The Cuban Internet Crisis(medium.com)
medium.com
The Cuban Internet Crisis
https://medium.com/backchannel/the-cuban-internet-crisis-c7b0beb10945
9 comments
Have you ever writted a full story in regards how you operate the site and how users from the island are able to access it? I would love to read it.
Cuban authorities would also be very interested, I imagine.
Interestingly, Cuba has developed an alternative network for the distribution of many types of digital content: people with access to content download it and distribute it using portable hard drives and usb sticks. A friend of mine recently visited Cuba, and according to him, these "paquete shops" are everywhere. There are standard bundles of content (tv shows, movies, viral videos, news, music, etc), and a la carte service. According to him, the content is consistently up-to-date (the latest Game of Thrones episode is available within 2-3 days). The shops themselves have developed brands, part of the value they provide is curatorial, as each bundle is different. Some of them have even branched out into adding their own bundled content, including neighborhood classifieds (craigslist, anyone?).
Information really only travels in one direction, so it is not even close to the real internet, but we could image an enterprising paquete shop bundling in some encryption software and forum software to enable two-way communication.
More here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/23/cuba-offline-in...
Information really only travels in one direction, so it is not even close to the real internet, but we could image an enterprising paquete shop bundling in some encryption software and forum software to enable two-way communication.
More here: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/23/cuba-offline-in...
"Never underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of tapes hurtling down the highway."
Give it 5-10 years. They will have high speed internet cheaper than anywhere in the world.
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Ah, the good ole sneaker net. It seems likely the bandwidth of that network will far outpace that of "real" internet in Cuba for quite some time.
Bandwith, yes. "Latency", not so much. We talk about a latency of milliseconds being important for e-commerce, online trading, API Access, but a sneakernet has a latency of at the very least days for the most "interesting" stuff, and months for other content.
So yes, the sneakernet can be used to distribute education materials, movies, texts and the like, but the real benefits of the internet only develop with low latency and multidirectional communication.
So yes, the sneakernet can be used to distribute education materials, movies, texts and the like, but the real benefits of the internet only develop with low latency and multidirectional communication.
Yep, my first thought went to my Amiga days of passing floppies around. Then later DOS and early Win9x that was first floppies and then CDR based. Then came LAN parties...
There are 10 times more people without access to the Internet in my country (Brazil) than there are Cubans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_...
Cuba occupies far too much space on the media relative to its size/population.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_number_of_...
Cuba occupies far too much space on the media relative to its size/population.
The Internet penetration in Brazil is 51%. That's actually fairly decent.
I think the most important difference is that in Brazil, if you don't have Internet access, you might at least have a friend who does, or you can go to a cibercafé. In Cuba you don't have that option.
I think the most important difference is that in Brazil, if you don't have Internet access, you might at least have a friend who does, or you can go to a cibercafé. In Cuba you don't have that option.
Brazil is a democracy, Cuba isn't. Just as North Korea, but much closer to America, Cuba is above all a curiosity, a place semi-frozen in time, where ingenuity is no luxury, if you want to live.
Putting Cuba and North Korea in the same basket is wildly misleading.
Although Cubans do not enjoy complete political freedom, most people there have a higher standard of living than before the revolution, almost everyone knows how to read and write and most social services are free (Cubans have better healthcare than US citizens).
Although Cubans do not enjoy complete political freedom, most people there have a higher standard of living than before the revolution, almost everyone knows how to read and write and most social services are free (Cubans have better healthcare than US citizens).
The 80% poor may have had their standard of living raised by the revolution in 1959 but the rich and middle class had it lowered. In the 55 years since, the standard of living of the middle class and opportunities for the young in other similar countries has advanced past Cuba's while Cuba has stagnated and remained a 1970s soviet-like low-tech state.
Not sure if it is worth the ulcer, but i do wonder how much the Helms-Burton Act (and similar) has had to do with that...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms%E2%80%93Burton_Act
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helms%E2%80%93Burton_Act
I really did not mean to put them in the same basket. I simply said (which applies to North Korea as well) that "Cuba is above all a curiosity, a place semi-frozen in time, where ingenuity is no luxury, if you want to live."
