9. Notes: we don't find hubs; PostNets mostly; cafe's not as busy; not the same kind of entrepreneur-owned cafe culture; LAN gaming (leisure use); Randburg Mall exception
19. Notes: not exhaustive or comprehensive; based on observation; 3 new cafes in braamfontein already - shifting landscape; the Randburg mall exception; Soweto access from home - unobservable; Braamfontein as thoroughfare / business district / study area; Yeoville immigrant population, Hillbrow & Berea & Rocky street density
20. A flourishing internet and PC provision industry has emerged R5 per hour in Braamfontein vs R35 an hour in Rosebank - approximately US$0.67 and US$4.75, respectively). Competition > cost > travel (Braamfontein) High costs of PCâs & connecting & lack of phone lines Result: informally sophisticated self regulating gap filler
35. The relationship between the PC and Internet Connection Having and using a PC is not enough â the Internet appears to be an essential adjunct. It seems that a symbiotic connection has developed between computer use and the Internet â that one without the other leaves the user lacking. There also appears to be a strong connection between document creation and Internet use. Of those who have a PC at home (41%), only 11% have an Internet connection. This speaks to a lack of home connectivity amongst this sample. However a full 100% use the Internet at Internet cafes. This shows that having a PC at home is not enough for the users â the Internet has become necessary to make the home PC âfunctionalâ.
42. It affects âwhat we seeâ and how we interpret what we see. We recommend shifting our perceived notion of where value lies in the Web in South Africa. The ROI argument required for business should not overshadow the value that the Internet and Web holds for users that do not sit within the mainstream of our understanding of where and how the web is perceived to be used in South Africa. Where currently we use e-commerce or online banking self-servicing as measures to determine the success and value of the Web, perhaps we should be broadening the net to other kinds of online transactions like those facilitated by job web sites, government web sites, email and even more broadly informational websites that assist in empowering users in making important life decisions.
50. Lastly, we would recommend giving thought to opportunities that could exist at the intersection between: > sharing computers > storing and managing data without the use of a personal, persistent desktop (a PC) > access via multiple Internet access points (or nodes) > portable storage devices For instance, a â remote desktop â: interface driven, with server-side information storage, Internet linked, password-protected, where a user can both upload and download information (from a local source or server-to-server) with permissions-based sharing.