Changes between Version 23 and Version 24 of techies_of_color
- Timestamp:
- Aug 27, 2010, 6:36:25 PM (14 years ago)
Legend:
- Unmodified
- Added
- Removed
- Modified
-
techies_of_color
v23 v24 9 9 The converging crises in the major capitalist economies, the precarious state of the world environment, the political crisis in government in so many of the world's countries and the usurpation of government authority by international banks and committees have brought humanity to a point of urgency and increasing certainty that something must be done to save itself. 10 10 11 Humanity's crisis demands greater communication and collaboration among the world's people. And humanity has been forging ahead in doing that with world-wide efforts like the World Social Forum and the Climate Control movement and, of course, the Internet.11 When all else fails, human beings come together to communicate and figure out how to survive; that is our legacy as a species. And humanity has been forging ahead in doing that with world-wide efforts like the World Social Forum and the Climate Control movement and, of course, the Internet. 12 12 13 The Internet, a community of more than 1.9 billion people world-wide, is among humanity's principle responses . When all else fails, human beings come together to communicate and figure out how to survive; that is our legacy as a species. That's what's happening today with the Internet. It is the only sensible explanation for the stunning explosion of the Internet as both a technology and a world-wide community.13 The Internet, a community of more than 1.9 billion people world-wide, is among humanity's principle responses; humanity's way of facilitating the communication necessary to make all this collaboration possible. 14 14 15 The Internet is humanity's way of facilitating the communication necessary to make all this collaboration possible. 16 17 At the same time, the global crisis against which we're mobilizing depletes the resources required to build gatherings of large numbers of people. They are too large to put on, too expensive to get to and not capable of broadening the number of poor people attending. If we are going to ensure the progressive movements' continued collaboration world-wide, we are going to have to use the Internet and that is one reason why humanity invented it. 15 At the same time, the global crisis against which we're mobilizing depletes the resources required to build gatherings of large numbers of people. They are too large to put on, too expensive to get to and not capable of broadening the number of poor people attending. If we are going to ensure the progressive movements' continued collaboration world-wide and the broadening of those movements, we are going to have to use the Internet and that is one reason why humanity invented it. 18 16 19 17 == The Importance of the "techie" == … … 23 21 In that context, progressive techies have a very special role to play: 24 22 25 * our political perspective prioritizes the use of the Internet and development of its software for organizing (rather than mere commerce);23 * our political perspective prioritizes the use of the Internet and development of its software for organizing (rather than exclusively commerce or individual, personal communications); 26 24 27 25 * our commitment to Free and Open Source Software makes us central to a struggle that is fundamental to the Internet's future; … … 47 45 For us to be able to do this, we rely on a smaller number of us who administer these resources. 48 46 49 * Office Tech Staffer actually install and maintain websites and email programs and their work is critical to the functioning of any organization on-line. Many larger organizations have one of at least one person with these skills on staff; those who can't afford such a professional full-time have access to one or more for hourly work. 47 * Office Tech Staffer actually install and maintain websites and email programs and their work is critical to the functioning of any organization on-line. Many larger organizations have one of at least one person with these skills on staff; those who can't afford such a professional full-time have access to one or more for hourly work. And finally... 50 48 51 * Finally, there areSystem Administrators. These are people who49 * System Administrators. These are people who 52 50 53 51 * -- keep the servers and systems that run the web, email and other services functional; … … 61 59 What is interesting is that many people look at the Internet and, like most of us who drive cars, see only the "vehicle" that moves and gets us places. They see the websites and they work with the email and they interact with lists. And when something goes wrong, they talk to their Office Tech Staffer who then either "fixes" it or, if they can't, makes a phone call to some other person most of us never see or meet. 62 60 63 That person is the techie: the person who actually manages the Internet.61 That person is the System Administrator: the person who actually manages the Internet. And that role is played by a "techie". 64 62 65 63 Techies run systems, develop software, make major decisions about how we are going to use the Internet and what tools we will need. Unquestionably the final decision on Internet issues is still in the hands of very large and powerful corporations, the day to day, month to month decisions about what happens on the Internet are in the hands of techies. They run the Internet in a very practical sense. They can close it to people or open it up to the world. They determine how it will be used and how it will develop. They are the Internet's day to day leadership. … … 69 67 == The Politics of Techie Diversity == 70 68 71 To understand the impact of this it's important to remember that Internet functionality is fundamental to social change and the most important means of social organizing today. Virtually every demonstration, campaign and movement developing in this country heavily uses Internet technology to communicate. 69 To understand the impact of this it's important to remember that Internet functionality is fundamental to social change and the most important means of social organizing today. Virtually every demonstration, campaign and movement developing in this country heavily uses Internet technology to communicate. 72 70 73 71 The United States Social Forum movement, for example, would simply not be the same (as large, diverse or successful) if it weren't for the Internet on which it heavily relies. Everything at the USSF from registration to outreach to organization of transportation, housing and, of course, the over one thousand events that took place in Detroit was organized over the Internet.