Far from trying to make them equal.
Far from trying to make them equal.
Cuba is way ahead of North Korea in terms of basic human rights. The Cuban government aren't saints by any means, but to put them on one level with whatever/whoever is ruling North Korea is unfair to them.
In Cuba, the authorities even have trouble locking dissidents up, more often than not. In NK, mass executions and mass imprisonment are the norm, and the differences between prison, labor and army service is at best murky.
In Cuba, the authorities even have trouble locking dissidents up, more often than not. In NK, mass executions and mass imprisonment are the norm, and the differences between prison, labor and army service is at best murky.
Never mind that Brazil has had its "fair" share of dictatorships.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_military_government
And i really wonder how long the democracy will last if they get too uppity towards US policies...
In the end the Monroe doctrine still seems to be adhered to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Doctrine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_military_government
And i really wonder how long the democracy will last if they get too uppity towards US policies...
In the end the Monroe doctrine still seems to be adhered to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Doctrine
I think the ability of the US government to influence democracy is largely overestimated. They can't introduce it and they can't exactly stop it, either.
They tried their damnedest to stop it in Iran...
The thing is that there have been US interventions and we tend to assume that it has an effect. But that can't ever be confirmed or ruled out. In Iran's case, who says without US interventions a democracy would have survived the conservative muslim beliefs in the population?
The absolute magnitude of internet users is a different matter than percentage. Brazil is a huge and populous country; I'm not surprised there are more total people without internet access.
I realize off-island access is slow or impossible, but this seems like the perfect application for mesh-based WISPs to spring up. On-island resources would at least be accessible to other on-island users.
Where's google with their phalanx of balloons and a cached copy of wikipedia?
Where's google with their phalanx of balloons and a cached copy of wikipedia?
There are plenty of p2p wireless networks in Havana extending miles. People do all sort of crazy Antenas in order to extend the range.
http://cubayatwittea.blogspot.nl/2013/01/como-acceder-intern...
http://cubayatwittea.blogspot.nl/2013/01/como-acceder-intern...
Using existing parabolic reflecters as well as home-made solutions like fan covers is genius! I'm always astounded by the level of ingenuity in developing areas with regards to technology such as this, great link!
Spanish is rusty, but that looks like some pretty inventive solutions. I'd be interested to know how much more gain you do get from using the old DirecTV antennas.
Maybe someone can help me change my view on this topic. I don't see why we should be in such a rush to bring the third world online. Shouldn't we be focused on making sure they have clean water, food, and jobs that pay enough for them to afford the internet first?
All these efforts to put smartphones in the hands of starving people seems motivated by mega-corporations eager to "open up new markets", exploit vulnerable people, and increase their tracking datasets using people too naive to know any better. Most Americans resist privacy invasions because they've been a bit educated on the topic, so let's move on to people who don't know better?
All these efforts to put smartphones in the hands of starving people seems motivated by mega-corporations eager to "open up new markets", exploit vulnerable people, and increase their tracking datasets using people too naive to know any better. Most Americans resist privacy invasions because they've been a bit educated on the topic, so let's move on to people who don't know better?
> "Jobs that pay enough for them to afford the internet"
A strong argument for getting the third world online is to help create more jobs. This sounds like a corporate sound bite, but it's a complex issue where job opportunities are a few degrees removed from providing broad access to the internet in and of itself.
In a lot of developing countries the only jobs that are available are supporting existing industries that are heavily dominated by mega-corporations that are much more focused on resource extraction/profits than they are on developing human capital: Clothing industry in India, Tourism in Mexico/Caribbean, Mining Natural Resources everywhere.
While much of the initial profits and use cases for bring a country online are frivolous and tend to mirror 1st world consumption patterns, the internet access is critical infrastructure for supporting a more decentralized economy.
