<HTML><BODY style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><DIV><DIV>Lungi Siqebengu (LuW) wrote:</DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"><BLOCKQUOTE type="cite">Eastern Cape - can you, Jeff OR Ron elaborate more please on the work that is being done. <BR></BLOCKQUOTE><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV></DIV><DIV>It looks like Ron of eKhayaICT is making good headway linking the disparate groups working towards the same goal.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>There are several ICT projects which have been working independently: namely VA32ûS (Volunteer Africa 32ûSouth), SELF (Solar Electric Light Fund), and the Uniforum/ISPA backed NetDay computer classrooms which are being implemented in the Coffee Bay - Hole in the Wall - Seaview region.Ê</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>A WiFi network linking the schools to each other - effectively from Hole in the Wall up the coast to Coffee Bay, and up inland to Zithulele hospital (on a fortunate high-point in line of sight to Tafelahashi / Zwelenqaba) - is being rolled out in November. The aim is to provide internet and support services for the schools and medical care staff - as well as, ultimately (and hopefully), base station infrastructure for the XOs to link up over a large-ish area.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>Various options are being investigated to cover the internet costs. The schools are able to pay about R500 per month each towards bandwidth... at the moment.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>I mentioned Tafelahashi - but I don't really know what's happening there, except that we should be able to link via line of sight from there to Dwesa. The point is that a large WiFi hotspot with broadband internet will be available for the kids using the XOs - at whichever school/s is/are chosen for pilot... including the schools which have recently been computerized (near Dwesa) by the Rhodes / Fort Hare initiatives.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV><DIV>The biggest hurdle I think we're facing - and I hope you were speaking as euphemistically as I interpreted when you say "closer to Pretoria" - is to get government to open source the core curriculum for distribution via e-text. . . and to start seeing the XO as simply a more cost effective and durable textbook/jotter replacement - initially.</DIV><DIV><BR class="khtml-block-placeholder"></DIV>I'm just thinking aloud, really... I'd welcome some serious criticism and input here.<DIV><BR><DIV> <SPAN class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">--Ê</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Jeff Brown</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Website: <A href="http://www.wildcoast.com">www.wildcoast.com</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Blog: <A href="http://www.wildcoast.com/jeff">www.wildcoast.com/jeff</A></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Cell phone: +27-74-1015170</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; min-height: 14px; "><BR></DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">8<Ê--Ê</DIV><DIV style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Do not believe in miracles -- rely on them.</DIV></DIV><BR class="Apple-interchange-newline"></SPAN></DIV><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>