[HaBi 2]    THE KIDS CAN'T WAIT - European Resolution

THE KIDS CAN'T WAIT - European Resolution Youngsters without means - what a future! Consequences of a wrong policy The fact that Europe, in comparison with the pacific border states, is backward in technology is causing much distress. Everybody is aware of the fact, but nobody wants to take the blame; whether the State or Industry is the culprit is hard to find out. Big capital is usually furnished as a panacea, mostly in the form of grants to industry. Such a policy forgets one thing: Progress can't be bought! Progress is the result of the creative power of innovators. A small, however well paid elite, can't be a substitute for this big group in the end. The core of the problem of Europe's lagging behind in technology lies in the training of the present generation. Europe has a long tradition of elites and progress and its exiqences are more and more hampered by this traditional structure. Relevant encouragement should already be part of training in school and job. But already with regard to the equipment with the necessary EDV hardware of the training centres is the situation a sad one. In West-Germany mostly only schools in the bigger towns possess the barely necessary DP-equipment; a satisfactory equipment is only to be found in centres sponsored by data concerns. The bigger part of German schools don't provide the possibility to satisfy the demands for the future know how. In this way much talent for commercial training runs to waste. But hardware isn't everything. The instructors are in a bad position. Even trained according to the conception of a higher scientific authority they are faced more and more with pupils in certain sectors their superiors. This concept should not be sacrosanct. An obstinate stand still in the old training structure does not encourage the present generation, on the contrary it hinders them. It is about time to start thinking about new collective training methods, adequate training of groups for example with aid of the worldwide database network where in the instructor performs a more important social function. Up to the end of the eighties more than 6 million jobs will depend directly or indirectly of EDV. A firm which takes on electronic services from outside has naturally to play the role of a servant, a supplier without really having a finger in the pie. However, it would be wrong to see only the school and jobtraining sector as the culprit. There are enough youngsters who desire to satisfy their wish to learn even without school. Through a structured database net the possibility of a really universal university has been created, which is - at least theoretically - at everyone's disposal. But this theory is shipwrecked by lack of money. Knowledge stands nowadays for communication, and one should be able to afford oneself the means to communication. Modern forms of data communication are not only left to private initiative: they are consciously hampered by, partly according with EEC regulations defined national clauses, and general admittances. The reason: the Bundespost comes in a conflict situation as a manager of the information net as well as the direct supplier of electronic information services. She uses het monopoly herewith in the first place for competitions, advantages and price fixing instead of, according to the regulations of the constituation, managing an optimal information net for a reasonable price, at everyone's disposal. Instead of encouraging such enterprises through liberal and reasonable priced managing of the telephone and datanet is the Bundespost victim of the reproach to further exactly the contrary of this: private initiative. She went in for the adventure of big projects, such as BTX, which limit considerably the movements of the state enterprise and link it to the chain of some data concerns. BTX and similar big projects are not only economically dubious but they also force the participant into the role of the consumer. Activity is not wanted. Old mistakes applied again? An information firm can't afford to build dams. Information will fließen - Information soll fließen! CCC/BHP: Strassburg den 8. Okt. 1985

[HaBi 2]    THE KIDS CAN'T WAIT - European Resolution