As adoption of the internet, and telecommunications infrastructure more generally take hold, economic opportunities that didn't exist before will start to emerge: Mobile payments in Kenya, Bitcoin merchants in Chile, or even the selling US produced content in Cuba (the "paquete").
Access to decentralized communication networks enables people in developing countries to participate in the economy on more favorable terms and enables people to work and start businesses without having to work through existing gatekeepers (I think this is why people have responded so negatively to the internet.org model).
I would love to see some studies on internet or network driven economic development, maybe as an alternative to Import Substitution.
A strong argument for getting the third world online is to help create more jobs. This sounds like a corporate sound bite, but it's a complex issue where job opportunities are a few degrees removed from providing broad access to the internet in and of itself.
In a lot of developing countries the only jobs that are available are supporting existing industries that are heavily dominated by mega-corporations that are much more focused on resource extraction/profits than they are on developing human capital: Clothing industry in India, Tourism in Mexico/Caribbean, Mining Natural Resources everywhere.
While much of the initial profits and use cases for bring a country online are frivolous and tend to mirror 1st world consumption patterns, the internet access is critical infrastructure for supporting a more decentralized economy.
As adoption of the internet, and telecommunications infrastructure more generally take hold, economic opportunities that didn't exist before will start to emerge: Mobile payments in Kenya, Bitcoin merchants in Chile, or even the selling US produced content in Cuba (the "paquete").
Access to decentralized communication networks enables people in developing countries to participate in the economy on more favorable terms and enables people to work and start businesses without having to work through existing gatekeepers (I think this is why people have responded so negatively to the internet.org model).
I would love to see some studies on internet or network driven economic development, maybe as an alternative to Import Substitution.
First off mobile infrastructure is cheap.
Second, in many ways the developing world is better leveraging the internet than the developed world. Travel is a huge issue in the developing world so being able to do remote transactions becomes far more valuable. Access to education and professionals is more limited so information becomes more valuable not less.
Second, in many ways the developing world is better leveraging the internet than the developed world. Travel is a huge issue in the developing world so being able to do remote transactions becomes far more valuable. Access to education and professionals is more limited so information becomes more valuable not less.
Really in that case if its cheap why are mobile carriers into infrastructure sharing.
Or why doesn't BT in the UK just build its own mobile network instead of buying EE
Or why doesn't BT in the UK just build its own mobile network instead of buying EE
"why are mobile carriers into infrastructure sharing"
Because for profit companies want to make as much money as possible and spectrum is limited. Which is more or less why buying an empty field in the Brazil is ridiculously cheaper than the same sized empty field in downtown London.
Because for profit companies want to make as much money as possible and spectrum is limited. Which is more or less why buying an empty field in the Brazil is ridiculously cheaper than the same sized empty field in downtown London.
Doesn't that just prove my point building a country wide mobile network is not a minor or cheap undertaking.
The first network is cheap to start, it gets pricy after that.
You don't need to start by building a nationwide network when you start out. 1 Cell tower can handle a little over 1200 calls at the same time and cover up to 1,500 square miles using 2002 teck. So start with one tower in the major city(s) for a few million and add towers as needed after that with the revenue from customers.
Which is why there is a cell network in every country. The problem is a few towers is not going to cut it once someone is covering the country.
PS: Building a modern tower in the US costs ~300k USD as a baseline including equipment and construction costs (though you can have more than one network per tower). Covering the UK wold cost at a minimum ~30million USD for the towers assuming ~1k square miles per tower. Less if you include significant gaps, laying the ground network is adds costs. But you would probably pay 10x just for the spectrum and you would want a much higher density in city's, and land is not free etc.
You don't need to start by building a nationwide network when you start out. 1 Cell tower can handle a little over 1200 calls at the same time and cover up to 1,500 square miles using 2002 teck. So start with one tower in the major city(s) for a few million and add towers as needed after that with the revenue from customers.
Which is why there is a cell network in every country. The problem is a few towers is not going to cut it once someone is covering the country.
