This and the week previous, all the media covered CAN Infotech as if it was a millennium extravaganza. It is surprising that this show overshadowed news of the ongoing Maoist insurgency and student's agitation. The most striking fact was the impression and the longterm effect that CAN made on us visitors. Educational institutions and business houses whose sole motive was to distribute brochures occupied most stalls. Most people just threw away the flyers they were handed, something like junk mail that clutters up our email inbox. Somebody should have researched how much money is spent, paper wasted and the effect on the environment.

Indra Kumar Maharjan,
email

. Amar Gurung's 'For the people' (#180) was to the point. The modern economy is driven by information and knowledge rather than conventional capital and resources. It is therefore very important for an underdeveloped country like Nepal to make the maximum use of ICT to leapfrog the process of development and compete in the global economy. And if the people do not come to technology, then technology must be taken to them. However, this is an immensely difficult task for Nepal that has over 93 languages and dialects of which merely eight have any literate tradition. Besides, what little technology we have is urban-centric. Hence, reducing this rural-urban divide is also equally important.

It is quite true that till now the so-called technocrats have decided on the technology and its subsequent benefits for the people, but in a country where nearly 60 percent of the total population is illiterate in their own language or any other, how can we expect them to decide what their needs are vis-?-vis technology's benefits? By taking technology to the people, we are trying to give them the option of having information and knowledge that will eventually bring about a technological culture.

Paribesh Pradhan,
NEC