Demand in these public facilities is often much higher than the available computer time. So we face a dilemma. Those who lack regular and convenient access to the Internet are finding themselves further and further behind the vanguard of American business and culture. And that is what we call the Digital Divide. The consequences of computer illiteracy will only continue to grow direr.
Computer literacy is already a prerequisite for most jobs.
Computers are fast becoming so integral to our collective culture that not owning one is tantamount to excluding one s self from the mainstream of American culture. Despite recent drops in computer prices, a thousand dollars remains barely enough to outfit an individual with a serviceable computer. This is beyond the means of millions of Americans. So it is heartening to see that so many high technology companies have taken the lead in providing computers and software to American communities that most need them. Microsoft, 3Com, and Sun Microsystems are all donating software, hardware, and Internet access to students in underserved neighborhood.