Indian Teachers and Bloging

For long, a query is disturbing me. It has been placed by John Simkin in on educationforum.ipbhost.com in response to one of my post.


I consider John Simkin as my Guru in the field of bloging and using it as a tool in teaching and personal aggrandizement. Hence, any query by him is for me a moral duty to answer. However, I am not able to find any satisfactory answer to his query. His query was about the Indian Teachers who have developed their web sites as a tool of their teaching. This is something, which the European teachers are using as one of the aid for teaching. This is part of their ICT project. Use of blog and web site are two main features of their ICT projects. The Indian Government has launched Edusat and Gyandarshan a T.V. Channel as a part of their ICT project. Some of the teachers and the students of IITs have also developed some programmes in that direction. However, I was not able to explore much about them. The few links which I had opened through the UGC site, consisted of such technical instructions for use of the softwares which they had developed, that I did not find enough encouragement to explore them. I had started bloging and I was more interested in getting a practical shape for my efforts in field of bloging as a teaching tool. Anyhow, I have come across a web log which has attracted my attention.


The web log is titled India School News. It has address at Banglore Karnataka India. It has on it a directory of various schools. It is being aggressively used for placing the job placement advertisement by different school and coaching centers. There is one message section asking for membership in order to post the comments but there are very view discussions going on it. They must watch and explore the activities of educationforum.ipbhost.com of John Simkin in order to imbibe some finer points in order to make their more alive. Then there is a section on school products also. It is called school store. Presently they are promoting products of Encyclopaedia Britannica only. On the whole, it seems to be the right seed and may soon sprout into a green tree. However, they must explore the ways to popularize it.


I have been searching for the blogs by the teachers. I have found some of them. However, they intend to give many personal things on it apart from writing about the subjects in which they are dealing. The most impressive activity in this direction is that of Delhi Public School Delhi. Their computer section is doing something really worthwhile. I have a hunch that they are going to establish themselves as leaders in their field. This aspect, that is bloging as a tool of teaching will definitely emerge as an in thing.


In case of foreign teachers, I have been watching many such blogs. Some of them are really doing a great job. Some of the leading teachers and scholars are alive in blogs and regularly update their blogs and sites. I have made links to such blogs on my other blog at www.sumir-history.blogspot.com. I have commented on the contents of such blogs also. One of the main blog, which remain the centre of my attraction and am a regular reader of that blog is of Milind Brown. However, for the last two days, I have found that there is higher rate of attrition among the teacher’s blog. I have checked only in the field of history. Some of the blogs which I have are Teaching American History "HISTORY TOGETHER" Evaluation ; Teaching History is Fun ; Teaching American History to Today's Youth; History 479 & Student Teaching; Teaching American History : Podcasting in Action and many such other blogs. However, I have found that they are there only there for last one or two months. Secondly they are not updated after making some posting. Why have they discontinued? There seems to high rate of attrition in this field even in America and Europe. Further, they become very personal while making post. They discuss the working of their school environment and behaviour of their students. But they are discussing the subjects. Some of them are really talking something substantial but they are not of that level about which I have made links on www.sumir-history.blogspot.com .


I have to make some more searches and studies in order to answer John Simkin. I just remain short of telling him that I, the big I, seems on be the only one using Blogs as a teaching tool. That is other thing, it was he, or his forum which is equally well looked after by Andy Walker, that taught me about it. Some of regular teachers like Grahm Davis and David and apart from them a galaxy of young teachers and in addition to that Jane Walker from Australia, all of them have left their influence on the contents of my blogs. Further, I have not been able to pursuade my students to come to my blog. It is rather the American and Canadian students who are visiting my www.undergraduatehistory.blogspot.com for notes on Ferdinand II, Louis XIV, Feudalism, Industrial Revolution and many such other topics which have been developed as per the syllabus of Punjab University Chandigarh. Any how, I am still here. I am here only for the last one year. Secondly, I have also became dormant in case of above mentioned blog due to non-academic, discouraging and hurting atmosphere at my college where I teach. God saves me! The NAAC team, if it visit, may not read it.

