Digital Revolution

January 22, 2010 4:11 PM

This is the introduction to The Virtual Revolution, an open source documentary, due for transmission on BBC Two next week, that will take stock of 20 years of change brought about by the World Wide Web. Only about 25% of the world population uses the Web today, however more than 70% of people have access to mobile or fixed communication devices capable of displaying Web content. The World Wide Web Foundation [prev] exists to bridge the 'digital divide' in Internet usage.
posted by netbros (7 comments total)

"more than 70% of people have access to mobile or fixed communication devices capable of displaying Web content."

But few have the ability to pay their wireless carrier's extortionist fees, no? Hardware for the web is cheap. Telco gouging, however, is costing us humanity's advancement.
posted by majick at 5:09 PM on January 22, 2010 [2 favorites]

Can we refer to the digital divide as the Epic Veil?
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 5:13 PM on January 22, 2010 [4 favorites]

"more than 70% of people have access to mobile or fixed communication devices capable of displaying Web content."

What percentage of web content? They sure aren't loading CNN. That stupid site takes like 10 minutes to load on my Nokia n810. Idiot web developers.
posted by DU at 5:26 PM on January 22, 2010

Only about 25% of the world population uses the Web today, however more than 70% of people have access to ... devices capable of displaying Web content.

I'm not sure what this is saying. 25% of the world uses the web, and another 45% could if they pushed a button on their phone? 70% of the world has access, but only 25% regularly use the web?

Something else entirely?
posted by niles at 6:37 PM on January 22, 2010 [1 favorite]

DU: "That stupid site takes like 10 minutes to load on my Nokia n810. Idiot web developers."

It only took like 10 seconds on my n900 with MicroB. And with Mozilla Fennec it took 8 seconds to start rendering, and 15 to show me a popup block notice. At least MeFi renders snappy.
posted by pwnguin at 10:33 PM on January 22, 2010

That stupid site takes like 10 minutes to load on my Nokia n810. Idiot web developers.

Yeah, I don't know which site you're talking about. They all loaded pretty quickly on my phone.
posted by RockCorpse at 2:17 AM on January 23, 2010

Some excerpts from the series.
posted by empath at 11:37 PM on January 23, 2010 [1 favorite]