Pandash [ a Panoptical Dashboard ]

I propose a visual world wide web for all to contemplate. We are all such audio-visual people. We TiVo, consume YouTube fodder and Flickr our spare time away. We are now lifecasting on our webcams for all to see.

And yet the lack of a common language prevents us from knowing the world as one. Whole continents of cyberspace remain intellectually, scientifically, culturally and socially walled off as a result. Think of the advancements made by shared experience and knowledge. Think of cybersurfing all the nooks and crannies of an unrestricted electronic frontier.

We have been using visual symbols and art to communicate for thousands of years. One billion people share the Chinese logogram yet are bereft a common tongue. Hieroglyphs were born of preliterate artistic traditions. Shouldn’t we seek a common ground on the WWW and include a preliterate feature? Why be denied the visual benefits of a cybernetic world because of a written word? An International iconic visual web might make it possible to navigate any page, any language in any country. Another idea taking form is the UNL Programme whose goal is to develop and promote a multilingual communication platform. The time has come.

“The social value of the Web [WWW] is that it enables human communication, commerce, and opportunities to share knowledge.” -W3.org

If we do life in the Information Age in which we engineer and manipulate data, lets use the “wisdom of the crowds” to work on communicating as one. A world disconnected and divided helps no one. We need to find a ways for everyone to join in hands, converse and understand each other.

To mimic an acclamation from the seventies “I’d like to teach the world to surf in perfect harmony”

If you have questions, quibbles or comments, please join in… thanks!