Jens Ropers wrote:
A minimally cheap newly built computer system these days can be easily had for under $500
Which is COMPLETELY out of reach for probably well over 90% of the world population. They just can't spare $500. Nevermind electricity (good point).
You seem to either not be reading the email, or entirely missing the point. My point is that they CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A 20-VOLUME ENCYCLOPEDIA SET EITHER. Bold that or underline it or something.
So, we have to buy it for them either way. My argument is that buying them computers, and mailing out periodic CD-ROM updates, is a better approach than printing up mailing out periodic encyclopedia sets. The sole caveat is that this applies to places with electricity, as I mentioned when I originally suggested the matter.
To summarize what I said 10 posts ago: In places with electricity, we ought to investigate whether it is cheaper to distribute information digitally (including distributing the means to read it) than it is to distribute information in paper form.
Does anyone have any objections to that other than the ones I already mentioned when I first proposed it?
-Mark