Using IT in the Andes: In this chapter, a group of researchers traveled to the Peruvian Andes in an attempt to improve lives. The plan to achieve this was to bring computers, and all their glory, to the area. The main use of computers would be to connect villagers to information they could use to improve themselves. This included information on farming techniques, clean water, health issues, education issues and much more. Problems: The most immediate problems facing engineers were regional and environmental. While the Andean environment doesn't have quite the same level of hostility as some of the PLC environments we've talked about, it's still an environment that's nowhere near a perfect 75° and breezy. A big problem was the amount of humidity in the atmosphere and how cruel humidity could be to electronics. The chapter didn't go very in depth regarding a solution to this problem, but I imagine a nice room with good insulation and dehumidifiers would be fine. Another problem was dense clouds overhead and their effect on satellite coverage. This problem was solved by being careful in choosing the satellite system (SatMex5 was used) and by positioning and angling the satellites well. Another set of problems to overcome were social/cultural/political in nature. The way society is organized in this area is very different from the American law-centered way that “we have to sign this 50-page contract before anything happens.” There people sincerely trust each other and someone's verbal word is stronger than his signature. Unfortunately, however, people took advantage of this quality and started harming the villagers. The mining companies would investigate... middle of paper... the most important thing these researchers did was focus on self-sustainability, actually taking the initiative to "teach a hungry man how to fish instead of just giving him fish ". ” slowly to the heart. In this way the researchers not only helped the villagers solve their current problems, but built a system in which future, more hidden problems could be solved. For example, see how some of the villagers' self-esteem problems were resolved. The researchers did not explicitly set out to help those with self-esteem problems; rather the solution came from the ingenuity of villagers who began using computers as a means to sell goods via the Internet, making some feel more useful. Another way they increased self-sustainability was by training locals on how to fix computers, so that villagers didn't need outside help when something inevitably went wrong. Conclusion and problems: