See the table in the middle of this page for a full list of my pages (a complete list, auto-generated from pages with the PageByRicardo tag).

This is another list of the pages, in rough chronological order: FlashDriveEditor, Sneakernet, KnowledgeWork (check out the table of sub-pages, especially IncomeFromSmallComputerRelatedTasks and MoreWaysToEarnExtraMoneyViaTheInternet), FundraisingTrainingPackage, InternetAccessByMobilePhone, FlashDriveEditorServiceProgram, WiFi, ICTTraining, Broadcast, ObtainingComputers, NgoMobile, Offline, GetPaidToCreateEbooks (or just create eBooks for your own use, for many display-devices), PartialSolutions, FlashDriveContent, TeleCenters, SoftwareLocalisation, MicroFinance, BluetoothPhoneIncluder, ThinClientComputers (including both Thin Client and Zero Client systems), ElectronicLibraries, MobilePhoneTrashware, Purchases, KenyaCommunication, CommunityWebTV, MoneyTransfer, SendingAirtime, GprsPhoneComputerSystem, MinimalistTelecentre, BluetoothPhoneIncluderLatestSystem (photos), LaptopInitialSetup, LowCostDevelopmentOfLowCostProducts, BuyingOldLaptops, MobilePhoneBasedBusinesses, TradingElectronicItems, InternetAccessTechnologies, LaptopMotherboardIncluder, PresentingTheIncluderIdeaToGoogle, Freeware, PdaIncluder, LaptopUsersGroup, IncluderWayForwardJuly2008, WiFiNetworks, PitLatrine, SneakernetTrialInKenya, MemoryCardReadWriter, OnlineTextConverter, ReadingJpegTextPagesOnDigitalCameras, DigitalCameraMagnifier, HowToPrintToJpegPagesForDvdPlayers, UyogaBuildingPCs

Contents of this page Profile    Areas of interest (ICT4D - ICT for Development)    My own Worknets projects    Projects I'm involved with, led by other people    Contacts    My pages on other sites    An Email to Andrius - August 23 2007    Favourite quotation    AboutThisPage    Comments

Profile    

Areas of interest (ICT4D - ICT for Development)    

A lot of people think that "We must have internet access", but really, it means "We must have a way of moving files and electronic information around". The internet is just one way to do this. There are many others, such as Sneakernets, moving files on removeable media on foot or by vehicle. There is 2-way radio, long-distance Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi equipped vehicles to deliver files, etc. Having said that, in the age of Wi-Fi and WiMAX covering many square miles/kilometres and long-distance Wi-Fi and fibre-optics for inter-city/international communication, the amount of money required to connect the whole of Africa, for example, by mainstream technologies would be pretty small.

One area that particularly interests me is producing a 1-way internet, broadcasting useful information to wide areas. This could be done via radio-stations, TV, satellite, 1-way WiMAX, etc. For people who can't afford internet access, it would provide free news, weather, eBooks, eMagazines, software, learning/teaching material, preventive health information, health alerts, weather alerts, etc.

Most of the information could come from the internet. It would cost very little to broadcast and benefit millions of people. Since it's a one-way broadcast, there is a fixed cost to the broadcaster to transmit the information, but no cost for each additional user. It's not like Internet Service Providers having to provide more equipment and staff when the number of users increases.

From looking at various projects, the main obstacle to development seems to be lack of mains electricity. If people had that, they could ake use of the mountain of old computers, TVs, radios, etc, that the industrialised countries don't want. This could be to increase incomes, communicate with friends, take part in eCommerce, access information on education, healthcare, agriculture, sports, hobbies, etc.

So, for any project that I look at, I'm always thinking about sources of power or how to make very low-power devices that can run on solar power, etc. Longer term, there's no reason why people in developing countries should use unusual, expensive power generators, installed at each individual building. If incomes could be raised, they could use the centrilized power generation methods that other countries use, as long as these are the green, sustainable, non-polluting ones, like wind, wave or solar power.