_________

Edited on Friday, December 02, 2005 at 6.40 pm

In the posting Indian Blogs Mallika Chopra is discussing the similar thing but on different part of the spectrum.
Mallika and Shekar are discussing the plans and charter of the blog and how far it is achieving it. One thing which I found here, regardless of what is being said there, most of the blogger talk about politics and interested in giving their version on what is happening. One of the commentator had raised this point and nicely pointed out that all the talks are not enough pregnant to be delievered as concrete activity. Secondly, they are not confining to one field of discussion. It has been nicely pointed out by one of the commentator that with the links and connection, the people on the intent blog can bring around such a discussion which could help otherwise in some concrete terms.

Again, I am unable to understand the actual import of South Asia and then talk only about India. Mallika was right in pointing out that there should be some thought on similar blogs from Pakistan and Bangladesh. If she really knows there are some really good blogs from Nepal and they prefer to write in Devnagari.

Further, she finds it fascinating to talk about making links. She is impressed and fascinated by activities of some of them. I have read some criticism about such activities a year back. There was some force in the arguments of that blogger.

Finally how I wish that similar thing is done by Teachers of India, some thing similar to Delhi Public School of Delhi so that I can answer John Simkin.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF ONLINE BOOKS

While studying the Indian social history, a question on the decline of Indian society is generally made an important issue of discussion. The reasoning given, as explanation of the decline of the Indian society is that it suffered because the spread of knowledge was stifled. A section of Indian society generally identified with the Brahmin caste tried to establish its complete control over the spread of knowledge. They restricted the spread of knowledge by putting restriction on the right of individual and classes to gain knowledge. In the Middle Ages they banned the low castes and women from seeking the knowledge of Vedas. Further, they restricted the spread of knowledge by restricting it to Sanskrit. Then, they restricted the learning of the Sanskrit language to a large number of castes. Gradually it effected the development of the Indian society. The myths and superstitions developed and flourished in such a scenario. As a result, India suffered on many fronts. The progress of knowledge suffered. The society suffered form many social vices. It badly effected the cultural growth and intellectual achievements of the Indian people. Finally, it became the cause of the servitude of Indians of foreign invaders for more than one thousand years.

Spread of knowledge and its easy accessibility are two main important operational aspects for saving the whole humanity from numerous and some major maladies from which it suffers. Another historic fact also stands in favour of readily availability of knowledge in practical terms the books and such information which is restricted because of many restriction. IN European history, the major change in the life of European people is attributed to many factors like decline of Feudalism, rise of middle class, the attack on Constantinople, geographical discoveries and so on. However, there are many scholars who would stress that above all such changes, the invention of press and availability of printed material to a large section of humanity was the most vital among. The invention of press and availability of the easily availability of the printed material is nothing else but a easily availability of knowledge. In those days, it was a big technological solution to availability of knowledge as it is today the availability of books online.


Those who are in not favour of this approach and counter its wider implications give following arguments.

They raise the issue of intellectual property right.

They raise the issue that the knowledge is gained through extensive research and development which requires lot of investment. Therefore, those who have invested on it, only they should have the right to possess it.

Some may say that unrestricted availability of knowledge can be counterproductive. The anomaly groups (read terrorists) would get access to knowhow of making atom bombs. They would destroy the world. Therefore, unrestricted accessibility of knowledge is not the right thing to achieve.

All the above arguments and many more like that are basically political and commercial section version.

The actual truth lies somewhere between both the arguments. It rather stands alone but favours in unrestricted and total accessibility of knowledge to all. The online solution is the answer to achieve that. Therefore, there should be online availability of knowledge.

Page Three of Blogdom

Here is something. It is called Intent Blog. It has a logo of a sunflower. So it is something pure and pious.


Nothing funny of the sort.


Including Administrator (Who is he?), there are 54 glibs in a party. Exclude him, then there are 53. Believe it, nothing of the cranky sort if you have not yet moved to that site.


Believe me, They are who’s Who of the world that matters.


