patth@dasys1.UUCP (Patt Haring) (08/07/87)
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Electronic Peace Corps Proposal
Feb. 8, 1986
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WHY NOT AN ELECTRONIC PEACE CORPS?
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By David H. Rothman
WASHINGTON--In an Atlanta suburb a $50,000-a-year engineer spends
countless hours twiddling with his new IBM comuter. The technology
engrosses him, but he lacks a sense of purpose. In southeast Asia,
meanwhile, a young man wrestles with calculations needed to build a
hydroelectric dam. He thinks his figures are correct, yet isn't certain--
and thousands of people will die if the dam collapses.
Can the Atlanta engineer somehow help his counterpart abroad?
There is a way, if politicians for once will appeal to the better
instincts of technicians. An Electronic Peace Corps could bring these two
together and offer the Third World some of the best American technical
expertise via computer networks. A useful lap-sized computer sells for
less than a $700 with an economy printer, and much better, cheaper, simpler
portables are on the way.
What's more, thanks to satellites, international communications costs
are falling; and 1,000-word messages anywhere in the world, via special
packet-switching networks, could cost just $1. Already, American users of
a private net called Econet pay just 25 cents a message plus a small
membership fee to send information anywhere from Sweden to Japan, and soon
Third World nations such as Sri Lanka will be online.
The Electronic Peace Corps, then, needn't threaten the taxpayers. By
basically exporting knowledge instead of people, it in fact would give us
more for our money. It would emphasize the basics like health,
agriculture, transportation and communications.
Carrying out the idea, the U.S. government or private groups might
keep computer files listing the skills and information required in specific
underdeveloped countries, identifying the individuals abroad who needed
help, and the Americans who might be able to provide it. Most of the
Americans wouldn't even be computer experts--just people with the right
technical knowhow. Some might be ex-Peace Corpsmen. Others might receive
special cultural indoctrination if need be to avoid sending the
stereotypical Ugly American abroad electronically.
Once in the corps, U.S. experts might regularly correspond via E-mail
at nights and on weekends, or on occasion "talk" instantly to Third World
counterparts. Of course, not every Third World beneficiary might use a
micro; some might submit written questions, which local Peace Corps offices
could pass on electronically.
Even more important than the electronic mail, however, might be the
ability of professionals in the Third World to tap directly into the vast
amounts of information stored in computers in the U.S.
For instance, as I write this, Dr. Cyril Ponnamperuma, senior
scientific advisor to the president of Sri Lanka and director of the
Institute of Fundamental Studies there, hopes to bring in chemical
abstracts from the U.S. via computer rather than spend perhaps half a
million dollars on a set of back volumes.
Then Sri Lankan researchers--in important areas such as medicine--
won't have to wait for for updates to wend their way through the
international mails.
Even now, when some Latin American doctors have questions, the Pan
American Health Organization can tap into the Medline computers at the
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. Soon the information will
be computer-sent, too.
What's more, just by tapping out combinations of keywords, you can use
computer memories to locate highly specific facts. Say you want to know
about solar energy in India. Rather than searching out "Solar energy" and
"Egypt" in the memory, you might tap both categories in at once and have
the answers or citations spew up in one tidy package. once
The EPC, however, needn't be rely just on mailed-in or computer-sent
facts. Over the next few years it will be possible to store volume upon
volume of information on compact disks similar to those used to preserve
music. Perhaps in the end the electronic nets will simply be used to keep
the information on the disks up to date, and to answer questions via E-
Mail.
Whatever means it uses to spread knowledge, the Electronic Peace Corps
wouldn't replace Americans in the existing Peace Corps, and it wouldn't
start out aiding people directly at the village level. It wouldn't
immediately hand out lapsized portables, say, to bare-foot farmers--at
least not until the technology made this feasible. Rather the EPC in the
beginning would help carefully selected members of foreign elites who were
contributing to development in one way or another; Americans in the field
would make certain, for instance, that a New Delhi slumlord didn't use the
EPC to automate his dunning operation.
Typical EPC beneficiaries might be:
* --A veterinarian baffled by an epidemic that was killing
thousands of cattle.
* --People trying to set up a more efficient food distribution
network. Millions are starving because the food goes to the wrong
places. Sometimes, incidentally, the "wrong places" include the
warehouses of thieves; and good computerized records could reduce the
opportunites for corruption.
* --A civil engineer working on a road or bridge for isolated
villagers who hoped to sell food to cities.
* --A public health administrator who was seeking to computerize
his records so members of his staff could spend more time in the
field. Special computer programs, perhaps transmitted via satellite,
might help him and others mentined below.
* --A doctor wanting to check a diagnoses or determine a proper
drug dosage, who could quickly contact a U.S. specialist or plug into
a medical data base.
* --A rural assistance administrator. Micros could help his
staffers keep abreast of the latest Third World nitty-gritty, such as
the newest, best way to dig a well or treat a dysentery-stricken baby.
* --A communications specialist hoping to modernize his country's
phone service. For obvious reasons, better communications might be
one of the EPC's first priorities. Even countries with poor phone
lines, however, can receive some computer messages to the large
cities. And the EPC would be as good a reason as any for U.S. aid to
beef up Third World phone systems. Good communciations can double or
triple the market for a Third World farmer--can help direct the food
to where it's most needed.
