Re: [-empyre-] geography...

[Sylvie Parent <sylvie_parent@sympatico.ca>]

> in my sight the global network ideal is not really dead. I know that it is
> especially lively in i.e. south american countries.
> (maybe this ideal has lost some impact in the western world because of not
> getting enough results in a short amount of time [it is a very slow process]
> + politically changing atmospheres || while the Net is spreading slowlier in
> "poorer" countries ....).

that's an interesting observation...
maybe, after all, even in the context of the web as a means for
distribution of multimedia content, we will see waves of creation based
on the network, as other countries become more connected

> As a non native english speaker I sometimes got the feeling that the english
> centered Net is ostracizing other countries simply by being in English.

ostracizing seems a bit strong, but I understand what you mean...
I feel more comfortable when writing French, that is clear
it is always a struggle for me, as it must be for many other "English as
a second language" speakers, I guess, to express myself in English
I publish my writing in French because I believe it is important to
acknowledge your own culture but I am happy when I can have it
translated in order to reach the English speaking community
the web is mostly English territory, this is a fact
it creates a will for connection with the already existing English
speaking communities 
it is also the responsibility of people speaking other languages to
invade the web with their own language and create strong communities
bilinguism is a valuable option, to be heard and seen, I think
to exist in your own language, and be accessible to many others

Sylvie