If interested, then why do you not log in? Believe me it is nothing of f*** sort of thing.


Nothing cantankerous.


Nothing Obnoxious.


I assure you, if you are associated with India, you wont grumble if you are a serious person. I tell you it is nothing that mama forbades to do. Take her along or call her when you log in.


Mind it, it is nothing funny sort of thing and do not complain if you do not get expected "Real Thing".


Well, if you already knew about it then 123.

MSN in Fighting Mode

Recently two changes have been observed on msn search engine and msn portal.


It seems that Bhai log of internet are feeling the heat and the war is becoming serious.


On the MSN search, if you try to search for some concept, term or terminology, you get an answer from msn to that also. I think it is a recent feature.


There are now many search engines which give such a feature. However, most of them have some type of mechanism to collect the information from the web and display it as their answer.


"Oh, come on, the man has taught the artificial intelligence to behave as a crook. It is indulging in plagiarism."


One of the search engines , ‘beta.previewseek.com’, provides answer to such terms and events. The engine even claims to declare that it knows about many people and provides a brief biography of a name, if you seek information on a name. It starts with the claim, "PreviewSeek also knows this about: Aamir Khan" if you have typed the name Aamir Khan.


It can be said from a personal experience and interaction with previewseek people that, they collect the information mostly from wikipedia. In case of one recent search of a similar kind, the previewseek administrator himself pointed out about their source of information.


However, the contents and information provided by wikipedia continue to be questioned, doubted and remain an issue of debate.


Now MSN people have also set out on the same path. They are also going for collaboration with cyber users for building their information bank. However, they are giving it a level of respectability for every search term for which msn also suggests it own answer. They are calling all to edit and update the information. They use their highly rated contents and information of Encarta Encyclopedia and invite all to add to it. But they point out that it would be checked by the team which looks after the encyclopedia. I, myself, have been using it. However, a recent feature on Google, the Books.google.com, has overshadowed it for the utility for which I was using Encarta CD. Now that CD does not permit me to watch the additional information. But it hardly matters, because I now get it from Books.google.com.


The second feature of msn, which has been engaged into top-gear, is blogging. In case of India, they have adopted an amusing marketing strategy. Now I know, that why Bill Gates was visiting Indian again and again. (Blink). It is an unconfirmed report that msn has joined with the stars of Bollywood to promote and popularize their blog feature, which has been successfully turned into an effective marketing tool by the googles. Even Yahoo has lately awaken to this fact. The best example is Mangal Pandey Blog by Aamir Khan. I learned it just a week back but it is there since July 2005. That is other thing that there is no entry for September, October and November 2005 archives. Is it over now?


I am wondering that how many of Bollywood stars are now punching keys for msn. Is it not fascinating that Aishwarya, Preti, Rani and young babes blogging while sitting before their laptops? "Hey, where they do all this."


I float a suggestion to msn to promote their blog space. The MSN should approach President of India, Honourable A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He is a techno savvy person. He is quite popular among the teenagers. It is not difficult to see that if Mr. President becomes available on a blog, how many hits his blog will get. The visitors will be children and it is up to blog provider to attract them to their services. President Abdul Kalam is a person, who can understand the potential of such a medium to reach out to the people and the arrangements can be made only if the bureaucracy may not bring in their tardy and unnecessary sneering approach. President Abdul Kalam is from a state, which is also known for its techno-savvy population. The e-tutors of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are quite popular now these days. Therefore, a good idea is here, waiting to get exploited. As far Google is concerned, they are already having on me on the role. Yeah, I mean it.



In recent months, I am using Yahoo, Previewseek and Google as my search engines. However, I will remain with them and blog through googles. However, I am watching msn also because many of visitors to my sites are being directed to my sites by msn search.

sumir-history: More Digital Book Sources available ONLINE

The google book project is taking my time. Numerous thoughts are just jamming my brain. It has become a cause of going for more searches on the net and yielding more information. It is also becoming a cause of many more thoughts. I may write them out on my blog otherwise they are making me to turn again and again in my chair and holding me back from my other important tasks.

