Sep 15, 2003 08:15 PM
4367 Views
(Updated Sep 15, 2003 08:15 PM)
The Internet has changed the way people Communicate. The world has become a local village and the cybercafe down the corner of the lane as the post office to reach out to the world.
Of course, like any other thing, we need to ensure that this wonderful media is put to a constructive use and to reduce (if not possible to eliminate) misuse of the same.
Cybercafe's can play a very constructive role. At the moment, almost 60% of the people turn to Cybercafes all over India for browsing, chatting with friends etc. They can take the following steps to ensure that a discipline is ensured from thier quarters in the cyberspace.
1) Pornography/Abusive/Obscene/AntiNational/AntiSocial/Spam-Supporting Sites are blocked. There are a number of Proxy Servers that are available free, which are easy to configure for casual users also. A single server can be configured to access the Internet from Cybercafes. All other systems should be configured to run through this proxy server. This proxy can be configured to block sites like the one mentioned.
This may affect a certain portion of jerks from visiting that cybercafe. But the cybercafe owners should not care these, since they in fact earn credibility and good reputation from larger masses and good customer base in long run.
Perhaps websites that support hacking and sites which give serial numbers for software should also not be allowed to be browsed. Remember, how much pain a software developer should have taken, while developing a software. Everything gets upset by just entering a junk serial number.
Perhaps Internet Cybercafes should prominently display information on where to contact and who to contact, in case they encounter software piracy, which is a bane of current day.
2) Bandwidth Friendly: The proxy server as mentioned in (1) can be configured to restrict bandwidth downloaded to each PC connected from the network. Perhaps a 'fat' user can open 55 Internet Explorer windows and may be downloading 12 MB each. This will heavily affect the browsing speed of other guy applying to a Job site or a person browsing a matrimonial site for his daughter. Each one must be given a decent share. Again simple configurations at the central servers to throttle the available bandwidth can be done.
3)Tech-Savvy: The cybercafe owners can try to bring some sort of small Internet training and Net Awareness to general public so that everybody can join the bandwagon. This will really bring more customers to the Internet Cafe.
4)Privacy: Cybercafe owners can help new people to login to Hotmail or Yahoo. But remember, textboxes that say
(*) Password
(*)Credit Card Number
(*)Secret Question
(*)Secret Answer
must be answered by that person only. I agree that not all cybercafe owners are pranksters playing mischeif. But at the same time, privacy of the people must be respected. Remember, the websites invest so much to get Truste Certified Privacy Policies, to instil confidence in the hearts of people. A good samaritan gesture like entering a password by asking them, spoils the whole of the cook.
Perhaps though the above may be trivial, I think, if they are followed, it would make Cyberspace in India more cleaner and healthier to breathe and surf.
What do you say?