My own Worknets projects    

Pages PageByRicardo AssemblingComputers Assemble computers for sale from local and global parts. BluetoothPhoneIncluder Using Mobile Phone Handsets with a Bluetooth communication capability as the 'Includer' FlashDriveEditor. BluetoothPhoneIncluderLatestSystem To describe the latest version of the BluetoothPhoneIncluder system that I am putting together in the UK and evaluating for use in Africa. I'm hoping that Andrius can evaluate it in Lithuania and one of our African members could try it in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, etc. Broadcast Use music/speech radio stations to send content and data and software as hidden sound signals to ordinary analog radio-receivers linked to computers. BuyingOldLaptops To publish advice on buying old laptops, from places like eBay UK, for use in Africa. CommunityWebTV Setting up a Community Web TV and Data service, via a local co-axial cable TV system or TV broadcasting. DigitalCameraMagnifier Experiment with using a Digital Camera with TV-Out linked to a TV, as a magnifier/basic-microscope/overhead-projector. ElectronicLibraries To look at expensive physical libraries, to see how many useful features we could provide as cheap, affordable electronic libraries on computers. FlashDriveEditor Design an inexpensive word processor (75 USD or less) for use in Africa that integrates a USB flash drive with a standard computer keyboard and a black and white display that might show 600 characters. This page was started by Andrius, not me, but I'm using this variable so it appears in the table of pages on my Ricardo profile page. FlashDriveEditorServiceProgram A program for servicing the Flash Drive Editor, involving a network of service-personnel. Freeware Describes Freeware that could be used by Includers. FundraisingTrainingPackage Create a Fundraising Training Package for NGO websites, etc. GetPaidToCreateEbooks Get paid to create eBooks by a supporter, an NGO or government ministry. GprsPhoneComputerSystem GprsPhoneComputerSystem - Describing how to build a complete computer system around a mobile phone with GPRS internet-access capability, perhaps adding a Bluetooth Keyboard and printer, and linking with other phones to form a Sneakernet for the whole area. Possible applications are for Peace Centres and Minimalist Telecentres, starting with very little money, schools, businesses and home users. A GPRS phone could also link to a laptop or PC by Bluetooth, Infrared or USB cable to give it internet-access. HowToGuide Write a HowToGuide for a government agency, an NGO or a school on a subject your research, such as agricultural techniques. HowToPrintToJpegPagesForDvdPlayers Provide a way for anyone to print to JPG files instead of paper, for viewing on a cheap DVD Player + TV. ICTTraining Please click ICTTraining - Information and Communication Technology training courses and resources (Computer Training, Word Processors, the internet, email, etc). IncluderWayForwardJuly2008 To establish the way forward for the Includer project, from July 2008 onward. It describes what we would like to do, to capture the exact requirements and constraints for Includer devices, and then develop them. IncomeFromSmallComputerRelatedTasks Earn extra income by performing small tasks on a computer for people that you know in wealthier cities or countries, a kind of micro-outsourcing. InternetAccessByMobilePhone Explaining 'Internet Access by Mobile Phone'. InternetAccessTechnologies InternetAccessTechnologies that we are looking at for use in developing countries (GPRS Phones, ADSL, VSAT, Sneakernet, etc). KnowledgeWork We want to open up avenues for knowledge work by people with marginal Internet access so they could earn money to participate online, to pursue their projects and to make a living. Please take a look at the sub-pages, especially IncomeFromSmallComputerRelatedTasks and MoreWaysToEarnExtraMoneyViaTheInternet. LaptopInitialSetup To describe how to do the initial setup of the laptops that I've sent to various members of Minciu Sodas. LaptopMotherboardIncluder To describe the LaptopMotherboardIncluder, a variant of the Includer in the form of a Desktop PC case and Laptop Motherboard. It provides a Desktop Computer that works on battery power, for areas without mains electricity. LaptopUsersGroup This page is about a LaptopUsersGroup. It covers issues related to using the Laptops in the developing countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, etc), such as power-management and internet-access. It provides a place for the 'Community of Laptop Users' within Minciu Sodas to keep in touch with each other and share what they have learned. LowCostDevelopmentOfLowCostProducts The Low Cost Development of Low Cost Products, so that anyone can develop new products with very little resources. MemoryCardReadWriter To describe a Memory Card Read Writer interface for the Includer, as a cheaper alternative to USB interface circuitry (for USB flash drives). MicroFinance Describe Micro-Finance Institutions, which make small unsecured loans to start up businesses in developing countries, in many cases to women in poor rural areas. MinimalistTelecentre To describe my concept of a MinimalistTeleCentre, where you start with just one money-making asset, such as a computer or an all-in-one printer/scanner/photocopier, and use the profits to expand into a full size centre. The idea is that a small amount of seed-capital could start a lot of centres. Each existing centre could also seed more centres. MobilePhoneBasedBusinesses To put forward the idea of starting Mobile Phone based businesses to other members of Minciu Sodas and their communities. MobilePhoneTrashware Research building a 'Mobile Phone Trashware Computer', adding interfaces to control peripherals. MoneyTransfer Find the most efficient way to transfer funds, balancing commissions and convenience. MoreWaysToEarnExtraMoneyViaTheInternet More ways to earn money using a computer online or offline. NgoMobile Our possible entry for the nGoMobile Competition, for new ideas involving SMS Text Messaging. ObtainingComputers Obtaining computers for schools, ICT Training, NGOs, etc. OnlineTextConverter Publish text to JPG files. PartialSolutions Describe how using a number of partial solutions to a problem is often more effective than trying to find a single 100% solution. Also, how there are 2 types of partial solution; those that are mutually exclusive and those that add together to solve a problem. PdaIncluder Using PDAs as the 'Includer' FlashDriveEditor, in various system-designs. PitLatrine To describe how Deaf Impact in Ahero, Kenya built a pit latrine. PresentingTheIncluderIdeaToGoogle To describe how to present the Includer idea to Google Inc. ReadingJpegTextPagesOnDigitalCameras Read text as JPEG pages on a Digital Camera LCD Display. Ricardo My profile page, with a list of my other pages. SendingAirtime Descibe how to send mobile-phone airtime to phones in Kenya, using online airtime websites, to assist people during the election crisis. Sneakernet Sneakernet - moving files and email by walking, cycle or vehicle, on flash drive or CD - it's central to the FlashDriveEditor ecosystem and also a concept that attracts natural allies, partners, customers, funders. It's a great first step in all of our FlashDriveEditor efforts. SneakernetTrialInKenya SneakernetTrialInKenya - A trial project in Kenya, moving large files from town to town on USB flash drives by post, using a star-shaped network centred on Nairobi. SoftwareLocalisation A guide to localising software into other languages. ThinClientComputers Research the use of Thin Client and Zero Client computing, to provide computer-access for a large number of users, using just one powerful server PC. TradingElectronicItems To publish advice on buying electronic items, like flash memory cards, from places like Ebuyer.com UK, for sale or use in Africa. UyogaBuildingPCs Build PCs from old, donated computer parts, for use on UYOGA projects and to learn PC Building. WiFiNetworks To describe how to setup a WiFi Network.

