Cuba USA
In the 1990s, during the years just before and just after Cuba’s first Internet connection, I visited the island three times, and wrote several reports and articles on the state of Cuban networking.
Cuba was one of the leading pre-Internet networking nations in the Caribbean. The small community of Cuban networking technicians was like that of other nations at the time. They were smart, resourceful, and motivated. They believed, correctly, that the Internet was important -- that it would have a profound impact on individuals, organizations and society. They were members of the international community of Internet pioneers.
I have recently returned to the topic in writing a study of the state of the Internet in Cuba today. I discovered that remarkably little has changed since those early days. The Cuban Internet has stagnated, while most of the world raced ahead.
This left me saddened -- for the optimistic Internet pioneers who were not able to realize their dreams and for the Cuban people who have not enjoyed and profited from the Internet.
I can think of three major causes for this stagnation: the US embargo, the Cuban economy, and the government's fear of information freedom.
The US embargo delayed an undersea cable and made computers, routers, and other equipment expensive and difficult to obtain. Cuban leaders are quick to blame the embargo for their networking problems, but it was only one hurdle.
With or without an embargo, building Internet infrastructure, training a generation of demanding users, building the Internet industry, and developing innovative applications is expensive. Cuba's first Internet connection occurred a few years after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the economy was severely depressed during that "special period." Furthermore, the policies of the Cuban government were hostile to, not encouraging of, foreign investment. Cuba could not afford to develop the Internet.
The third constraint was the government's fear of freedom of speech and communication -- the dictator's dilemma. They were unwilling to risk political instability in order to achieve the benefits of the Internet.
This sad situation is changing. Cuba will soon have an undersea cable. Chinese networking equipment and expertise are world class and, presumably, not effected by the embargo. The political situation in the United States is slowly changing as the revolution fades further into the past. The Cuban leaders are old and will change. Most important, there is a good deal of pent up demand for the Internet among the well-educated Cuban population.
I am starting this blog as a small effort to encourage the modernization of and access to the Internet in Cuba.
Respectful comments and guest posts are welcome.
-----
Durante la década de los noventa, justo antes e inmediatamente después de la primera conexión de Cuba al Internet, tuve la oportunidad de visitar la isla tres veces, y de escribir varios informes y artículos sobre el estado del Internet en Cuba.
Cuba estuvo a la vanguardia con respecto a redes de computadores, entre los países caribeños de la época pre-Internet. La pequeña comunidad de técnicos de las redes en cuba fue parecida a las de otros países durante esa época. Eran inteligentes, creativos, originales, y sumamente motivados. Creían, correctamente, que las redes y el Internet era importante y que tendría un profundo impacto en los individuos, organizaciones, y la sociedad entera. Se sentían miembros de la comunidad internacional de los pioneros del Internet.
Eso era entonces -- acabo de completar un estudio del estado actual del Internet en Cuba que actualisa mis previos informes. Descubrí que desgraciadamente aun permanecen en el pasado, y muy poco ha cambiado desde aquellos días pioneros. El Internet en Cuba ha quedado estancado cuando el resto del mundo se ha unido en forma acelerada a todos los cambios.
Esto me ha hecho sentir pena por el pueblo Cubano y la comunidad de técnicos -- por Cuba que no han podido aprovecharse de las riquezas del Internet, por los técnicos que han visto sus suenos morir.
Pienso en tres causas que explican este estancamiento: el embargo impuesto por los EEUU, la economía Cubana tan deteriorada y el miedo del gobierno al libre flujo de la información.
El embargo de los EEUU bloqueo la construcción de un cable submarino y agrego costo a la adquisición de computadoras, “routers,” y cualquier otro equipo necesario. Los líderes cubanos culparan solamente al embargo por sus dificultades con el Internet y desconocieron los otros obstáculos.
Aunque el embargo no hubiese existido, Cuba no tenia acceso a los capitales necesarios para construir la infraestructura del Internet, para entrenar una generación de usuarios, para desarrollar una industria de Internet y para desarrollar aplicaciones. La primera conexión de Cuba al Internet fue a los pocos anos despues de la caída de la Unión Soviética. La economía sufrió una severa depresión durante ese "periodo especial." Fuera de eso, la política normal del gobierno Cubano se oponía a inversiones extranjeras. Cuba no disponía de los medios para desarrollar el Internet.
