Comments on: Houston! Houston! This is Ashgaabaaad…

By: The stars our destination: cyberdissent and the future of Turkmenistan « Christopher Schwartz’s Weblog

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:13:04 +0000

[...] September Turkmenistan hosted an IT-themed exhibition called Turkmentel 2009 and a scientific conference. Berdymukhammedov [...]

By: Kostya

Kostya — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:30:35 +0000

Yes, it is possible to get internet. It is very slow, even in Ashgabat, and expensive for most of the population. Search the wrong sites, you might get a call from the KGB. Satellites to get download service from Russia constantly shut down. Importing of one-way satellites is forbidden.

Even if you don’t get a call, you know that your name is being written down by telecom - why else would they insist that you give your passport number every time you visit an internet cafe or setup an account?

To assume the best would be a supreme ignorance of history and reality.

By: Molodets

Molodets — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 07:20:30 +0000

Azat: Well,I would suggest that your relatives and friends buy new computers and set up access if it is so easy to do as you tell it, instead of sitting around it and watching like in a movie cinema. Netiquette, please :))

I don’t wanna disclose you my national background, because you see in people who disagree with non-Turkmens or Turks. If I told you that I’m a Turkmen, you would still say, “but, from which part of the country are you?” :)))

So, this is the end of the discussion.

By: Azat

Azat — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:08:11 +0000

@Molodets, That’s funny. :)
I’ve got only obsolete numbers. As I remember before updating the hardware, Telecom was providing Dial-Up internet connection to 150k users. Then they changed the equipment allowing to have much more clients at a time. Then GPRS connection appeared from MTS (dunno the quantity of users, but should be quiet high). After that, finally we’ve got more or less modern type of communication - ADSL (or DSL) - also dunno the exact number of users… Plus don’t forget, that 1 user account is usually used by whole family and sometimes friends. On this background your number of “0.7% of the population” sounds ridiculous… :) 0.7% of population of China? :)))

Another thing… Don’t want to hurt anyone, but there should be the reason you see the Turkmen-Turk relations from other side…
You never said it, but it really sounds like u r one of “Turks who are guests in Turkmenistan”. And remember, Turkmen language - is Turkmen language, it’s not a dialect.
Respect and be respected.

I think that this disscussion doesn’t bring any clarity. Why I don’t like this kinda articles with “smart” comments is because this way negative image of country is created in minds of people who never been in TM.

Discussion closed.

Regards,
Azat

By: Molodets

Molodets — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:43:09 +0000

@Azat, You say:”Anyone who knows how to use and wants to get Internet at home-gets it!” So perhaps you can explain why Turkmenistan is one of the countries in the world with the least internet penetration (0.7% of the population).It goes with the fact that the mass media is totally censored. I mean you can hardly call it media. Or will you claim that it is free? About Turks who are guests in Turkmenistan: It would make their life easier and would be polite toward the host country if they made an effort to learn the local language. But I know some who think of the Turkmen language as a dialect of Turkish, they stress the commonality rather than the division and they are proud of being understood in their own language (after all there are many shared words and expressions) in the country of their grand-grand fathers.I wouldn’t see it as an intention of disrespect or discrimination but pride in linguistic and ethnic ties.If Turkmenistan opens up gradually to the outside world inshallah there will be less xenophobia.

By: Azat

Azat — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:11:57 +0000

@Molodets, Well, you may call me “privileged”, but as in any country it was achived by earning finansial independance myself. Or you want to say here that everywhere in the world except for Turkmenistan these kind of “privilegies” are for free? :)
I’ve been working as a usual specialist, having a salary a bit more than 100$ and after for half a year I was driving my own car as a taxi (it was the only income for that period of time). So don’t tell me it was given to me what I’ve got. I don’t say it’s cheap or for free, I say it’s not something banned or prohibited. Anyone who knows how to use and wants to get Internet at home - gets it!
For “nationality” comments - if you are living here, you REALLY know what I’m talking about. Anywhere in the world if you are a GUEST - you are trying to speak a local language or at least English, but not speak your own lingo and expect locals to understand you w/out any attempts to learn local laguages even if there are VERY close to your own… :) Not speaking of total disrespect to locals shown by most representatives of nation mentioned above.
Hate this kind of befavior especially knowing how do they behave in other countries and back home!
Disgusting!!!

By: Molodets

Molodets — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:40:29 +0000

Azat: Don’t worry much about who says what but IT IS THE MESSAGE THAT MATTERS. Would it be any better for you if a Turkmen made such comments??
INSH ALLAH God will forgive you for attacking a person on his nationality or ethnicity. Could it be that you belong to those few privileged people in Turkmenistan able to surf on the web while the bunch of other citizens don’t even dare to dream for the chance to come to do so? I wish their voices will be heard one day.

By: Azat

Azat — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:47:22 +0000

Musafirbek. Ur name sounds Turkish. Tell me if I’m wrong.
I don’t understand what exactly you all want from our homeland? Where’s your home? Take cere of it, leave us alone!!! You say you can’t imagine us having internet access w/out proxy limitations??? I’ve got 3(!!!) types of internet access in my house for my family, all officially registered, and as I subribe for all news from Internet about Turkmenistan, a receive and open links from so-called “banned” sites, which I open and read (most commonly getting disappointed with unreal lies, written there). So I c that your comment in the end is just pointless!!

I would say Insha Allah hoping that finally Turkmenistan will be left for Turkmens or, at least hostitality of our nation would be accepted with respect and people coming here will behave as a GUESTS not as an OWNERS of the place.

Regards,
Azat

By: Turkmenistan: Ashgabat hosts ICT events | Pastoon

Turkmenistan: Ashgabat hosts ICT events | Pastoon — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:42:18 +0000

[...] Musafirbek reports that Turkmenistan hosted international telecommunications and information technology exhibition and the “Turkmenistan and Global Telecommunications System” international scientific conference. [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Turkmenistan: Ashgabat hosts ICT events

Global Voices Online » Turkmenistan: Ashgabat hosts ICT events — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:35:08 +0000