This could have a domestic version, too. Because of lower
communications cost, the Home Corps (to borrow a friend's phrase) might
take more chances helping nonexperts without credentials. A gifted high
school writer in Harlem might tap out short stories on a school computer; a
famous author across town might zip the files back--with comments easily
inserted electronically. The two might meet a few times in person, then
carry on via computer without the hassles and menace of urban travel.
Likewise a Beverly Hills executive might volunteer help to a small
businesswoman in Watts.
The most urgent need for EPC-style assistance, however, is in the
Third World, where, because of technical backwardness, so many are
starving. The idea isn't so far fetched. In fact the Third World is
already enjoying some similar help in a small way.
The CARINET computer network links the United States, the Caribbean,
Southeast Asia and Africa. Long before harvest time a Jamaican tomato
grower can learn how promising a market there'll be for his crop in the
U.S.--or an African potter can find out how to make a ceramic insulator for
his local phone company.
Jerome Glenn, an official with Partnership for Productivity
International, the Washington-based group behind CARINET, says the answers
often come in just a day.
Of all the existing international nets, Econet may be the cheapest to
use.
Started with help from Apple Computers, Econet reaches people thorugh
Tymnet, a worldwide computer system and a subsidiary of the McDonnell
Douglas Corporation. I'm an unabashed booster of the network because it
costs just 25 cents to send a message to anyone hooked in, thanks to
Tymnet's generosity. Normally the only other charges to use the network
are (1) a membership fee that can be perhaps $15 a month or less to a
really hard-pressed group and (2) the costs of dialing up Tymnet when its
computers aren't reachable through local U.S. phone connections.
If you post public messages electronically, moreover, you don't pay
the 25 cent charge.
Econet's public posting ability is no small use. The people helping a
planned computer net in Sri Lankanas, for instance, are spread out all the
way from California (home of Christian Stalberg, the man running the
network) to North Carolina (home of Jeff Fobes, an expert on international
communciations policy) to Texas (home of John Oeffinger, an official with a
Baylor University medical research foundation) and Canada (home of Dan
Kolis, an expert on satellite dishes). And yet when the Sri Lankans join
the net, they'll be able to send questions to everyone at once. For the
moment the questions will relate to the establishment of cheaper
communications between Sri Lanka and the U.S. But in the future, they'll
directly address agricultural and medical matters and other Third World
concerns--and elicit answers from the appropriate experts.
Rather than competing with such private efforts, an EPC could fund
them and supply technical expertise, both to the U.S. groups using micro
communications and to Third World people abroad. One of the lessons I've
learned from Econet is that an EPC would work best if hooked in with
existing organizations. It shouldn't try to replicate their efforts with a
vast bureaucracy. In fact, the EPC should start with a small budget, to
accustom people to doing things the least expensive way. The EPC might
even draw on technical help from members of local groups of, say, Apple
owners, or IBM owners.
Top foreign aid and computer experts expressed support of the basic
EPC proposal to Jeff Fobes and me after it appeared in the Washington Post
and some 14 other newspapers and was the subject of a National Public Radio
interview.
Just as I'd imagined, the technicians were far ahead of the
politicians. One of the most distinguished technicians of them all--Arthur
C. Clarke, the father of the communications satellites--has described the
EPC proposal as "an excellent idea."
A Sri Lankan diplomat, moreover, Naren Chitty, praised the EPC concept
as "a positive approach to technology transfer" in "these days when
'electronic imperialism' is a catchword." And a Saudi Arabian
ects such as the Saudis'.
Similarly it might work the United Nations University out of Toyko, some of
whose staffers hope to tie development experts in various countries
together via computer.
If the EPC concept sounds intriguing--either as an independent agency
or one working within the existing Peace Corps--why not write your
congressman? Ideally, too, this will eventually be fodder for the "Issues
Office" of your favorite presidential candidate. Readers outside the U.S.
may want to work within their own governments for the creation of EPC-
style agencies. Similarly a UN-run EPC would be highly desirable.
+----------------------------------------------------------- --------------+
l David H. Rothman, author of The Silicon Jungle (Ballantine, l
l 1985), from which this is adapted, is reachable on Econet as l
His MCI Mail address is "Jeff Fobes", his l
l Telex one is 6502213448, and his paper one is Box 357, Webster, N.C. l
l 28788. Telephone: 704/586-9705. Appropriate people and groups l
l wanting to join Econet should reach Christian Stalberg at l
l 707/887-2941 or 707/874-3060. Trial memberships last 1-2 months and l
l are free, excluding individual messages and connection charges. l
l Econet, as suggested by its name, also provides electronic networks l
l for environmental activists. l
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* ATTENTION *
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*The EPC article above includes*
*copyrighted material. However,*
*groups in international development*
*and others may reprint the material*
*without permission if they promptly*
*mail clips to Jeff Fobes and David*
*Rothman (see addresses at end of*
*article). Anyone may reproduce*
*this material electronically if*
*he or she notifies us of use.--DHR.*
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P.S. There is no longer a free "trial" subscription to ECONET.
Anyone who wishes to reach John Oeffinger can do so
via modem at 1-214-783-7548 Baylor University Network;
there's also information on the Baylor Network about
PANAnet - a network which connects Baylor to hospitals
and doctors in Central and South America.
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