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1.  

   small step, lead to bigger steps

   

   Just Me, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:15am

   
   

   Perhaps you are right in a sense that having a website doesn't automatically change things for the better or for the worse.
   
   However, it seems that a lot of interest has been generated from those who live the village. Of course, they may not understand what a website does, or can do to help them gain some interest from the outside world. At the least, it seems to give them "hope" that their goverment will listen to their needs.
   
   Who knows, the website might inspire the young in the village to take up IT and educate themselves. At the end of the day, we all have to start from somewhere. So good for them, I hope that get the interest they need.

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2.  

   Maybe not...

   

   Agonizing Fury, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:19am

   
   

   It seems to me that maybe this is just what the village needed. it's not the website itself that will help, but the hope that it is bringing them. perhaps they may not get all of the advantages that they talked about in the article, but it gave people who had no dreams a reason to dream.

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3.  

   Rural village?

   

   Vishy, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:19am

   
   

   All villages are rural, by definition.

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4.  

   Proof is in the pudding...

   

   Peter Schmalfeldt, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:24am

   
   

   The fact that techdirt has written an article about this site seems to imply the exact opposite of what this article writes about when it states that this village has “assumed the world would beat a mouse-driven path to their door.” Isn’t that exactly what you just did?
   
   - Peter

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5.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:33am

   
   

   http://www.smartvillages.org/hansdehar/index.htm Just another dull web site to gather dust from neglect. How many of the people who have computers and would care about this site, read English anyway?

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6.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 5:44am

   
   

   I agree with commenter #1 . It probably wont solve all of their problems, and my guess is most of the villagers probably dont even know what a website does.
   
   But being connected does give the villagers an opportunity to explore the rest of the world. Maybe someone will find a job. Maybe somr farmer will find a way to increase crop yield. Maybe some mother will find a doctor for her sick child. You never know. Also, not all villages in India are poor. Many villages I've been to have sattellite tv and MTV, so seeing a website isnt all that surprising.
   
   Like already stated, it won't solve all their problems, but its a start, hopefully for the better.

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7.  

   Re: English & internet penetration in India

   

   Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 6:11am

   
   

   India has the world's second largest pool of English-speaking people (after the United States) [source:wikipedia]
   
   India fourth largest Internet user [in the world] I hope this answers your question, AC #5

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8.  

   It will help

   

   Gurpreet, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 6:34am

   
   

   all yo peeps out dere y do u think a freakin site like techdirt.com prevails, it to gain more popularity n fame n name..so wats d harm if a village bak in india has it own site..thy r promotin their village for good. so all ya envious peeps out dere shut d hell up!!

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9.  

   I agree

   

   Topher3105, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 6:47am

   
   

   I have heard of times when a rual village was able to build a well because they sold crafts and wares on eBay and having Internet access allows them a better quality of life.
   
   But, these tend ot be rare and special occurences, and at the heart of it, there tends to be someone entrepeneur from a G8 country pulling the strings and turning these situations into a business model using cheap labour to turn a tidy profit off of those struggling to live.
   
   In reality, Intenet is a luxury and once a country has the necessary infrastructure to provide safe water, food clothing and shelter, as well as political stability, then you can start to focus on education and infromation services. Education DOES NOT improve a childs life if they can't survive long enough to finish school. Most people assume that once a child gets a good enough education, they can solve their countries problems, but if those problems prevent the child from being healthy, then school/education/Internet is not the immediate solution.
   
   I have been largely dismayed by the assumption that all a poor country needs is $100 laptops and Internet access and they will be fine. Its like saying, here is a bandaid, cure world hunger, cure AIDS, cure drought with it, but don't bug us once we give you access.

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10.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 6:50am

    
    

    Try umm, maybe buying them like Farm equipment, or perhaps upgrade their water/sewage systems. Or perhaps another novel idea would be to use this money to somehow further the village's overall infrastructure.
    
    I'm not opposed to them getting laptops, but the priorities should be straight. Although - there's a good chance if they can get to the web they may learn some new farming techniques. They may also learn the true depths of human stupidity, lol.
    
    You know - seriously - some stuff to improve daily living and perhaps one computer the community could use might just do the trick.

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11.  

    what about internet access?

    

    Jonathan, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 6:57am

    
    

    A substantial part of this article focuses not on the website for this village, but on the need for internet access for the villagers. Having your own web site is great, and sure, the Reuters article helps publicize it, but unless people in India actually see the site, not too much may come of it. It sounds, though, like what these people really need is internet access themselves. That's where the opportunities actually will come from.

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12.  

    

    Ryan, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:13am

    
    

    Umm.. the guy that designed that calls himself a professional web designer? He needs a new job.

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13.  

    Re: Rural village?

    

    Lay Person, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:21am

    
    

    Villages may or may not be rural.
    
    In technical terms a village is simply smaller than a town.
    