The post on sumir-history contains information in a form which can be used. But, I My Me has yet to take over here.

Is the Contention Against Google Print Valid?

I am unable to understand that why there is so much hue and cry about the Print Google.

They have been accused of stealing the printed contents of the rightful owners and making them available to the rest of the souls on the earth without any price and thus causing the monetary loss to the writers and the publishers. They are being accused of infringing on the intellectual property rights and copyrights and thus forcing the victims to take them to the court. They are being accused of starting the trend in which the laws have to be re-written.


For three days, I am trying to experiment with the Print Google dot com. I am using the terms, concepts, the names and authors related to Indian history. I am getting a huge list of books. It is very exhilarating to see the list of the books, the name of the authors, the date of publication and all the material, which are required for any research scholar to start his work. The lists which comes up can be used by a teacher or student or a researcher in a field to plan his study in more effective way. I am excited to see them because I feel that if I have to submit a synopsis in future for some research work and write a bibliography then I will be able to do all that while sitting before my monitor. The time will be saved. With a well defined question in the research activity, the work will be done in one sitting for collecting the material which is required for the research.

However, If I try to check the links, I am showed some pages under the link “some more results for the book”. I am definitely showed some of the pages. However, some of the pages are listed there but with a rider that they are not allowed to be seen there. I am also showed the contents of the book and also the bibliography section along with the index. I can tell from experience that all those pages are gif files which are created on scanning a book. (Please do not sue me in telling that because I know some may have concluded that even I have scanned some books.) But I am not shown the whole book. Yes, they do not show you the whole book. You can check the whole book in a book store and come out without buying any book. Here you are shown the book for some pages as per the query you have put in the search. But you are definitely not shown the whole book. Further, for each page there is warning that it is a copyright material.

However, if you are interested in buying that book, just on the right hand side they have given the links to the publisher or froogle or some other book selling portal. But you can not see the whole book at all. Well I can understand that by changing you query for search, you may see more pages but I have not tried that yet.


Well, what actually has this Print Google done? I think they have done a great job. They have given a practical shape to a great Idea. I think that all the publishers and authors should be dancing on their own heads and shouting for coming good days. They should thank the google people for having done that. They should go and kiss their hand. They should pray for their long life and the company. They should visit their houses and sweep their floors for what they have done to earn fortune for them. (Sweeping floor of someone is an Indian concept.) But No and Big NO. They have not done that. I have learned that they are suing the Google for this trouble.

Are they really true businessmen? Have they themselves checked that what is the true picture? Whatsoever is accessible on Print Google, you can get it by visiting any bookstore and library. In some of the libraries, they are even providing the photostat facility. In India, I have found people getting a whole book Xeroxed. I have seen medical students having Xerox copies of established book which cost less by being Xeroxed than to buy a fresh copy. Well, I am revealing a breaking of law in India but it is quite rampant here. Similarly, if you have good rapport with a bookseller, he may allow you to get a book Xeroxed. But whatsoever the google people are doing, it is not going to do any harm. What I see is that it will rather boost their sale. I believe that they are doing a free job for the publishers. They are promoting their sale. But it is strange that the publishers are perturbed and annoyed by their act. It is strange.

On thing is sure that those who are leveling different allegation against the google, have not actually checked what they have done. They are unnecessarily making wrong noises. They should first check what they are doing. They are becoming self appointed sales men. It is really goes to credit of those publishers who have offered them their books. They have made the smartest move of their business activity. They are going to be benefited.

Those who are undertaking a tirade against the Print Google, they better first check what actually they have done.

________

Edited on November 18, 2005. Local time 10.00 pm

The Google print is now Google Book Search.

Next Stage in the Project of Google Print

Google should not be cowed down by the fear of lawsuits and negative verdicts.

I do not have any idea about the American laws, American Judiciary and the Intellectual Property Right. One thing is sure that those books which have come into the public domain can be brought online. Whatever may be the verdicts, one thing is there, the Google Print will have enough books to bring online and this Project will not be shelved.