PS: Building a modern tower in the US costs ~300k USD as a baseline including equipment and construction costs (though you can have more than one network per tower). Covering the UK wold cost at a minimum ~30million USD for the towers assuming ~1k square miles per tower. Less if you include significant gaps, laying the ground network is adds costs. But you would probably pay 10x just for the spectrum and you would want a much higher density in city's, and land is not free etc.
Yes but the USA's model of mobile is broken - European Governments sensibly mandate yes you can have the licence but you must by xx years have yy% coverage of the population.
Customer acquisition costs is usually the first problem for businesses.
On of the other reasons the developing world uses mobile is its easier to defend against insurgents and from people nicking the copper.
Internet access is more valuable than you surmise, I think. Having good telecommunications allows people to coordinate much better, and that efficiency bonus could easily create enough extra real wealth to help with the food, water, and jobs problems.
Heck, having better communications directly helps with food and jobs; you have a much easier time finding the guy who needs a worker or has a spare bag of rice if you're both online. Might even help with "clean water"; you can find information on how to make water potable and sanitation in general.
I couldn't tell you for sure whether getting smartphones to a village is a higher priority than installing a good well, but the smartphones are worth enough that I don't think that either choice is obviously superior.
Heck, having better communications directly helps with food and jobs; you have a much easier time finding the guy who needs a worker or has a spare bag of rice if you're both online. Might even help with "clean water"; you can find information on how to make water potable and sanitation in general.
I couldn't tell you for sure whether getting smartphones to a village is a higher priority than installing a good well, but the smartphones are worth enough that I don't think that either choice is obviously superior.
While, I am sure governments at some level try to reduce poverty, but they can't do it without educating the people. Internet is rather cheap and provides a great way for the same.
"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime".
Bingo. Some years back i read about a project where young ladies in rural India was equipped with and trained in the use of a laptop loaded with medial and agricultural documents.
Then they would travel from village to village to help locals with various issues (saving crops from pests, figuring out minor illnesses etc).
Basically they were carrying around the equivalent of a library in a shoulder bag.
More recently an article mentioned a farmer somewhere in Africa that had gone to a netcafe to look up solutions to his failing crops.
Then they would travel from village to village to help locals with various issues (saving crops from pests, figuring out minor illnesses etc).
Basically they were carrying around the equivalent of a library in a shoulder bag.
More recently an article mentioned a farmer somewhere in Africa that had gone to a netcafe to look up solutions to his failing crops.
1) why would companies care about tracking people who don't even have clean water and food? (You are just confused about what the third world even is)
2) "Americans resist privacy invasions" What.
2) "Americans resist privacy invasions" What.
In case anyone wonders, this is the "cuban" clone of craigslist. http://www.revolico.com
You cab buy/sell almost anything on the black market.
For reference, 1 CUC = 1.10 USD
You cab buy/sell almost anything on the black market.
For reference, 1 CUC = 1.10 USD
Everything associated with Cuba right now feels like financial opportunity for insiders. How does this go down any other way than the Soviet privatisation did? Everything from resort development, in some cases re-developemnt since American companies still have or had businesses on the island before Communism - to technical infrastructure. How does it not be that process?
Is there anything stopping someone from coming to Cuba and installing wifi access points, backhaul, etc and giving it away for free?
The secret police that'll tear off your fingernails for going against the party? Cuba isn't exactly known for its lax take on political "crime."
Its priced at the level to limit access. This is a feature of the communist government, not a bug that needs fixing.
Its priced at the level to limit access. This is a feature of the communist government, not a bug that needs fixing.
> Its priced at the level to limit access. This is a feature of the communist government, not a bug that needs fixing.
All political control of information is a bug that needs fixing.
All political control of information is a bug that needs fixing.
I recently visited the island. Foreigners are prohibited from providing internet access to Cubans. Jail time for the offense is in the order of 30years+.
I do wonder how much of that comes from previous experience with CIA propaganda campaigns.
Damn it, the island has been getting all kinds of crap from CIA and like since the revolution.
