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The New Independent Home
by Michael Potts
from chapter 10 :
The Brazil effect |
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This term was originally coined, I believe, by Seymour Papert, an educational theorist, to describe the coming of modern telephony to Brazil. Our North American telephone system has grown gradually and almost organically over a century, and some of its farthest-flung branches still rely on early technology: copper, relays, mechanical plugs and switches. Gradually, the fastest growing parts of the system have been upgraded to fiberoptics and semiconductor switching, while the most far-flung are now reached by cellular service rather than hard wires. The work is often very technically sophisticated, and repair specialists in many regions must be trained in, and carry tools for, three technologies. Our system's performance is sometimes hindered by awkward interfaces between old and new. In Brazil before 1975, the phone system was practically non-existent, and therefore required building from scratch using the best available technologies; the repair people there only need to be trained in, and carry tools for, the more modern technology, which was then fiberoptics. Brazil's telephone system cost less to build and maintain, and works better, than its older northern sister. Does this imply that it is wise, then, to wait until a technology matures before taking the first step? Of course not: far better to risk being cut by the leading edge of technology, to pay the price of being the first, and have the advantage of months or years of experience.
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