There is need to envisage a next future course of the Goolge Print. The very idea which prompted the Google Print to bring the books online is to provide the right content matter on the net. They want a "Counter to Nonsense" as Miland Brown had said.

It is a logical progress of the google Print project that they shall bring the unpublished doctoral thesis and research papers which lie dumped in universities libraries, department libraries and faculty stores. Those unpublished theses are storehouse of information which can prove decisive in this age of fast communication and exchange of information unhindered by geographical distances.

However, if the Google Print undertakes such a project of bringing the unpublished but approved thesis and dissertations on online, then again they will face strong opposition.

They will be opposed by Research Laboratories and university faculties. They will be again countered with argument of propriety, intellectual property rights and undue misuse of research funds at the expense of their efforts.

However, they may oppose Google print due to many other fears which many of them will never like to speak out but they know it will seal their fate and very existence. They will oppose them because their pseudo-intellectual hollowness will be exposed. They will fear that their act of plagiarism will be exposed and then they will be sued for infringing on the intellectual property rights of other scholars. They will fear that the emptiness and hollow research and claims to high intellectual achievements will be exposed. Many universities and research laboratories would cry hoarse shouting against bringing out the truths and secrets of their efficiency.

On the other hand, many publishers will join in as regular visitors to Google Print to find probable manuscript for their press and sale counter. They do not care to check and find the material worthy for printing. They expect that the writers should come to them and seek their kindness to get their work published. When such a work become business success then they can boost of promoting the author who had been pestering them sometime back and they had been behaving as imperious czars. However, soon they would visit the Google Print to find material to print in order to earn their bread and butter. The day will come when any good writer or researcher will directly publish on net and then where will these publisher go.

Google Print should definitely consider this proposal and send their scanning teams to Theses section of every university and Research Institute. It will also bring before the respective governments the need, the viability and significance of funding different research projects and different universities.

Letter in Support of Google Print

Dear Google,

First of all, be sure, you are doing the right thing. Continue with your activity with full conviction.

I, being a student of history can tell you, that you are getting freedom for the world by bringing the old books on line. Gutenberg.org has been doing this job and they were the only people doing it. However, during the course of my browsing, I have been able to locate similar sources on web which I am regularly posting on sumir-history.blogspot.com.

I will like to attract your attention to one of my post which was mainly a response to a comment on a statement by Miland Brown on World-history-blog.blogspot.com which is at following link. The link is http://sumir-history.blogspot.com/2005/10/counter-to-nonsense.html

In that post, I have just commented on the attitude of the publishers of the books who are now opposing your activity (at the time of commenting I did not know that you were facing the law suits against you from them.). The poor people (publishers) who claim themselves to be big businessmen are unable to foresee that what benefit will this activity bring for them in terms of sale. I will rather suggest that you should put fees on putting anything on google print for publishers if they want their book to be there. No doubt, there are portals that are promoting their books. But they did they fail? It is only because an interested person who can be their buyer just do not get opportunity to see what is there in the book. How can one buy a book without knowing the actual position of content of the book?

I can tell you my experience. If I like a book, I read it for two to three times. But If I have to borrow it again and again from the library, then only I go to buy book. On the other hand, while visiting a bookstore, if I just buy a book because it has just attracted my interest, most of the time, I am not able to read it for many months. For nearly two to three years, I have only bought such books which I have first read it in the library. I suggest you that just show this comment to the publishers who disturbing you by taking you to court.

I have a hunch. Very soon, these people who are taking you to court, will line up and seek personal favour in getting their books on line. They do not know that some of the books which are out of print can again become saleable commodity if they are brought before the readers. There are many such books which did not get the attention of the buyers but they are definitely needed by many readers which include research scholars, educators, students and even those who start trends in the field of business.

If you believe me, then kindly continue with Google Print project. It is going to be a big success. It will be beneficial for the google, the publishers and writers in terms of money and revenue and benefit the readers who are ready to pay for it.

Good wishes.

