Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) offer the promise of global connectivity, economic growth and democratization.  Questions remain, however, about both the political and economic implications and the best technical way forward.

Some people point to the informal network of community telecenters as a key way to bring the world online, while others are working to create super low cost laptops.   There are international travelers who help local organizations set up blogs and there are people who ride satellite-connected motorcycles around the countryside to provide brief periods of internet access.

ICT for development is a part of a larger conversation unfolding that calls for the creation of knowledge and innovation centric economies. How does this movement impact the NGO sector in the developing world and would-be allies in the developed world?  Since there is no guarantee of success for the innovation and ICT centric model of economic growth, how can nonprofits make sure that they benefit even if the private sector efforts suffer or fail?

There are also political questions to be asked.  What role should governments play?  Is digital connectivity a neo-colonial railroad - ultimately transporting resources out of the developing world?  Or is it a key factor in leapfrog development, enabling some of the nastier stages of industrialization to be skipped?  Does ICT for development end up imposing paradigms on users they may not be in their best interest?  In the context of nonprofit technology, what are some of the most important steps to take *now* to ensure positive outcomes down the road?

What technologies - and supporting infrastructure - will be successful in the developing world? 

What technologies are already successful, and why?  Is the $100 computer really going to be the panacea of tech challenges in the global south?  Is the panoply of Web2.0 tools that rely on broadband going to lie fallow for over 4/5ths of the world's Internet users because they'll be going straight from dial-up to handheld-based wifi access?