You didn’t have to have “eagle-eyes” to read the headline in the 5-29-06 Technology Section of the SF Chronicle. It was music to my ears! Over 10 years ago, when we formed our local community group of Cybernauts called PetalumaNet, I felt that we would reach this level of use one day. The recent study released by the Pew Institute & American Life Project has substantiated this hope.
The Pew report stated that approximately 84 million U.S. residents now have broadband Internet access at home, up 40% from 60 million last year. PetalumaNet (1995) and the Petaluma CyberCity Roundtable (1998) have been working at the grass-roots level to promote greater use of computer technology and telecommunication in all sectors of our community. Wouldn’t be great if a local study could be undertaken in order that we could gather data related to how Petalumans are making use of ICT and the Internet? My hunch is that we would exceed the national averages; however, we really do not know for certain.
We have known all along that there was a correlation between income levels and Internet penetration; but due to equipment costs becoming cheaper, the so-called “digital divide” is narrowing. AS this trend continues and more and more citizens use the Internet to post their personal Web logs and other creative works, our Cyberspace and Cyberplace will become one and the same. It won’t happen overnight, but we’re on the way. How Americans will utilize the functionalities of the World Wide Web (WWW) is something else. Hopefully, organizations like the Pew Institute will continue to study and publish reports related to how ICT is transforming how we live, work, learn and play.
P.S. In light of this Pew report, I don’t feel too badly about my recent decision to cut back on blogging. The need for Our Cyberplace is not as critical now; therfore, there will be more time available to concentrate on Our Petaluma, Remembering Bill Soberanes, Our Web of Life, and Hammerhead. “Stop it, Bill! Your addiction to blogging isn’t over. Remember? You promised to talk less and walk the walk more. So – Be quiet and get on with it!” Stay tuned and find out if this blogger will keep his promise. (At least this post is shorter than most. Please give me a couple of days to wind down.)