Projects I'm involved with, led by other people    

• PyramidOfPeace - A project led by AndriusKulikauskas and KenOwino, to promote peace through dialogue between different tribal groups.
• FlashDriveEditor - A project led by AndriusKulikauskas, to produce a low-cost text editor, reading/writing files to/from flash drive. Also see the list of related pages (Batteries, Hardware, etc).
• WiFi - A community Wi-Fi network on Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria, Kenya by SamwelKongere.
• TeleCenters - Starting a TeleCenter (also called an internet cafe, information kiosk and many other names). The page mentions starting a 'Minimalist Telecentre', starting with just one computer and an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier and re-investing the profits to grow it into a large Telecenter.

• FlashDriveEditorServiceProgram - Setting up networks of local people to service Flash Driver Editors.
• FlashDriveContent - Suggestions for free software, texts, eBooks, etc, to be supplied on any USB Flash Drives that are sent to Minciu Sodas members in Africa. They can be used by the members themselves or re-sold. The content may give them a higher re-sale value than the bare drives.
• Offline - Offline File Sharing Network page, with links to lots of other Worknets and external project pages.

Online Text Converter, written by AndriusKulikauskas from my idea to convert Text eBooks to a set of JPEG files for viewing on a cheap DVD Player + TV, and small-screen devices, phones, etc...

http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?OnlineTextConverter

http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?ImageMagick

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/learnhowtolearn/message/579

The online converter is an online, automated version of my manual Text-to-JPEG process on this page and section of mine...

http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?GetPaidToCreateEbooks#HowtocreateeBooksonJPEGCDROMsforviewingonaDVDPlayer

Ricardo September 3, 2009 4:44 CET

Contacts    

• AndriusKulikauskas - USB FlashDriveEditor
• SamwelKongere - WiFi and KnowledgeWork
• FredKayiwa - KnowledgeWork
• KenOwino - AssemblingComputers

My pages on other sites    

A non-internet email system, moving messages and files on USB Flash Memory Drives http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Sneakernet (my article)

Various internet and non-internet methods of moving files and information http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Internet (sections by various people, including me)

A 'one-way internet', broadcasting files, to partially bridge The Digital Divide. http://wiki.laptop.org/go/Radio_and_broadcast(sections by various people, including me)

An Email to Andrius - August 23 2007    

This is an email that I sent to Andrius, from August 2007, when I first got involved in overseas development issues. He asked whether he could use extracts from my Sneakernet article on the One Laptop Per Child website...

Andrius, yes you can use anything that I've written. I hope it will start a few other people thinking about the ideas. A well-organized 'email by Sneakernet' system involving lots of people is somethng I'd like to see someone try out. August 23, 2007 17:06 CET

Mendenyo, September 5, 2007: Hi Andrius, how are you? I'd like to sort out with you how I can contribute to the USB FlashDriveEditor project.

I'd better start by telling you a bit more about myself, so we can get to know each other a bit better and so you can see where I might fit into the project.

