Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!sbcs!debray From: debray@sbcs.UUCP (Saumya Debray) Newsgroups: net.politics,net.misc Subject: Re: RFC: Software as Foreign Aid ? Message-ID: <395@sbcs.UUCP> Date: Mon, 20-Jun-83 18:53:21 EDT Article-I.D.: sbcs.395 Posted: Mon Jun 20 18:53:21 1983 Date-Received: Wed, 22-Jun-83 02:22:58 EDT References: ut-ngp.353 Lines: 26 An interesting idea. The question that has to be answered is, how relevant will this aid be? Software is useful in information-intensive situations. Most countries that really *rely* on foreign aid are a long way from this. Their needs are, essentially, aids to ease the transition from predominantly agrarian/nomadic lifestyles to more balanced ones with a strong industrial base. One important factor in this transition is education, and I think CAI could be useful here; this type of software might be good foreign aid; I'm doubtful whether other types of software would be very useful. Another point to be remembered is that in technologically underdeveloped societies beginning to develop industrially, unemployment is generally high (as machines begin to take over tasks that used to require a lot of manpower), and under such conditions computers and automation are regarded with hostility by the general populace (because one computer can replace whole offices full of people). In order for aid to be useful, it has to be popularly accepted. On the plus side, software, unlike other forms of aid, probably cannot be easily diverted for the profit of corrupt officials. Saumya Debray ...philabs!sbcs!debray