Chile February 2001

Chuck's Chilean Internet Adventure

As I mentioned, I teach a class at Florida Community College Jacksonville (FCCJ) called Introduction to the Internet.  I tell my students, there is nothing magical about our classroom.

They can load their web pages to their web hosting server from the classroom or anywhere in the world where they can run FTP.  It seems there are always a few who tell me it doesn't work from home, only in the classroom.

Well, in part to dispel that myth and in part just for a lark, I decided I would build my Chilean Travel Web Site - from Chile.  I figure if I can prove it can be done from Chile, maybe my students will believe it can be done from the other side of town.  So...

I gave some thought to what I needed:
    Digital Camera (newly purchased)
    Jumpstart USB cable - to download photos from the memory card to a PC
    Photo Manipulation software (to resize) - available on my laptop PC
    Software drivers for the Jumpstart USB connection
    A USB port (not available on my laptop PC)
    Web Page Builder (Netscape Composer / Notepad) - available on my laptop PC
    FTP - to upload the photos and web pages

I figured with all this techno-gadgetry I would be in good shape and be able to accomplish the objective - which I did, but not without further challenges.  So, before setting off, I had all the hardware and software needed - CD Rom with Jumpstart drivers and FTP on a floppy disk.

In order to maximize my vacation time and potential minimal tool set, I created the necessary folders and a generic home page, and published them before leaving home.  That gave me a starting point.

The hotel where we were staying, the Sheraton Four Points, indicated they had a "Business Center with Internet access," which they did.  How much of the other stuff they had (USB specifically), I didn't know.

We arrived in Chile and I started taking pictures with my digital camera.  Before dinner, I stopped down in the Business Center, ready to download photos.  First I had to install the software drivers.  I opened my CD Rom case, pulled out the CD, and looked for the CD Rom drive.  Then I looked closer.  Guess what - bad news, no CD Rom drive, hence no drivers, hence no photo downloads - this was beginning to look like a text only web site until I got home.  Time to regroup.

On the way to dinner, we turned left out the front door of the hotel.  What do I pass by in the very next building but an Internet Cafe.  I took a quick look and they had reasonable hardware - most importantly CD Rom drives and USB ports.  How much would it cost?  300 pesos per hour.  Holy cow!  But, not to worry.  If someone from Chile tells you they are a millionaire (in Chilean pesos), they're only worth about $1800 U.S.  The exchange rate is 560 to 1, so it works out that 300 pesos is about 60 cents.  I can handle that.

So, after dinner, I start to build the text portions of the web site, figuring I can add the photos later.  But, you've noticed the first twist of fate - no CD Rom in the Business Center.  Let me tell you about the others.

I half suspected this so I wasn't too surprised, but one thing I didn't mention in terms of what I needed (USB port, etc.) was electrical power.  Chile runs on a 220 volt system.  Trying to recharge my PC battery would be like plugging my PC into my electric stove outlet at home - fried chips, if you know what I mean.  So, my next surprise was what I call the Apollo 13 Syndrome - I only have so much battery power and I have to conserve it to get everything done.  Once it's gone - I'm finished.  So, carefully, I built the web pages, resized the photographs, and got the web site transferred to a floppy disk - all while carefully monitoring battery consumption.

The next surprise - which makes perfect sense in hindsight - occurred when I went to install the Jumpstart software (download pictures from the camera to the PC) at the Internet Cafe.  I push the button to open the CD Rom.  I place the CD rom in the drive - close the door.  The drive starts to spin indicating it is going to start the installation process.  What pops up on the screen?
Buenos días
Ever try to install software in Spanish when you haven't had a Spanish lesson in your life?  Interesting!  But, not impossible.  I've installed enough software to know the routine - I usually accept the defaults so that's what I did.  Sometimes I knew I was selecting "Yes" when I would select the "Si" option - although I usually had no idea what question I was responding "Si" to.

After the initial shock, I was able to manage the installation of both the Jumpstart and FTP software.  Actually, the sequence was install Jumpstart, download the photos to the C drive, transfer to a floppy disk, go back to the hotel and resize the photos and integrate them into the web pages, copy the web pages back to a floppy, then back to the Internet Cafe to install FTP and upload the web site.

But you know what?  It worked!  I knew it would, but best of all now when my students say, "I can only upload to my server from the classroom," - I can just reply, "Did I ever tell you about my trip to Chile?"

Chuck Allan - February 2001