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Digerati Indonesia

Documenting the rise of Digital Indonesia

by Vishnu Mahmud, Indonesia

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Make sure you stop and smell the roses

Oct 23, 2009 14:02

Time flies.

It's been over three years since I last posted here. A job transfer to Singapore (kind of like what Budi is experiencing now) prompted me to give up blogging as my responsibilities back then did not allow it. Funny how things turn out.

Based in Jakarta once again, I have noticed quite a lot of changes within the country, seeing things I thought would take ages to come to Indonesia.

Now, more than ever, Indonesians are accessing the Internet. Not via the low-cost laptops or desktops that are abundantly available, but through mobile phones, smart phones that can give you the latest information, as well as post your latest mood or status updates on a popular social media site.

Broadband Internet is slowly growing and not just from cable TV or ADSL connections, but via 3G wireless services that you can plug in via a USB port or from a built-in modem within the computer. AND, the prices are not as high as they once were.

The generation of digital natives is getting younger and younger, with kids as little as 10 demanding smart phones or computers to keep in touch with their friends. Their parents are no slouches, either, at least the under-40 crowd, or the Super Mario generation as I call them. They may not be as fast or nimble as their kids, but they know enough not to be fooled by them. At least, I hope they do.

Finally, the digital community is rising. No longer is the Internet the domain of the nerds and geeks (of which I am a proud member of), but for "regular people" who use technology to keep in touch, stay connected or express their thoughts to the world. Now, everyone has a voice. At least, everyone who can connect online.

Tomorrow is the third annual "Pesta Blogger" or Blogger Party, the country's sole national get-together of bloggers and the national digerati. Do we have many bloggers, or those who can wield their influence on the Indonesian digital masses to change policy, perceptions or market products? Well, kind of.

There are few people in Indonesia who have the position and respect of the entire community (my successor and now predecessor of this blog is one of them). But overall, the community here does not listen to just one person. They have a wide swath of people to listen to, talk to and help spread news that is pertinent to them. Instead of blindly following one or two particular persons, they can discuss the rights and wrongs of a particular event with their own community of friends and acquaintances. Their own local digerati.

Not everyone may have a blog, but they use other means such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to get their point across.

So, what good is a national blogging get-together when very few among the country's 220 million population blog? It is a form or "silaturahmi" or relations that can be forged and maintained through only personal, face-to-face contact. One of the dangers of being online too often is the alienation of people to real-life activities and events outside of their usual sphere of influence and scope.

That's why I've returned to CNET. Indonesia's Digital Community, once so far behind its neighbors within the region, is rising and moving fast. And I think it's only proper to document what the Indonesian Digerati is doing.

It's going to be an interesting ride...

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Sepanta

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Sepanta says...
Wellcome Back Vishno Mahmud ! I`ve Never Read A Text You `ve Wrote . But When Saw Title Of This Text , Interested To Read It . Yea , You Right , Many Of Us Know Thusands On Cyber Space . But In Real Life I Feel A Reduction In Our Connection .
Its Really Strange Specially When You Think About Having Many Connectivity Systems Such As Mobile Phones , Internet & ....
What Do You Think ? How We Can Go Back To Our Old Conditions ?
Of Corse You Know I`m Not Saying New Connection Technologies Is Bad . Just Say We Must Have A Ballance Between Real Life And Cyber Life .

Oct 23, 2009 15:26

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spangaroo

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spangaroo says...
@Vishnu, nice post. Looking forward to hearing more about what's happening in the tech scene in Indonesia. With such a huge population I think there's a lot of potential. It's interesting that you mention 3G is growing more than cable or ADSL. I assume this is because it's easier to put up 3G base stations throughout the country, rather than running miles physical cable?

Oct 23, 2009 15:51

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babelmachine

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babelmachine says...
welcome back, vishnu! long time no see -- i think the last time we saw each other was the wcg grand final in singapore :)

time flies, indeed. great to read this post about all the changes happening in indonesia. so much has changed in just three years, eh?

cheers!

Oct 24, 2009 00:17

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About Vishnu Mahmud

Geek, writer, photographer and traveler, Vishnu K. Mahmud is actually a professional corporate communications consultant for various industries.Despite his ever demanding day job, he seeks to change the world through efficient eco-technology and old world science. At the moment, he is observing the ever fast transformation of his resource-rich home country entering the digital domain.