El tercer obstáculo eral el miedo de parte del gobierno al flujo de la información libre -- el dilema del dictador. No les interesaba arriesgar la estabilidad política para conseguir los beneficios de la Internet.
Esta situación está en vías de cambio. Muy pronto Cuba va a tener un cable submarino. China ofrece equipos de alta calidad sin el “impuesto” del embargo y técnicos con experiencia en las redes. La relación de los EEUU hacia Cuba está abriéndose paulatinamente dado a que la presión que ejercía la comunidad cubana-americana ha ido disminuyendo. Sobre todo, el pueblo cubano, con sus altos niveles de educación, va a exigir el acceso al Internet.
Estoy empezando este blog como un pequeño esfuerzo para fomentar la modernización y el acceso al Internet en Cuba.
Bienvenido cualquier comentario respetuoso o post invitado.
(Gracias a Leon Kaplan para la traducción).
- A Modest Connectivity Pilot Proposal
Would the Cuban government be willing to test a few low-speed satellite links that were not controlled by ETECSA? I had an interesting exchange with a reader this week. He took exception to my assertion that the sorry state of the Internet in Cuba today...
- Iván García's Description Of The Cuban "computer Rooms" -- A Success In Spite Of Everything
The internet arouses affection and fear. Iván García has posted a great description of the Cuban "computer rooms". (As he notes, there is no good English translation for "salas de navegación"). Here are a few random quotes: On average, each internet...
- Venezuela Cracks Down On The Internet
The tension between the benefits of the Internet and it's power as a political communication tool has been with us since the early days of the Internet. When the Internet came to Cuba, the government debated this Dictator's Dilemma and decided...
- Chinese Technology Companies In Cuba -- What Are They Doing?
Jennifer Hernandez of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami has posted a note on her research on Chinese Technology Companies in Cuba. She notes that "through bilateral trade agreements, China has been expanding...
- Us Army Jeep At The Bay Of Pigs And Networking Pioneers In Cuba
I have done several studies of the Cuban Internet over the years, and my colleague Joel Snyder just found a bunch of pictures he took during a 1992 trip. Here are two -- more later.We took a couple days off from interviews and presentations and went to...
Cuba USA
About this blog -- el tema de este blog
In the 1990s, during the years just before and just after Cuba’s first Internet connection, I visited the island three times, and wrote several reports and articles on the state of Cuban networking.
Cuba was one of the leading pre-Internet networking nations in the Caribbean. The small community of Cuban networking technicians was like that of other nations at the time. They were smart, resourceful, and motivated. They believed, correctly, that the Internet was important -- that it would have a profound impact on individuals, organizations and society. They were members of the international community of Internet pioneers.
I have recently returned to the topic in writing a study of the state of the Internet in Cuba today. I discovered that remarkably little has changed since those early days. The Cuban Internet has stagnated, while most of the world raced ahead.
This left me saddened -- for the optimistic Internet pioneers who were not able to realize their dreams and for the Cuban people who have not enjoyed and profited from the Internet.
I can think of three major causes for this stagnation: the US embargo, the Cuban economy, and the government's fear of information freedom.
The US embargo delayed an undersea cable and made computers, routers, and other equipment expensive and difficult to obtain. Cuban leaders are quick to blame the embargo for their networking problems, but it was only one hurdle.
With or without an embargo, building Internet infrastructure, training a generation of demanding users, building the Internet industry, and developing innovative applications is expensive. Cuba's first Internet connection occurred a few years after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the economy was severely depressed during that "special period." Furthermore, the policies of the Cuban government were hostile to, not encouraging of, foreign investment. Cuba could not afford to develop the Internet.
The third constraint was the government's fear of freedom of speech and communication -- the dictator's dilemma. They were unwilling to risk political instability in order to achieve the benefits of the Internet.
This sad situation is changing. Cuba will soon have an undersea cable. Chinese networking equipment and expertise are world class and, presumably, not effected by the embargo. The political situation in the United States is slowly changing as the revolution fades further into the past. The Cuban leaders are old and will change. Most important, there is a good deal of pent up demand for the Internet among the well-educated Cuban population.
I am starting this blog as a small effort to encourage the modernization of and access to the Internet in Cuba.
Respectful comments and guest posts are welcome.
