Offline computing: Internet in a box A little follow up on my previous post about cached HTTP browsing. Finding a way to access pages that may be of interest to us offline is one thing. But in a context where you do not have access to a fixed connection, or even if it is really very limited, it is interesting to have wide archives that can be consulted at will. Perhaps the best example is Wikipedia. There is a well-known way to access Wikipedia without being connected to the Internet, thanks to Kiwix. Their website offers a wide choice of content available as OpenZim files at https://library.kiwix.org/ including of course what comes from the Wikimedia Foundation (e.g. https://wiki.kiwix.org/wiki/Content_in_all_languages). And if, like me, you prefer to use command line than graphical user interface, solene@ thought of us by concocting a little python script that allows you to browse zim archives without leaving your terminal: gopher://dataswamp.org/1/%7esolene/article-wikimedia-dump. But one of my favorite project is certainly Internet in a Box (IIAB). It is the successor of XSCE (School Server Community Edition) from One Laptop per Child. Their idea is broader than offering content accessible offline. Indeed they help to set up networks independent of the Internet in order to provide access to various content (school teaching, reference material for medical professionals, etc.). You can find a good description of their work on their website https://internet-in-a-box.org/. As well as examples of what can be implemented at http://iiab.me/home/ (ebook shelves, applications to learn various things, multimedia, etc.). The installation of all this is facilitated in particular by the use of different scripts and applications (https://download.iiab.io/) but it is not very complicated to install the block which one wishes on its own machine, independently of the IIAB microcosm. The primary motivation of this project is of course to bring different content to communities which, due to their geographical remoteness, have little or no access to the Internet. I can't explain why but it's something that touches me a lot. And I mean a lot. I believe this would be a dream job for me. Go into contact with remote communities, get to know them, share their life a bit, and help them set up simple solutions to provide access to information they need/want. At a school level of course, or to health professionals obviously, but also more widely. That is to say, making sure to provide access to cultural content, such as music, films, youtube channels, novels, etc. But also set up asynchronous communication relays to share emails, videos, voice and text messages, boards and forum messages. All organized around a sneakernet network between different communities and villages. I would be very happy to use my good will as well as my few knowledge and skills to contribute to this kind of thing in remote areas of some places that I went, and that I loved; like in some remote corner of the states of Oaxaca or Guerrero in Mexico where it can be even hard to catch a GSM signal. I would really feel like I am doing something good and meaningfull with my life. To do something that brings substantial help, but also contact and human warmth. And maybe a bit of joy and happiness too.