NationStates Jolt Archive

Regional Delegates,

Please take some time and review, and then approve my Global High Speed Internet proposal.

Thank you,

West Acron

West Acron,

Please take some time to post, so we may review, your Global High Speed Internet proposal.

Thank you,

Global High Speed Internet
A resolution to reduce barriers to free trade and commerce.


Category: Free Trade Strength: Mild Proposed by: West Acron
Description: To further the advancement of business and education, all UN member nations will upgrade their infrastructure to accommodate high speed internet access for all businesses and citizens.

Approvals: 2 (Coolet, Flibbleites)

Status: Lacking Support (requires 134 more approvals)

Voting Ends: Fri Jul 30 2004

Wow. That's one of the first times I've said something like that and it actually worked. Well done, West Acron.

While the nation of Sophista supports this measure in spirit, we cannot lend our support. First and foremost, the idea that having an infrastructure that supports high-speed internet in a country will automatically increase education and business assumes two things: a) that the people of this nation also have sufficient training to use said technology, and computers on which to utilize it, and b) that the government doesn't artificially obstruct the free flow of information along said infrastructure.

That said, in its current form, the proposal seems like a good idea to waste money for nations that don't have a sufficient level of technology to properly use the increased bandwidth, as well as cause additional headaches for governments who actively oppress their people. We don't necessarily agree with that course, but the nation of Sophista respects their right to be really, really mean.

Perhaps if the resolution were reframed to increase computer technology on the whole instead of in this limited context, it would produce better results. Instead of providing internet for everyone, lets start a little lower on the technology totem pole.

I hope your not saying 28k?

We agree wholeheartedly with Sophista's points. Rehochipe (just being used as an example here; we're not in the UN) has a very large area and a second-world economy and technological level. There is no television network. Many remote settlements have only got phone lines in the past decade, and some still don't have any. Leaping forwards to broadband internet would therefore be prohibitively costly and largely pointless.

Other UN nations are doubtless larger and poorer than us; we at least have the majority of our population within arm's reach of urban centres. Personal computers, broadband cable, the power to run them and the manpower to set this all up do not come cheap.

I hope your not saying 28k?

No, I'm saying even lower. Instead of worrying about internet access, it would be better for us to ensure that computers are available to schools, libraries, and other civic institutions. Demanding people have a T3 line for every house before they have a computer to run it is like demanding every house have a toilet and shower before giving them indoor plumbing: a nice thought, but largely useless.

And just to high-light it further, the people need to know how to use it all.

" No matter how hard I push the flush button the the toilet, the poo is still in the shower ... " ;)

It may be too costly to have global high speed internet and, as Sophista said, some countries may not have the sufficient technology to use such a needless service.

We do not see the commercial use for the internet. The internet has been the cause of many distresses in home computer life, due to viruses. The only commercial interest we see in the internet is online auctioning such as Ebay.

Let us focus on subjects which will benefit all nations instead of the MEDCs. More important subjects need to be discussed such as preventing diseases and stopping ethnic cleansing etc.

Best regards,

Sebastian Pepperell
President of the Holy Republic of Seriphyn

We do not see the commercial use for the internet. The internet has been the cause of many distresses in home computer life, due to viruses. The only commercial interest we see in the internet is online auctioning such as Ebay.
Hmmm. Been to any web-sites recently that advertise anything ? No ? Really ? Know what Nation States was about originally and still does to a point ? Know what Jolt does, aside from these forums ?

And as for all that virus business, there is a reason for that. Malicious coders. Its not the big bad internet, its bad people. Its also people not taking on enough self responsibility to protect their system when they know there is a threat.

* Says the guy sitting behind Norton Interent Security Soft-ware, :D