Looking back at the roots of the Digital Solidarity Fund, the responses it evoked, and the linked story of missed opportunities and promises that can still be worked out.

Free, as in free speech... not free beer -- that's the message of those campaigning against proprietorial software. But what happens when the issue transforms into 'free as in tee-shirts'? And, no. We're not talking about the Ubuntu approach here -- which not only offers you free CDs, but free shipping as well... if you know where to get it from.

Felix says "it is nice to see so many technologies here, but I don’t think we will ever have this in Bolivia, much less in our communities”. He thinks a bit and then adds, "This summit is incommunicado, in Bolivia people go to telecentres and connect to the Source: TechSoup Glossary and GenderIT.org">internet

there. Here everyone has a laptop and connects that way. Those of us that don't have one cannot connect and send information to our radio stations -- which is my case. On the other hand, here everyone speaks English, so language is another limitation."

During an intense reunion the countries from the region agreed to have a temporary regional mechanism to establish the foundations for the creation of a permanent mechanism to coordinate and follow up the implementation of eLAC2007.

Why is that plain-clothes cops look the same the whole world round? Why do they cut their hair and comb it the same way? Why do they use the same black glasses and same gold chains? Why do they like those tropical shirts that in the long run become a uniform? In Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Santiago, Tegucigalpa or Tunisia, you can spot them a mile away.

There is something very special about Source: APC ICT Policy Handbook and APC Annual Report 2005.">WSIS

Tunis, which we didn't witnessed in Geneva. Yes, very special indeed... Like any other UN conference, or we can refer to WSIS Geneva too, this event is also full of colors, multi-national, multi-cultured and great mix of men, women, old men, old women, young boys and girls and frankly, I have seen a 3-4 month old baby attending the event with his mother ;)

infoDev and Alcatel have issued a joint report on Promoting Private Sector Investment and Innovation: Addressing the Communication Needs of the Poor which is also available
here. These are Collins English dictionary ">billion

-dollar players; they can change the face of telecom and computing, if they so choose. So, what are we all waiting for?