Comments on: e-STAS 2008 (V). Workshop: web programmes and content http://ictlogy.net/20080424-e-stas-2008-workshop-web-programmes-and-content/ Information Society, Digital Divide, ICT4D Tue, 06 Jan 2009 08:12:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: César http://ictlogy.net/20080424-e-stas-2008-workshop-web-programmes-and-content/comment-page-1/#comment-64850 César Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:52:28 +0000 http://ictlogy.net/?p=710#comment-64850 I guess I'm a natural born pessimistic, but I couldn't agree less. For me, best starting point for 'social action' is a sustainable business model. In some cases that business model is based on state money, some other times on foundations... and sometimes (TV is a VERY sucessful example, Google an even better one) it is funded on, not your perceived clients (TV viewers, web visitors), but on "selling eyeballs". Yes, even for an <strong>extremely</strong> low income public: one of the advantages of digitalization is that replication and distribution costs are so low that even very low income on advertising can help turn a profit. I'm not a great fan of Chris Anderson's 'free' idea, but I'd make it compulsory studying for anyone working in this field. You can trust human good will or human greed. I know where I am laying my bets... I'm more than willing to be flamed because of my lack of trust in mankind, and really sorry to rain on the parade but, at the very least, I think some counterpoint was needed. I guess I’m a natural born pessimistic, but I couldn’t agree less. For me, best starting point for ’social action’ is a sustainable business model.

In some cases that business model is based on state money, some other times on foundations… and sometimes (TV is a VERY sucessful example, Google an even better one) it is funded on, not your perceived clients (TV viewers, web visitors), but on “selling eyeballs”. Yes, even for an extremely low income public: one of the advantages of digitalization is that replication and distribution costs are so low that even very low income on advertising can help turn a profit. I’m not a great fan of Chris Anderson’s ‘free’ idea, but I’d make it compulsory studying for anyone working in this field.

You can trust human good will or human greed. I know where I am laying my bets…

I’m more than willing to be flamed because of my lack of trust in mankind, and really sorry to rain on the parade but, at the very least, I think some counterpoint was needed.

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