nauseous_monkey
Expert Member
Site listing locally hosted links...
http://www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx?id=459135
Written by: Esté Coetzee HERALD REPORTER - 2009/08/18
Nice spotting! The full article will come out in the Tech Supplement later this week. But just for you I will post it here now...
Esté Coetzee
HERALD REPORTER
Port Elizabeth raised Jason Adriaan, created the first and only South African Internet directory that lists locally hosted content.
Local list is a free service that allows users to browse local sites even after they used up their international Internet 'allowance' (bandwidth).
"This promises to be a big development in South African Internet, as it enables those who do not have international Internet access with an extensive list of alternative websites." said Adriaan.
According to Adriaan, the directory is a way of making Internet more affordable, "promote local content" and increasing the number of Internet users in South Africa."
Adriaan, 20, who is currently studying medicine at the University of Cape Town, founded Local list in November last year.
In its first month alone Local list received 240 000 site views, colouring a clear interest from South Africans.
When visiting the site, you can expect to find links to anything from government sites and online banking to listening radio or watching online videos.
Adriaan said that international Internet access is very expensive, making it difficult for everyone to afford.
"This alienates about 90% of South Africans from one of the world's biggest educational and financial resources."
Buying local Internet access is much cheaper and has no limit on the amount of browsing allowed.
Until Local list, 'users had no official indexing website which they could use to navigate the Local Internet and never knew which websites they could access with their local cap.'
"Many local users were surprised when the website announced that popular international websites like Comedycentral.com, mtv.com, vh1.com, NASA.gov, and many more, were all accessible using local Internet."
In 2009 their goal is to index all South African web sites and increase awareness around local-only Internet amongst things.
"We are constantly updating the directory with more links to web sites, validating them and removing spam."
"Internet Solution Labs (ISLabs) have now given us our own server to work from, creating a bigger and better platform." Jason added.
Greg de Chasteauneuf, Co-founder ISLabs, said "IS Labs was launched to create an ideas incubator to identify great projects that need to be supported either with money or resources to improve the state of the South African Internet."
"Jason is a young dynamic South African and we see some great things coming from him and Local list."
Local list has been featured on 5fm's Sureshni Ryder's show as well as ClassicFm's Reuben Goldberg's Internet Economy, just to name a few.
"Local-Only Internet is very powerful and the Goal of Local list is to bring it to the masses and empower more South Africans to use the Internet." Adriaan concluded.