________

Post Script:

This is an email directed to google blog in response to Google Print Debate

It has reference to a previous post content A Counter to Nonsense and Google Print .

Tehri Dam

The site of the Tehri Dam was chosen in 1961. It was an urban center on the banks of the river Bhaghirthi, one of the three rivers which join at Deoprayaga to form Ganga. The plan also envisages another dam named Koteshwari Dam. The project is being looked after by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. The Government of India and Government of Uttranchal are the joint partners of this corporation. The Planning Commission had sanctioned the Tehri Dam in 1972. The work on the dam started in 1978. The land was acquired in 1976. The Koteshwari Dam will be started only when Tehri Dam will be completed. Hence, there will be two reservoirs on Bhagirithi River before it joins Alaknanda River at Deoprayaga.

In 1980, the then prime minister of India, Indra Gandhi, again got it reviewed. At that time, the committee under Dr. S. K. Roy strongly ruled against the project and the project was abandoned. It is on record that there is a comment by Prime Minister Indra Gandhi on the file that the project would benefit only the contractors.

In 1987-88, this project was reviewed by the government of the time. At that time, the Soviet Union showed interest in it. The standing committee of Ministry of Environment and Forest of Government of India again ruled against it. However, the Government of India overruled the recommendation of the ministry and sanctioned the project.

Even before that, this site was chosen for making a dam by the British Indian Government. However, due to strong opposition by the people and under the leadership of Madan Mohan Malvia, it was abandoned.

The site stands on seismic activity which when come into play may create a earthquake of the magnitude of 8 to 9 on the Richter scale of 12.


The dam will impound 700 billions gallon of water. The height of the dam will be 260.5 m. The dam will produce nearly 2400 MW of power. It will also facilitate irrigation of nearly 2.6 lakh hectares of agricultural land. It will provide the 270 million gallons of drinking water to Uttranchal, Uttar Pardesh and Delhi. The life span of dam is estimated at 30 years from 2015 onwards. After that, it has to be abandoned due to siltation.

The electricity generation machinery is being provided by Voith Siemens. The construction work is being carried out by JP Industries.

On December 5, 2001, the impounding of the water has started.


The Controversies and Issues:
Since the day of inception of this plan the project has been embroiled in controversies.

The first issue came in form of concern for the environment and preservation of flora and fauna. There was strong demand for environment studies that should be carried out and also need for the clearance from the environment ministry. However, the clearance of environment ministry came in 1990.

The second major issue was the location of the project and the design of the dam. It is still strongly contended that the dam stands in a seismic sensitive area and will cause great damage in case of earthquake. Related to this issue is the design of the dam which is made to withstand Peak Ground Acceleration of 0.25 g. It is argued at in case of a earthquake of the magnitude of 8, the PGC will be 1.0 g. In addition to that, there are regular landslides which will be cause of increased siltation reducing the total life span of the dam before the estimated age of the dam. Further, the cost of generation of electricity will be more than what is being generated from other hydroelectric units. It is argued on the basis that the cost of raising the dam has already increased to a level that it will be not profitable at all for the Uttranchal government. It is further argued that beneficiary states in case of irrigation and electricity will only be Uttar Pardesh and Delhi.

The third issue is the rehabilitation of the displaced people. It is strongly protested in the press media that the government is not keeping its promise in rehabilitating nearly one lakh people displaced in and around Tihari. However, the rebahilitation is being carried out as per the recommendation of Hanumantha Rao Committee. Hanumantha Rao Committee was established in 1996 after environmentalist Shri Sundar Lal Bahuguna went on hunger strike. The recommendations of Hanumantha Rao Committee was accepted in 1997. However, the dam has displaced a large number of people and created a major social problem for the area which requires compensation more than what the committee has recommended. The Janmanch has given an extensive report on the Resettlement and Rehabilitation.

