RE: Digital Devida

[Mike Meuser <meuser@mapcruzin.com>]

Hi - I'm not sure that I'm the michael you are referring
to.  My point is that we can design websites so that current
users can have decent access or we can design websites that
encourage the diversion of resources and money towards
building more and more toxic filled, energy consuming
computers that do nothing but fill the pockets of consultants
and computer companies (not to mention further exacerbating
all the terrible side effects of the "information economy".
We are pretty much stuck with the bloated computer programs
we now have, but how about this.  EPA and other gov't agencies
could come out with their own version of a very slim, efficient
and fast browser that would work well on even 486 machines,
slow connections and the like.  We're talking data and text
here.  If done right it can transfer quite quickly on even
older but VERY useable machines and the phone line infrastructure
we now have.  As far as text vs. graphics.  If we can get what
we need with text who needs the graphics?  All the time and
energy (public dollars) could be used to providing more access
to more accurate data.  If we gotta have both, make text the
default not the other way around.