I totally agree with you. Bob Christiansen <ovc050@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:For decades, we have been battling the problem of those who cannot read and write. Similarly, we are developing a group of people who are not literate in terms of the Internet. While libraries provided access to the Internet for many, they do not know what to do when they get there. As the Internet becomes more and more important to our communication, we may have to turn to the school systems to offer free Internet literacy classes to assist those who cannot get the training in other places. Bob Christiansen Don Elliott <donelliott58@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: Hello all, The societal issue I chose to write about is the first one mentioned in the book in the section entitled "Equity, Cost, and Universal Access." The book accurately states that the expansion of the internet is creating a technological underclass in our society. I experience this first hand at one of my jobs at the Baker-Donora Focus Center. I was hired last year under a Title V Juvinile Justice Grant to work with children and seniors on computer skills. Although I am just a novice, I have found that people that know little about the technology, think people like me know everything. I surveyed the kids that come in to the Center, and found that out of over 40 that I surveyed, only one had Internet access at home. So when the book tells you that 62% or 70% or whatever people have access to the Internet, they are including schools, libraries etc. And when t hey talk about Internet at thier homes, they are using broad numbers that don't seperate out the inner city and poorer folks in our country. I believe very strongly that just as providing education and opportunity to lower income communities, that access to the Internet is just as important to keep these people "in the loop" with American society. The two links below give information about how the Internet has grown, who is using it, and who does not have access to it and why. You will see by the numbers that Internet availability in the home drops as income level does. I think it is important that we as a society help to promote programs that will allow the lower income folks among us access to the very important and usefull tool. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/html/Chapter8.htm http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/index.html Don Elliott "The more you know, the more you know you don't know" --------------------------------- Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football --------------------------------- Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com