The exclusions faced by poor and vulnerable people are extensive but the age of computing offers many avenues to overcoming the problems of poverty. This is so valued by the technology industry that the One Laptop Per Child project has driven down the price of computer access in the Third World, but there is no equivalent in developed world nations.
The OLPC project orginially tasked itself with creating a sub-$100 laptop designed around the constraints of living in Africa or other poor parts of the world. It had to be very low power and have special mesh networking to enable it to be used in remote regions. The project has also developed a cheap tablet device too.
The phone I'm using meets the criteria for the OLPC project. Software can enable mesh networking and the very low power remit is easily met. Without it I would be bereft of communication and internet.
With Ebay software I can buy secondhand goods or shop online which significantly reduces my costs. Buying new clothes for example is a significant expense. I'm in need of a laptop and this too is much cheaper purchased second hand.
With Pulse Newsreader I have basic access to world news and other media. This is all for free as long as my bandwidth limit isn't reached whereupon I will have to pay higher charges to get any data.
I can use internet radio to listen to music, again for free, and keep in touch with email or free text messaging services. If I had access to a free wireless internet service I could make free international calls using Skype or GoogleTalk.
There are many other free and pay for applications which I can use from this small handheld device which is barely bigger than a packet of cigarettes. For example 3D Brain software allows me to learn about the functions of the brain while I sit here in my poverty trap.
There are of course limitations but what I have is more than most people in this situation and all made possible through overcoming the obstacle of digital exclusion. Full internet access and a laptop would reduce many of these barriers for example I could start applying for jobs properly and read much more than I can using this tiny screen.
I have a high level of computer expertise and this is one of the strengths which allows me to overcome the barriers of digital exclusion using basic equipment such as this old smartphone. I have high computer literacy, something which many people lack regardless of their financial circumstances. A lack of computer literacy is another component in digital exclusion and in the future may be regarded as a mental illness like learning disabilities; it is my hope that future interfaces will be highly intuitive and so this will not be the same cause of disadvantage as poor numerical or literary skills.
It seems there is little work or progress in the area of overcoming digital exclusion. Herein lies a big problem for the poor and disadvantaged. There is no universal scheme in developed world nations such as the UK to help those at the bottom overcome the problems of lack of access to digital technology. It still requires knowledge, capital investment and ongoing costs which are out of the scope of most of the rest of the people in my situation.
When I say my situation I mean poor, alone, supported by the welfare state, suicidal and one step above homelessness. A month ago I was detained in a psychiatric ward. If I didn't have this phone my life would be much, much worse off.
Sent from my smartphone
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