    To say a "rural village" is quite valid.

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14.  

    Lame...

    

    Lay Person, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:32am

    
    

    As in Shawshank, hope can be a dangerous thing. It passifies while there may be other more viable avenues.
    
    Instead of filling these peoples heads with grandiose websites, why don't they develop/generate real revenue (i.e. farm equipment, schools, utilities, etc).
    
    Perhaps training the villagers in some sort of skill that they can really utilize.
    
    So they have a website...big deal. I know lots of village websites...all they do is sit there or act as a communication among the villagers. It hardly changes anything other than knowing when the town meetings are.
    
    I wonder what the web designer charged the government for developing the site?

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15.  

    Mixed feelings...

    

    Sanguine Dream, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:38am

    
    

    Yes the site could open up new venues of communication which could lead to someone contacting them to offer assistance with their farming methods, a grant to upgrade the sewage system, or increase the local budget for education.
    
    At the same time it could be argued that the money could have just gone straight to the things I just listed. Maybe the site was created under the "Give a man a fish..." notion.

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16.  

    We know about it now.

    

    Raekwon, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:39am

    
    

    Well I think it's having some effect if you're writing about some random village in India now. It's doubtful that their commerce would increase considering they most likely have nothing to offer that a larger more convienient city would possess.
    
    They got a few people's attention though, that's for sure.

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17.  

    Re:

    

    Scott, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 7:49am

    
    

    They have a web site, it does not specify anyone in the town has web access.

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18.  

    Website for rural village

    

    Rabid Woverine, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 8:13am

    
    

    It is not a bad idea. Website's bring education and education is a two way street. Education is also the single most important element in escaping poverty, without it you can't even start the race, let alone run it.
    I think it's a good idea and I also think it's a wonderful gift from their prodigal son.
    It's too bad that some of you out there can't see the forest for the tiny bits of dirt on the bark...

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19.  

    Website for rural village

    

    Rabid Woverine, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 8:14am

    
    

    It is not a bad idea. Website's bring education and education is a two way street. Education is also the single most important element in escaping poverty, without it you can't even start the race, let alone run it.
    I think it's a good idea and I also think it's a wonderful gift from their prodigal son.
    It's too bad that some of you out there can't see the forest for the tiny bits of dirt on the bark...

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20.  

    The Bull

    

    rush3k, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 8:27am

    
    

    I wonder who stole the Bull. Maybe Aliens.

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21.  

    Website for villages

    

    KC, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 8:46am

    
    

    www.mypind.com

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22.  

    A website?

    

    Spencer Roads, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:03am

    
    

    Extraordinary. "It will open new avenues of communication and commerce within the village". Really? When most of the villagers probably can't even read?

    "Website's (sic) bring education..." By what mechanism, precisely, do they do that? Don't you have to see a website (and be able to read it) to be educated by it?

    Maybe the prodigal son should go back and teach them not to put waste in their water supply, teach them how to manage their land to be more productive and maybe teach them how to make something that others may want to buy. Then they can pass those skills onto their children, and perhaps give them some real hope, not the false, cargo-cult hope brought by something they probably don't even really understand.

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23.  

    

    sky9, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:22am

    
    

    Look at how resources are dominated by communication, simple health and agricultural improvement isn't going to help when the products of that improvement are controlled by the people with their fingers on the keyboards. They'll learn to read from their website.

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24.  

    Re: Website for rural village

    

    Lay Person, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:33am

    
    

    To #7.
    
    Clearly there is a cultural bias to your argument.
    
    What does this town need a website or $100 laptops?
    
    Answer: neither.
    
    They need infrastructure, sewage, clean water, electricity, revenue, etc.
    
    No one cares about the website but the site developer and that guy who thinks a revolution is around the corner.
    
    Shelter, eating, shiting, domesticating...these are the things that are important to the poverty stricken. Not porn, Ebay, and Techdirt.

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25.  

    Again with the unfounded assumptions

    

    jsnbase, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:35am

    
    

    'Poor rural village' does not automatically mean 'destitute and starving.'
    
    "When most of the villagers probably can't even read?"
    
    You have no evidence for that and, according to the article, are probably wrong. Even if 'most' couldn't read, there's clearly a young and aware segment of the community. Yes, they want more reliable electricity and cleaner water, but I live in Los Angeles and I want the same things.

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26.  

    websites for villages - rural or not

    

    Bernard, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:38am

    
    

    Why do people have web sites? Few individuals conduct any commerce on their personal web sites anyway. May be the village does not have any problems. They just want a site to state their presence.
    
    A village web site can hint to a future social-economic-business model where a nation (a concept relatively new) will one day disappear ... a village (town, city) is all you need ... we're back to the nation-city (1400s) economic model ...

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27.  