Firstly, ricardo is just a nickname that I use on web-forums, etc. I'm from the East of England.

I saw your photo online. I've attached one of me to this email, so you see what I look like.

I have a degree in Electronic Engineering, but I prefer working on software. I worked for 20 years in software-development, mostly on 'embedded systems'. This is where systems have boards with microprocessors, ports and interface chips, timers, etc. I would write the software that goes in the 'single-chip microprocessor' to turn it into a particular product, for example a board to test part of a system. This was 10 years ago, so I'm studying some of the modern microprocessors to get back up to speed.

My first thought was that I might be able to do some of the programming (on the USB Flash Drive Editor). However, it really needs someone with more experience of modern microprocessors/microcontrollers than me, and the operating systems that go in them, like Tiny Linux or Java. There are several small firms in the UK that specialise in embedded system design and consultancy. It depends on how much money is available. I can show you some different concepts for the system, based on devices and prices that I've found, and help to write the precise requirements documents.

I'd like to spend some time doing some voluntary work and travelling. I speak a bit of Spanish, so I'd like to see Latin America.

After looking at the OneLaptopPerChild site, MinciuSodas, Worknets and especially Samwel's Rusinga Island projects in Kenya, I'm starting to think like you, that there are many ways that cheap electronic devices and cheap methods of communication could help people in developing countries. If people could get access to all the free information on the internet, such as farming, health and business info, and help and advice from other net users, they could solve a lot of problems themselves and by working with other people.

Favourite quotation    

Ken Livingstone, first elected mayor of London.

AboutThisPage    

• DeepestValue=To treat everybody equally
• InvestigatoryQuestion=How can we help everybody live with dignity?
• Ricardo=What is Ricardo's dream?
• FlashDriveEditor = Key contributor to FlashDriveEditor and promoter of Sneakernet.
• PageByRicardo=My profile page, with a list of my other pages.

Comments    

Ricardo, thank you for your many wonderful letters. And it's great to see you here at our wiki! AndriusKulikauskas September 18, 2007 7:25 CET

Ricardo, your "partial solutions" concept is simply great. I've replicated your questions, asking about traffic congestion to taxi drivers, and most have a pet idea (in Spanish: "lo que hay que hacer es") and dive head-first into that one idea. As a partial solution, maybe I can teach you 5 words in Spanish? Also, Andrius is (at LucasBlog) asking me about what the lab and allies could do about PandemicFlu (which I care about), so I wonder how we could go about that too. LucasGonzalez September 18, 2007

Ricardo, Thank you for your great work at our wiki. Please let me know how we might improve it and our other websites. I want to work on that these next two months. AndriusKulikauskas November 11, 2007 16:54 CET

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:55:30 UTC Evelyn: Ricardo, we are grateful for all the information you have provided on ICT development in rural Africa, and assistance in video, photo editing, animation and other ways of earning small income using the internet.

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 19:03:52 UTC Graham Knight: Hi Ricardo,

As you may have seen, I'm into low cost solar pv including the recharging of batteries. It can be done very cheaply. Have a look at biodesign.webeden.co.uk and come back with queries

Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:32:40 UTC Prims Lugemwa: Ricardo,I'm very interesting with Technology and techinological innovation that it will inspire and motivating me a lot to engage in ICT.I hope could in touch with activity concerning ICT.

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:50:34 UTC AndriusKulikauskas: Ricardo, I like your new photo! Thank you for all of your work here. You are amazing!

Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:24:33 UTC Hamimu Byabato: Ricardo,good photo shows geographical features.I'm amongst Uyoga member definitely I see your living fruitness to us, thanks very much .

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 00:57:15 UTC Andrius Kulikauskas: Hi Ricardo, I am traveling to the US. Should I try to visit you in London on my way there? Thank you for all of your fantastic, imaginative investigations!

Tue, 27 May 2008 22:21:04 UTC AndriusKulikauskas: Ricardo, thank you for your help today on the telephone. I just want to jot down your interest that people in the developing world have access to the same services - although perhaps through different technologies - that we enjoy in the developed world - such as libraries and communications. Thank you for all your work towards that!

Mon, 30 Mar 09 11:22:10 +0000 AndriusKulikauskas: Hi Ricardo! Greetings from London. We had a fun and productive time here. Today we meet at the British Museum with Samwel and Rachel. Peace, Andrius

Sat, 04 Apr 09 03:31:10 +0000 DorindaMoreno: Ricardo, appreciated your vast technologial experience and your appreciation for Central and South America. Please look to Mexico and the indigenous community in the U.S. and north also, we are an entire continent that can utilizee the services provided by this resource. i have a 40 year archive on this area of work and can personally use a lot of support and am just getting started. Thanks for the inspiration. <[email protected]>