Readers' Comments

Reader Comments on Aardvark Daily 25 July 2001
Note: the comments below are the unabridged submissions of readers and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher.

From: Carl Hemmingsen
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Great Idea......  but

I think that your idea is good except for 3 key points.

1) If it's the poorer Maori you are targeting then you have
to think about things like literacy.  Many Maori have
trouble speaking Maori, actually reading the language is
likely to pose all kinds of problems.  In poorer areas of
NZ they are never going to get the bandwidth to be able to
download video or voice.

2) These areas do not have a high degree of people with the
technical ability to use an offline computer, as opposed to
all the hasseles of dialling up onto the internet and
finding web pages.  Ask any ISP helldesk staff member, and
they will be able to rattle off at least 3 or 4 names of
people who should never have been allowed to buy a computer
because of their gross stupidity, and that is out of the
mostly "affluent" portion of the population.

3) If I was poor and I was given a PC buy the government.
I then had trouble using it I can tell you that the first
thing I would be doing is going down to the local pawn
broker and flicking it off for a couple of hundred bucks to
pay off the electricity bill.

I must admit that the possibility of getting PC's into
poorer households is a great idea.   But I think that this
would be to promote the use of computers for the kids in
the house, not for Internet use with the adults.




From: Kane
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Watching TV

Right on, we can watch TV but we cant afford to defend our
country or look after the sick and dying ?




From: Greg L
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: I Agree

I really agree how this is such a waste of money "Maori
TV". Didn't this happen a few years ago as well?
I have nothing against Maori's and I think another
alternative like your internet idea would be much more
productive. When you put them behind anything that has to
do with money or politics then you can be assured of
failure. I bet that within 3 years of the launch of the
channel you will start to see some major problems.

Your point about our health shortage etc was right on the
mark and I really hope Helen Clark has a read of your column

On another note: I find it weird how you ask readers to
voice their opinion about specific articles but you don't
have any message board or similar place on your Web site
for your audience to view these opinions. Do you read them
all your self and then delete them? Is that it??? One topic
I was particularly interested in was your article about
Benny Hin.

Anyway keep up the good articles and you seem to have
become much more on-to-it these days and have moved away
from your slightly Red Neck attitude you used to display.

Aardvark responds:
There used to be a very good forum system here but I was
forced to discontinue it due to the delinquent activities
of a few immature fools.




From: Grant
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Start of a good idea

I think any program that aims at throwing that much money
at a poorly defined goal is bound to failure.

I like the idea of using the net instead but instead of
homes, I think developing and putting simple network
appliances (that operate in Maori) into marae,schools and
te reo nests along with decent net connections and support
would be a better & more cost efficient start.



From: Martin Wehipeihana
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Now that's thinking laterally

The National Kohanga Reo (maori language pre-school) Trust
has been trying to do something like this for the last
couple of years. The goal was/is to put web access into
every kohanga in the country.

I personally despise television (pop corn for the mind) and
an initiative like this would be fantastic.

If you feel strongly about it, why not email your MP? (I
did!)

www.executive.govt.nz/minister/index.html

Kia ora




From: Lindsay Williams
For : The Editor (for publication)
Subj: Internet v TV

I have some sympathy with your theme but I am forced to
admit that Carl's thoughts might come to pass too!

Another advantage of Internet delivery is that the material
is always there so if you come to it late it doesn't
matter. You can still start with "episode" 1. TV is a here
today gone tomorrow environment.
Now Have Your Say