Web is complimenting to increases their chances to serve and tap the potential openings. They are using web as medium to create more jobs
Ken Banks, kiwanja.net : What do you see importance of mobile in your project, any ideas.
If this approach is offered at low cost it can be very good for developing countries. To solve the problem of communities through connectivity, mobile is actually the best solution if it could be offered at low cost. We could deliver lot more.
Stepane, W3C: How can you bring people to the web to provide knowledge to them
Ans.: Good website can build the interest and speak about it in their culture, it is going to create interest. There are communities which are completely isolated, but they are now studying, because the young people feel that they are going to web and create their website to connect to people. In 2000, another NGO created a link a link between University of Geneva and local university, where they discussed critical cases on surgery for treating and local doctor could benefit from. The doctors in Geneva could find the cases which have for information in Africa so they will connect with Africa to get all details adding to their experience.