As such it would not surprise me if leadership is paranoid to the max about foreign "assistance".
Damn it, the island has been getting all kinds of crap from CIA and like since the revolution.
As such it would not surprise me if leadership is paranoid to the max about foreign "assistance".
I'm thinking this is a good candidate (given the size of the island) for Project Loon
https://www.google.com/loon/
of course the Cuban authorities could shoot it down or jam the signal but it might be fun anyway. I wonder how many cubans have devices that could connect to the internet if it were available.
https://www.google.com/loon/
of course the Cuban authorities could shoot it down or jam the signal but it might be fun anyway. I wonder how many cubans have devices that could connect to the internet if it were available.
They couldn't shoot it down, they would just confiscate the ground stations or just not let them into the country.
Completely OT but why do blogs don't justify paragraphs?
Call me obsessive but once I've fixed that, their entire article read better.
Call me obsessive but once I've fixed that, their entire article read better.
Justified paragraphs are mostly useful for text laid out in columns (i.e. Newspapers and magazines). This way when you are reading the second and subsequent columns, the eye can easily find the start of the line/column.
Most blogs are single column. Justifying the text will create variations in the space between words which makes it harder to read with little benefit other than an overall aesthetic that may or may not be more pleasing to look at as a whole.
Most blogs are single column. Justifying the text will create variations in the space between words which makes it harder to read with little benefit other than an overall aesthetic that may or may not be more pleasing to look at as a whole.
But many blogs will place advertisements or other elements to the right of the main content. Would an aligned border improve the readability of the ads leading to higher conversion when text is justified?
Alternately, you may get lower conversion as the aligned text creates a "stop here" signal that makes the reader less likely to wander into the ad space. Should be worth A-B testing.
Alternately, you may get lower conversion as the aligned text creates a "stop here" signal that makes the reader less likely to wander into the ad space. Should be worth A-B testing.
Justified text really only looks good if either (a) you have correct hyphenation and a high-quality paragraph composition algorithm, such as the one used by TeX or Adobe InDesign, or (b) you lay the text out by hand very carefully for a fixed-width layout. To make justified text look really good, the start and end positions of each line need to be optically adjusted (in other words, vary a little bit from line to line to account for varying letter shapes) and usually punctuation stuck slightly into the margin.
In a web browser, text composition is done line by line (because that was more practical for the compute resources available in 1995, and no one has bothered to implement the better alternative, even though every device used today has more than enough CPU to handle it), there is no hyphenation, and you can forget about optical adjustment. As a result, justified text invariably looks like complete garbage, with dramatically varying amounts of space from line to line. These turn into distracting “rivers” of whitespace running down the page.
In a web browser, text composition is done line by line (because that was more practical for the compute resources available in 1995, and no one has bothered to implement the better alternative, even though every device used today has more than enough CPU to handle it), there is no hyphenation, and you can forget about optical adjustment. As a result, justified text invariably looks like complete garbage, with dramatically varying amounts of space from line to line. These turn into distracting “rivers” of whitespace running down the page.
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I find justified text tends to create rivers and is a pain to read, rather than pleasant.
This site does a good job explaining the issue - especially with the two gifs that show the problem of how browsers/CSS handle justified text.
http://designforhackers.com/blog/never-justify-type-on-the-w...
This site does a good job explaining the issue - especially with the two gifs that show the problem of how browsers/CSS handle justified text.
http://designforhackers.com/blog/never-justify-type-on-the-w...
As the cofounder of one of the most popular cuban websites, revolico.com, I'm suffering this since 2007. We launch revolico on December '07, on march '08 the government blocked our IPs, then when we circumvent this censorship, they made a DNS spoofing nationwide.
Nevertheless revolico is still the #1 classifieds ads site of the island, way ahead of the government offering, our users are doing a lot of crazy and creative stuff to get acces to the site.
So Cuba, besides having an internet penetration of less than 5%, strongly censor the link, which is even sadder. I predict that access will increase in the near/medium term, but unfortunately proportionally with the censorship.