testing for new ways to get people to participate in elections has failed miserably in bülach, zh, switzerland where this past wknd elections via text message or sms were possible for a very first time. yet only 28 people, thats less than 1% of the voters, have used the new service. a few months ago the same offer for a vote got better participation. already the conclusion seems to be, sms might work for votes but not for elections, because of the complexity envolved, with lists and such.
but hold your horses, lets not read too much into this. first of all this is still bülach, some rural small town somewhere in switzerland. test this in zurich or geneva and you’ll get totally different results. second, from what i hear the application is not very user-friendly, at all. so what can be said about a setting that envolves testing a new product designed for geeks on tech-unsavvy folks, is that not the definition of a self-fullfilling prophesy? third, just think of how slow new technologies usually spread. 1% is not that bad. we know the cycles with innovators, early adapters, etc etc. eventually i’ll show grandma, won’t you?
so please dont throw out the baby with the bathwater. we need these new technologies. i know i need them.
or else i’ll have to jump into a black hole
[img feuchtenberger @ fumetto.ch]