Theos-Talk Archives (August 1998 Message tt00423)

Dear Doss and Dallas,

I find this subject very interesting and the prospects for the future are
very promising. The first thing that comes to my mind is countries that
have a shortage of books and have no printing of theosophical books at all,
like Cuba. When I visited the TS in that country a few years ago I was
shocked that there was no copy of the "Mahatma Letters to A.P. Sinnett" in
the country. Before my trip I decided to take my own copy (Spanish version)
with me and leave it there, as well as my spanish copy of the SD. So you
can imagine what the internet could do to the Cuban theosophists. Right now
there is a lot of control by the communist regime, and the Section, even if
it has a computer system (donated by the Spanish theosophists), it doesn't
have internet access, and can't download any theosophical material from the
internet.

I tried to find a way to connect them through a modem, but they kept
telling me that it is not possible. Maybe some they will be able to join
the theosophical world community through all means of communication,
including high speed internet connection.

Rudy


>Dear Dallas:
>
>Here are my responses.
>
>At 04:00 PM 8/24/1998 -0700, you wrote:
>>Aug 24th 1998
>>
>>Dear Doss:
>>
>>What you report is quite wonderful.  Now what would the average PC owner
>>need to have in the way of software or access-ware to be able to do this ?
>>
>At this time, high speed access is very expensive. Only large institutions
>and very rich people can afford it. What is needed is telecommunication
>connection between your computer and the Internet Service Provider. The
>most likely scenario is ability to get high speed connection via cable used
>for cable television. The technology is not here yet. In a couple of years
>it is likely to be available. For now the 33.6 modem is the most cost
>effective approach for most of us.
>
>
>>I would observe that the use of paper and printed texts is still a necessity
>>for students. as that is the place where one sets down one's ideas (of
>>course this could be put down on a computer page/file -- and hopefully there
>>would be no crashes ! )
>>
>Agreed. Paper is not going away.
>
>>What I would like to address is the following:
>>
>>DATA is fine.  But it takes a mind that is fine-tuned to the nuances of what
>>is IMPLIED to digest compare and understand what the data means.
>>
>What we are seeing is information overload. But the ability to access info
>is going to be valuable.
>
>>So, to my mind this will not render obsolete the written reference material,
>>although actual reference to certain DATA can be accelerated.
>>
>>It still takes a MIND going at its own pace to decipher the implications of
>>such data as is received.
>>
>>What do you think ?
>>
>>Dallas
>>
>>
>
>