David Braden said:

"When I had finally earned enough money to put my kids through college, I started thinking about ...Which brings me back to the original question. What to do - what to do?"

Hi,

I'm new to this board. I found these thoughts to be very similar to my own, though I could not hope to express them so succinctly. I share the same concerns about the poor and the environment. My hope is that technology can lead the way to new directions and new solutions. Unfortunatly, it seems as if technology has been misused and misunderstood when it comes to giving a hand up to people who could most use it. Maybe we are only beggining to see the potential of technology and its ability to do good in the world? Or maybe it will continue to hurt, not help?

I get depressed when I see a vast "digital divide" making life so easy for the very few. But then I'm encouraged by potentially beneficial developments, like open-source, Linux, cell phones, the Net, solar, microfinance, digital cameras, compact fluorecent lights, satellite photography, immunization, composting, indigenous technologies, micropublishing, wireless access points, etc. I think we'll do better by focusing on these tool to help people empower themselves, though it won't happen all by itself.