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Both computers and TVs are available on the used market for $100 or so. Decent TVs and decent computers both cost about $500. The monthly connection fees are also similar.

One would have to look at the statistics, I suppose...

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:43:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]
If you pay for cable.
by Colman (colman at eurotrib.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:55:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Or, in the UK, for a TV licence. Or if you pay for a satellite dish with a decoder, or...

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith
by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:57:28 AM EST
[ Parent ]
set top boxes (STPs) in England were equipped by cable competitors (to BT) with CPU (20-pin, multiplex channeling) nearly 10 years ago. As was "triple play" (V/D/I) marketing to undercut incumbents' price and market share.

dti.uk was on about compliance with the EU mandate to migrate analog to digital since 1998, captured market, tax + VAT or no tax. (have you noticed, that and the HH council poll tax are subjects Britons are loathe to challenge.)

Here, coleman's ignorance of planned obsolescence of band (FM/AM/BB/WiFi) auctioned concessions demonstrates one thing: parliamentarian resistance in Ireland to not-free market communication.

Booyah.

Diversity is the key to economic and political evolution.

by Cat on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:53:55 PM EST
[ Parent ]
A new cathodic-tube TV is available for around €150... Also, a TV entertains the whole family, unlike a computer. Especially, TV is often used as a nanny for small kids, something computers aren't so good at.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:58:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]
You mean you can't play DVDs on a computer?

Also, are we endorsing the use of a TV as a nanny, now?

Most economists teach a theoretical framework that has been shown to be fundamentally useless. -- James K. Galbraith

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 11:59:57 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Certainly no endorsement here - only attempting to find the reason why much more people would have TVs that computers. (And watching DVDs is not cheap, either). Although I'd bet the real reasons have more to do with being used to computers, generationally and socially.

Un roi sans divertissement est un homme plein de misères
by linca (antonin POINT lucas AROBASE gmail.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:08:48 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I think the distinction is pretty blurry. TV's in my neighborhood tend to be gigantic flat screen systems, and most people have satellite connections, not cable. Computers tend to have much smaller screens, so it's harder to watch movies with more than one person. On the other hand, you can waste days watching youtube videos.

Not to belabour the point, but I think that the argument that Internet access is limited by cost is fairly soft.

Perhaps the technical knowledge issue is more important. One can construct an excellent high-performance workstation from parts obtained by end-of-term dumpster diving at Colorado College. However, the rich college kids take their TVs back home with them...

by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:05:15 PM EST
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I think the argument that Internet access is limited by cost is non-existent. The satellite and cable networks in the UK couldn't survive without their working class base. Considering you can get basic broadband for a tenner a month, the extra cost is trivial.

It would be almost unheard of for all but the absolute poorest families not to have at least one PC now. It's practically a school requirement.

I was talking to a friend who does front-line adult ed in some of the rougher part of London earlier in the week, and she was saying that many of her pupils have surprisingly solid basic IT skills.

What they don't have is the ability to write and spell well enough to get a job that lets them use them.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:01:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
We actually got a visit from a social worker when our kids were in elementary school, because word got out that we didn't have a TV. Apparently that's a marker for "has no funds whatsoever."
by asdf on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 01:54:23 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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