Subject: the KnowNet Initiative! Over the last week, "KnowNet" has been inundated with queries, some very encouraging feedbacks and offers of collaboration and remote volunteering. It has been really motivating to find people finding the products and services launched by KnowNet- namely KnowNet Weaver, http://www.knownetweaver.org and TechKnowNet, http://www.techknownet.org to be of interest and value. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- KnowNet Weaver Update (http://www.knownetweaver.org) KnowNet Weaver is basically a Tool Kit for Communities, Non-Governmental Organisations and Individuals to host local knowledge on the Information Superhighway using freeware of shareware available on the net. It is becoming a very popular site and we are getting around 135 hits a day. This week we have added three more free software descriptions- Western Languages Translation, Indian Languages Translation and an Email-to-Web service. It would be great if you could suggest resources which need to be added to this database. The only criteria is that the software resources should be available to the end user at ZERO Cost! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TechKnowNet Update (http://www.techknownet.org) "TechKnow" is a remote website designing course for individuals, organisations and communities working towards sustainable development. Under TechKnow, remote help is provided through emails to enable organisations and individuals to design their websites absolutely free-of-cost. This week, we have made the Module 2 of TechKnowNet online and it will teach almost 75% of entire website designing. Module 1 has already been online and a lot of people have taken benefit of it. Around 30 organisations and communities have signed up to take this course through email and many more have benefited through direct website course administration. The response has been very high from the African Continent and KnowNet would be happy to help all of those who signed up. SO KEEP THOSE MAILS COMING, WE CAN HANDLE THEM! --------------------------------------------------------------------------- KnowNet Initiative Update (http://www.knownet.org - coming up very soon!) Over time, the basic concept of KnowNet as it is emerging is three fold: 1. Recognising, valuing and giving SPACE on Information Superhighway to the knowledge existing within the local communities and organisations. This is to be done by helping communities/organisations host local content on the web in a comprehensible format and sensitising people about the local and global value of the knowledge possessed by them. To do this, requires creation and dissemination of simple, yet effect technologies to enable communities to upload the information they possess. (Such as through local language based KnowNet Weaver Kits) And through development of human capacities to manage the information on the internet. Setting up of Intermediary organisations (even virtual ones!) can play a strategic role in capacity development through remote expertise administration for information management. (TechKnowNet is one of the tools developed to fill up this need to some extent.) 2. Leveraging and advancing the mutual knowledge of people. This is to be done by providing value addition to the local knowledge through its amalgamation with the existent knowledge pool and databases, by opening a two-way channel for hosting and extracting of knowledge. A number of international, national and state-level organisations can play a significant role in enriching the local knowledge by pro-actively absorbing it and then coming out with empirical learnings which are valid in different situations and conditions. To do this, all the information being hosted by the local communities needs to find a wider audience both within themselves and in the external sphere which include research, academic and government bodies. This would re-affirm the belief in locally existing knowledge, enrich its value and would make it continously evolve with changing times. 3. Using Knowledge for catalysing the process of sustainable human development. This is to be done through using ICT and Knowledge for creation of livelihood opportunities, holding power-bearers more accountable to people, ensuring financial disciplines, impacting the local governance processes etc. What is required is fostering of innovative models - simple to complex; based on mere transfer of information from private to public domain to creation of strong virtual communities; from mere information-seeking models to employment generation and governance models; and the opportunities are boundless... --------------------------------------------------------------------------- TechKnow Initiative is still building up and we are in the process of setting up of decentralised virtual nodes. We would really welcome VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS INITIATIVE who can customise the broad initiatives of KnowNet. And it will not be a very far-fetched vision to create a team of ICT- volunteers to train one person in each rural village to open up a two-way communication channel for extracting and hosting information on the net. The path ahead is long and there is no shortcut but the difficult way is also the most beautiful way. Looking forwarding to hearing from you and your FEEDBACK, SUGGESTIONS and INVOLVEMENT would be greatly welcome. Regards Vikas Nath Innovator KnowNet Initiative KnowNet : http://www.knownetweaver.org TechKnowNet: http://www.techknownet.org email : knownet@knownetweaver.org