From: "Gopher-Project" <gopher-project-bounces+rachael=telefisk.org@lists.alioth.debian.org> Date: Sun Jan 24 19:52:21 2016 Subject: Re: [gopher] Gopher-Project Digest, Vol 69, Issue 26 --===============8621501855559047823== Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a11c238be837126052a18f212 --001a11c238be837126052a18f212 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >I am not aware of using SMS in USA. ...... Hah, interesting. That is a stark difference from here in the USA. Mobile services in general are grotesquely overpriced, putting them out of reach for many people. Data is usually tightly metered. Many people (including me) do not have smart phones, can not get nor afford restrictive mobile contracts, or otherwise live in areas where there is no data service. My old school cell phone, for example, barely gets service in my town. Despite costing 30cents a pop, SMS is thus generally how I talk to family and friends via cell. My new mobile hotspot can get very slow 3G service when I pack it in a home brew waveguide (a tin can), raise it on a 7 meter tall mast, and point it to the nearest highway. I use ham radio to send email sometimes. And this state of affairs is considered *very high tech* for most of my neighbours... So there is your unfiltered USA baseline. Most techies in the USA seem content to merely make more byte-bloated smart phone apps for the wealthier Americans who can afford unlimited internet access in their bandwidth rich cities without regard for these realities. Elegant and practical solutions which could address the "digital divide" like Gopher are derided by the cool kids in Silicon Valley as "laughably old", apparently because there is no money in basic infrastructure and wider infotech support. So, God bless mother Russia. > > -- --001a11c238be837126052a18f212 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <font size=3D"2"><span style=3D"background-color:rgba(255,255,255,0)">>I= am not aware of using SMS in USA. ......</span></font><br><br><div>Hah, in= teresting.=C2=A0 That=C2=A0is a stark difference from=C2=A0here in the USA.= =C2=A0 Mobile services in general are grotesquely overpriced, putting them = out of reach for many people.=C2=A0 Data is usually tightly=C2=A0metered.= =C2=A0 Many people (including me) do not have smart phones, can not get nor= afford=C2=A0restrictive mobile contracts,=C2=A0or otherwise live in areas = where there is no data service. =C2=A0<div><br></div><div>My old school cel= l phone, for example, barely gets service in my town.=C2=A0 Despite costing= 30cents a pop,=C2=A0<font size=3D"2"><span style=3D"background-color:rgba(= 255,255,255,0)">SMS is thus=C2=A0generally=C2=A0how I talk to family and fr= iends=C2=A0via cell. =C2=A0</span></font>My new=C2=A0mobile hotspot can get= very slow 3G=C2=A0service when I pack it in a home brew waveguide (a tin c= an), raise it on a 7 meter tall=C2=A0mast, and point it to the nearest high= way.=C2=A0 I use ham radio to send email sometimes.=C2=A0 And this=C2=A0sta= te of affairs=C2=A0is considered *very high tech* for most of my neighbours= ...=C2=A0 So there is your unfiltered USA=C2=A0baseline.</div><div><br></di= v><div>Most techies in the USA=C2=A0seem content to merely make more byte-b= loated=C2=A0smart phone apps for the wealthier=C2=A0Americans who can affor= d unlimited internet access in their bandwidth rich cities without regard f= or these realities.=C2=A0 Elegant and practical=C2=A0solutions which could = address the "digital divide"=C2=A0like Gopher are derided by the = cool kids in Silicon Valley as "laughably=C2=A0old", apparently b= ecause there is no money in basic infrastructure and wider infotech support= .=C2=A0 So, God bless mother=C2=A0Russia.<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quo= te" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"= ><br> </blockquote></div></div><br><br>-- <br> <br> --001a11c238be837126052a18f212-- --===============8621501855559047823== Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline _______________________________________________ Gopher-Project mailing list Gopher-Project@lists.alioth.debian.org http://lists.alioth.debian.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gopher-project --===============8621501855559047823==-- (DIR) Followup: Re: [gopher] Gopher-Project Digest, Vol 69, Issue 26