-----
Durante la década de los noventa, justo antes e inmediatamente después de la primera conexión de Cuba al Internet, tuve la oportunidad de visitar la isla tres veces, y de escribir varios informes y artículos sobre el estado del Internet en Cuba.
Cuba estuvo a la vanguardia con respecto a redes de computadores, entre los países caribeños de la época pre-Internet. La pequeña comunidad de técnicos de las redes en cuba fue parecida a las de otros países durante esa época. Eran inteligentes, creativos, originales, y sumamente motivados. Creían, correctamente, que las redes y el Internet era importante y que tendría un profundo impacto en los individuos, organizaciones, y la sociedad entera. Se sentían miembros de la comunidad internacional de los pioneros del Internet.
Eso era entonces -- acabo de completar un estudio del estado actual del Internet en Cuba que actualisa mis previos informes. Descubrí que desgraciadamente aun permanecen en el pasado, y muy poco ha cambiado desde aquellos días pioneros. El Internet en Cuba ha quedado estancado cuando el resto del mundo se ha unido en forma acelerada a todos los cambios.
Esto me ha hecho sentir pena por el pueblo Cubano y la comunidad de técnicos -- por Cuba que no han podido aprovecharse de las riquezas del Internet, por los técnicos que han visto sus suenos morir.
Pienso en tres causas que explican este estancamiento: el embargo impuesto por los EEUU, la economía Cubana tan deteriorada y el miedo del gobierno al libre flujo de la información.
El embargo de los EEUU bloqueo la construcción de un cable submarino y agrego costo a la adquisición de computadoras, “routers,” y cualquier otro equipo necesario. Los líderes cubanos culparan solamente al embargo por sus dificultades con el Internet y desconocieron los otros obstáculos.
Aunque el embargo no hubiese existido, Cuba no tenia acceso a los capitales necesarios para construir la infraestructura del Internet, para entrenar una generación de usuarios, para desarrollar una industria de Internet y para desarrollar aplicaciones. La primera conexión de Cuba al Internet fue a los pocos anos despues de la caída de la Unión Soviética. La economía sufrió una severa depresión durante ese "periodo especial." Fuera de eso, la política normal del gobierno Cubano se oponía a inversiones extranjeras. Cuba no disponía de los medios para desarrollar el Internet.
El tercer obstáculo eral el miedo de parte del gobierno al flujo de la información libre -- el dilema del dictador. No les interesaba arriesgar la estabilidad política para conseguir los beneficios de la Internet.
Esta situación está en vías de cambio. Muy pronto Cuba va a tener un cable submarino. China ofrece equipos de alta calidad sin el “impuesto” del embargo y técnicos con experiencia en las redes. La relación de los EEUU hacia Cuba está abriéndose paulatinamente dado a que la presión que ejercía la comunidad cubana-americana ha ido disminuyendo. Sobre todo, el pueblo cubano, con sus altos niveles de educación, va a exigir el acceso al Internet.
Estoy empezando este blog como un pequeño esfuerzo para fomentar la modernización y el acceso al Internet en Cuba.
Bienvenido cualquier comentario respetuoso o post invitado.
(Gracias a Leon Kaplan para la traducción).
- A Modest Connectivity Pilot Proposal
Would the Cuban government be willing to test a few low-speed satellite links that were not controlled by ETECSA? I had an interesting exchange with a reader this week. He took exception to my assertion that the sorry state of the Internet in Cuba today...
- Iván García's Description Of The Cuban "computer Rooms" -- A Success In Spite Of Everything
The internet arouses affection and fear. Iván García has posted a great description of the Cuban "computer rooms". (As he notes, there is no good English translation for "salas de navegación"). Here are a few random quotes: On average, each internet...
- Venezuela Cracks Down On The Internet
The tension between the benefits of the Internet and it's power as a political communication tool has been with us since the early days of the Internet. When the Internet came to Cuba, the government debated this Dictator's Dilemma and decided...
- Chinese Technology Companies In Cuba -- What Are They Doing?
Jennifer Hernandez of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at the University of Miami has posted a note on her research on Chinese Technology Companies in Cuba. She notes that "through bilateral trade agreements, China has been expanding...
- Us Army Jeep At The Bay Of Pigs And Networking Pioneers In Cuba
I have done several studies of the Cuban Internet over the years, and my colleague Joel Snyder just found a bunch of pictures he took during a 1992 trip. Here are two -- more later.We took a couple days off from interviews and presentations and went to...