The fourth issue is the emotional and religious issue which comes again and again in form of headlines. It is belief of Hindus that the three streams which join to form Ganga are vital for the present characteristics of the water of Ganga. When the dams will be raised on Bhagirithi and Alaknanda (Which is the second project after Tehri), the water will be entrapped for a longer period. That will destroy the original purity of the water of Ganga. They argue that only the flowing water will ensure the purity of the water of Ganga. The second issue is that Bhagirith had brought down the river Ganga for the salvation of his ancestors. It is a matter of belief that the same credit is gained by all the followers of Vedic religion (Hindu Religion). As per mythology, any obstruction or stopping of Ganga at any stage will bring catastrophe for the region. There are some stories in Puranic literature which tells that in case Ganga disappears, it brings great hardship for the people of the region.

The fifth controversy is that there is a section of experts who say that there is not need of raising huge dams. They claim that it is there expeerience that such huge dams are not profitable in long run as they cause more environmental harm. Ramaswamy Iyer of the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi is strongly against such big dams. He believes that water harvesting is the better answer. (Quoted from a report of Don Oko given on the website of www.grist.org)

The sixth controversy is the corruption and embezzlement while undertaking the rehabilitation and resettlement.



Sources:
Sanctuary Asia

Rehabilitation of the uprooted people from Tehri Dam area (PUCL Bulletin). It contains statistical data on rehabilitation.

A Dam Shame

A Saffron Twist by T. K. Rajalakshmi, Frontline, Volume 18, April 14-17, 2001. Discusses the Religious Issue and the role of VHP.

Janmanch A people’s Forum. Detailed report on Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

A Counter to the Nonsense

Miland Brown has made the following comment on his post The Napoleonic Revolution and I quote, "I always like it when professors put there (their) lectures online. It is such a great counter to much of the nonsense which passes as history online."


The comment has a bigger meaning and may materialize sometime in future. It may not be surprising that many pundits in the field of communication and education may read this comment but care little about the actual import of this comment and move on with their activity without getting hooked to this comment.


The internet and its future modification in form of availability of text, audio messages, video messages, graphics, simulation and animations on hand held devices like cell phones, or a futuristic device which may become more interactive by becoming sensitive to input commands like touch, voice, or even just a look at a thing on a screen just in order to activate the commands hidden behind them, is already taking into a world wherein new beyond-imagination activities would take place.


However, before that, the situation at present is that one has to put it on the web the information which can be sought by someone on the other side.


There is general mythical belief that everything is available on Internet. How far is it true that everything or all the information and thing available on Internet? No, it is not like that. For anything information to become available to the user of Internet, the most important thing is that someone should first put it on the Internet. Now this factor, "someone", is the most crucial factor at present.


This "someone" is not some thing new. It has been there since long, dominating all the media which somewhere I feel is decisive in outlining the perspective and opinion of the common man. The general held perspective and opinion about ones own surrounding decides you consciousness about yourself and your surroundings. This collective consciousness is your history, but in your present, it becomes the vital core of your being alive in present and actions which you take that effects your future.


The need is that the actual pundits for their corresponding epistemology should come forward to put their paradigm on the Internet. But they are not coming. No doubt, lot of nonsense is available on Internet. There is no counter that. The people, who can counter them, they do not do that. May be, putting information and paradigm on Internet is still a futuristic thing to happen. May be, they are too busy. May be a new set of ethics are required in the field of knowledge and more effective activity. May be, there is need to attach some monetary value to the activity which can become an incentive for the required pundits to bring their knowledge on the internet and everybody can access it without paying directly to the pundit.


An issue, which does not seem to have attracted the attention is that what type of information generally available on the Internet. The information is given by the political authorities or the government. The information is given with an idea to make some deal or result into monetary gain. Now these factor of monetary gain are based on ones own perspective of making a business and deal out of a general activity. However, there is no information of a category which is gained only by spending much on research and development. There are addresses of such organisations which give such information but they remain short of providing you information about the latest findings and future implications of those findings.


However, there are many pundits or professors, who can tell so much to the people. There is need that they may also come and play this role.

________

Note:

It is a double copy of already published post at sumir-history.blogspot.com. However, the administrator has found the contents of this post equally relevant to basic core of the blog.