    Re: Again with the unfounded assumptions

    

    Lay Person, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 9:50am

    
    

    Wow, where in L.A.?
    
    Could you use a $100.00 laptop?
    
    How about a website?
    
    These are guaranteed to get get you both electricity and water.

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28.  

    Re: Proof is in the pudding...

    

    Solomon Movva, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:01am

    
    

    I agree. This may not solve even one of this village's current problems. But typically, people get new ideas and they can start using this site for various pertinent things, that improve commerce in the village. As long as people recognize that and go about it, the sky may be the limit for future development.

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29.  

    missing the point

    

    John Q Public, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:02am

    
    

    did you ever stop to think that these rural villages don't know what they need because they don't know what's out there to improve their lives?
    
    give them the chance to exchange information with the rest of the world and they will start to want the things that will improve their lives.
    
    instead of us telling them what they need, they will figure it out for themselves and demand what is needed among themselves.
    
    what would happen to North Korea if we could drop a million laptops with internet access all over the country? they would figure out that they've been lied to for generations and overthrow their government.
    
    oppresive governments remain oppresive because they control information. unleash the truth, stand back, and watch the bullets fly. who is more likely to succeed? the person who needed help to get out of the hole, or the person who figured out how to get out on thier own?

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30.  

    Re: small step, lead to bigger steps

    

    Rick Ash, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:05am

    
    

    Ah, Thank Goodness. Another fatally optimistic person like me. Why can't there be some good in it?
    They make fun pf people like us you know but, let them. How awful it must be to wake up every day with an "Oh my God, it's another morning!" whereas I wake up with a "Thank god, it's another morning!"
    
    Better be nice to even the small villages in India. They are already outbidding us ( along with China ) for goods and services that only a few years ago, we assumed were ours, and ours alone.

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31.  

    Re: Rural village?

    

    Cows n' stuff, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:38am

    
    

    Greenwich village, anybody?

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32.  

    

    Exodus, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 10:38am

    
    

    Cool Website. I hope to see more villages put up there.
    
    Current village problems:
    Power Supply
    Power distribution timings are not stable and power cuts happen abruptly. The condition of electric wires is awesome and needs to be replaced at a number of places.
    
    Un-employment
    There are a number of unemployed youth.
    -E

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33.  

    Re:

    

    gurpeet, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 11:14am

    
    

    y dont u go n try makin a website huh? its easy to pinpoint sum1 else..go c who u r firstly!1!

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34.  

    Re: Again with the unfounded assumptions

    

    Spencer Roads, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 11:55am

    
    

    I don't know if you've been to India. "Poor rural village" probably does mean destitute.

    With average male and female literacy rates in Haryana (where the village of Hansdehar is located) less than 80% and 57% respectively, perhaps some of them could read a website (probably not in English, though), if their average income of 10,000 to 13,000 rupees (1 rupee is about $0.02, so these people make $260 per year) supported their buying a computer of any sort.

    Nope, a website isn't the way to prosperity for the villagers of Hansdehar. They need a blog! Maybe even one of the 2.0 variety.

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35.  

    Urban Village

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 11:57am

    
    

    The East Village, New York City anyone?

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36.  

    Yup...

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 12:39pm

    
    

    Just what the world needs another website about a poor village in some god-forsaken location.
    
    I haven't seen it but let me guess the contents:
    
    - Text of life in a poor village.
    
    - Pictures of a poor village.
    
    - Pictures of poor people swatting flys in a poor village.
    
    Gee, now what. They'll still be poor and they'll still have a very bad fly problem.
    
    Is it just me, cuz I find no value at all in any of this.

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37.  

    Re: Re: Proof is in the pudding...

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 2:44pm

    
    

    Assuming the village is relatively unconnected... how do you they plan on contacting the website developer?

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38.  

    Re: Re:

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 2:46pm

    
    

    No no. He's right. The thing is atrocious.

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39.  

    Re: Re: Again with the unfounded assumptions

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 14th, 2006 @ 3:11pm

    
    

    "Nope, a website isn't the way to prosperity for the villagers of Hansdehar. They need a blog!"
    
    OOOh, and RFID, it solves all problems. Just think, the residents could be tracked 24x7 by their RFID implants, and that data could be loaded into their blog (that they cant even read cause they dont actually have computers).
    
    Now THAT would raise them from destitution.
    
    /sarcasm

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40.  

    

    Anonymous Coward, Aug 15th, 2006 @ 7:07am

    
    

    But a website they can start with one red paperclip, and trade up to a sewage system. Right?

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41.  

    no wonder

    

    Hargurnaz, Aug 10th, 2007 @ 6:23am

    
    

    What's strange in this in the country where more and more people are opting IT as a career option to earn handsomely.
    
    Hargurnaz Singh
    Webmaster
    Jalandhar Mag - Yellow pages directory
    Crispyweb - the Indian Multi Search Engine

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