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 manfmmdPremium
join:2003-01-14
Earth, TX
 ·AT&T Southwest
 ·CMA Access
2 edits | Not really a compelling argument FOR government funded broadband access:
•22% of Americans do not use the Internet at all. - Broadband won't make a difference in these numbers. 22% don't use broadband because they don't WANT to.
•6% of Americans use dial-up as their main form of home access. Perhaps that's all they need. There was no distinction made between those that have to have dial-up because of a lack of broadband access and those that choose to have dial-up.
•Broadband adoption drops to 40% for homes with an income below $20,000. - Are these the same people that are making a choice to put food on the table and to keep the electricity on instead of buying broadband internet service? If so, good for theM! Perhaps more people making under $20K need to make this choice as well.
•Just 35% of senior citizens (above 65) have a broadband connection. - This too is a red herring. Just because there is a new technology doesn't mean that 100% of a group of people are going to use it. These people are more than likely either happy with what they have (TV, newspaper, telephone, etc,) or they are in some sort of nursing home/hospice care facility.
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"The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they're ignorant, it's just that they know so much that isn't so." - Ronald Reagan | |
| said by manfmmd:•Just 35% of senior citizens (above 65) have a broadband connection. - This too is a red herring. Just because there is a new technology doesn't mean that 100% of a group of people are going to use it. These people are more than likely either happy with what they have (TV, newspaper, telephone, etc,) or they are in some sort of nursing home/hospice care facility. Actually, you might be surprised at hoe many nursing homes have broadband... but they usually go wifi for the residents.  | | |
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 backfeedis giving feedback
join:2002-12-16
Peru, IN | reply to manfmmd
The large percentage of the low income crowd that I see is more compelled to buy cigarettes than broadband.
Very sad
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There are 10 types of people. Those who can read Binary and those who cannot. | |
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA | reply to manfmmd
said by manfmmd:argument FOR government funded broadband access: •22% of Americans do not use the Internet at all. - Broadband won't make a difference in these numbers. 22% don't use broadband because they don't WANT to. •6% of Americans use dial-up as their main form of home access. Perhaps that's all they need. There was no distinction made between those that have to have dial-up because of a lack of broadband access and those that choose to have dial-up. •Broadband adoption drops to 40% for homes with an income below $20,000. - Are these the same people that are making a choice to put food on the table and to keep the electricity on instead of buying broadband internet service? If so, good for theM! Perhaps more people making under $20K need to make this choice as well. •Just 35% of senior citizens (above 65) have a broadband connection. - This too is a red herring. Just because there is a new technology doesn't mean that 100% of a group of people are going to use it. These people are more than likely either happy with what they have (TV, newspaper, telephone, etc,) or they are in some sort of nursing home/hospice care facility. Some of that 22% that don't use the internet clearly consider it too expensive and at the very least the government should address some of the barriers to entry for potential provider competition.
Saying that many of the 6% who use dial-up do so because that's all they need doesn't make much sense. Not only have many dropped dial-up for broadband but many of those are now now dropping their expensive landlines while an expensive landline is a requirement of dial-up.
One problem for low income families is that many schools are now assigning homework that requires the use of the internet.
I do tend to agree with you that complaining about 35% of senior citizens having broadband connections is a red herring. That's sounds as much like a glass half full as a glass half empty scenario to me now and one that will change naturally with time. | |
Ulmo
join:2005-09-22
San Jose, CA Reviews:
·SONIC.NET
1 edit | reply to manfmmd
said by manfmmd:argument FOR government funded broadband access: •22% of Americans do not use the Internet at all. - Broadband won't make a difference in these numbers. 22% don't use broadband because they don't WANT to. Some portion of the 22% anyway.
•6% of Americans use dial-up as their main form of home access. Perhaps that's all they need. There was no distinction made between those that have to have dial-up because of a lack of broadband access and those that choose to have dial-up. Right.
•Broadband adoption drops to 40% for homes with an income below $20,000. - Are these the same people that are making a choice to put food on the table and to keep the electricity on instead of buying broadband internet service? If so, good for theM! Perhaps more people making under $20K need to make this choice as well. Hmm. I will leave this open for discussion without choosing a side. I have been known to get welfare food and not loose my broadband. Loosing my broadband tends to cost more than keeping it, in most real-life scenereos in which I experience it, so determining when it's ok to pull the plug is rather difficult. The problem is more often when I am getting welfare food and don't have broadband and can't save or gain money because of that, than when I have broadband and need welfare food, so I guess I'm leaning toward keeping the broadband.
•Just 35% of senior citizens (above 65) have a broadband connection. - This too is a red herring. Just because there is a new technology doesn't mean that 100% of a group of people are going to use it. These people are more than likely either happy with what they have (TV, newspaper, telephone, etc,) or they are in some sort of nursing home/hospice care facility. Right, in addition to those many seniors who don't need broadband, because they don't have to participate in the modern world, since they don't work, or already have savings and/or experience that allows them to work in lower capacities, and they already have homes, cars, etc.. Along with this, a lot of senior-targeted systems*, market-based and not, tend to cater to senior's lower attachment to broadband, and Internet in general.
(* Systems means any aspect of life, e.g., food, sleep, entertainment, etc.. It fits nicely if you think of "system" as "product line", but it doesn't have to mean that, e.g., it could be "energy", "family", etc..)
I think there's a tendency that if it's there, it gets used, and if it is not there, it doesn't get used. If it's somewhat there, it gets somewhat used. Poor and old people don't need to interact intelligently and/or as immediately/anonymously/stupidly to the same extent that middle-aged and young people of means do, regardless of what levels are necessary for whatever thresholds. | |
 BF69Premium
join:2004-07-28
Camden, TN | reply to manfmmd
said by manfmmd:argument FOR government funded broadband access: •22% of Americans do not use the Internet at all. - Broadband won't make a difference in these numbers. 22% don't use broadband because they don't WANT to. Bullshit. I have friend that doesn't have internet thus can't use the internet because it's not available. If broadbadn was available to ALL Amerians that 22% would be easily cut in half.
•6% of Americans use dial-up as their main form of home access. Perhaps that's all they need. There was no distinction made between those that have to have dial-up because of a lack of broadband access and those that choose to have dial-up. Once again please tell my friend that is all he needs. Dail-up is USELESS.
•Just 35% of senior citizens (above 65) have a broadband connection. - This too is a red herring. Just because there is a new technology doesn't mean that 100% of a group of people are going to use it. These people are more than likely either happy with what they have (TV, newspaper, telephone, etc,) or they are in some sort of nursing home/hospice care facility.
Logic dicates as the years go by that number will go up. | |
| reply to backfeed
said by backfeed:The large percentage of the low income crowd that I see is more compelled to buy cigarettes than broadband. Very sad I call this the "Net Zero" crowd.
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GIT R DONE | |
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