Words, words, words! What do they really mean? Digital Village – Smart Community – CyberCity
Does it really matter what we call them, today? Will a new buzz word surface in another six months?
These questions flashed through my mind, this past week, as I watched a web cast event devoted to making the case for the installation of a bigger Internet “pipe” (that’s techie talk for broadband), throughout California. In order that our future ability and capacity to transmit information in a variety of formats would be met, our current Information Highways need to be enlarged and expanded.
In 2005, John Horrigan, Director of Research for the Pew Internet & American Life Project, produced a report titled, Broadband Adoption in the United States: Growing but Slowing. According to recent polls, the United States ranks anywhere from 12th to 16th in world in broadband penetration.
One of the reasons I wanted to tune in to the First Mile.US Spring Conference was to hear what Don Means, one of the leaders for Digital Village Associates (founded in Marin County over a decade ago) was advocating as next steps for our 21st Century Cyberspace. Coincidently, Don was a guest on Tech Corner, the Internet TV show sponsored by Pacific Clearstream Media Group in March 2005. These shows are still availablefor viewing 24/7 at http://www.pcmg.tv/techcorner/techcornerreplay.htm Scroll down to “Cyberville-USA & Meetup.com”
Those “Tech Corner” shows are another story; but back to our local Internet pipe, Information Highway, or whatever you want to call it. If we, as local citizens fail to encourage our local and state leaders to keep up with the latest ICT applications and developments, our local economy and community development projects will diminish and the quality of life in our villages, towns, or cities will be lessened. This is the reason why this blog constantly repeats the slogan, Think globally about your Cyberspace; but, act locally in your Cyberplace.
Continue to tune in periodically and read what this volunteer Cybernaut is thinking about “at the moment.” Please feel free to add your comments and your thoughts to each blog as they appear. Also help spread the word about the entry of the Petaluma Argus-Courier into the world of blogging.
On Our Radar Screen: Perhaps it would be wise to take a group snapshot of our city’s current use of telecommunications and computer technology before we push for the construction of a bigger pipe or information highway. Maybe our recently created citizens’ Telecommunication and Technology Advisory Committee could initiate this project. There are several community self-assessment and survey instruments, that gather these data currently available.
If we have the will, we also have the way. Let’s connect the dots, as a community, and move forward … now … before a new word is created.