DIRECTIONS : Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

Computers have become more powerful, user friendly and less expensive. The PC revolution has brought them closer to the user to the extent that in number of cases user have designed and developed their own application. However, till recently, it has not become easy to create local content and regional language interfaces, to facilitate their use in villages. In addition although the hardware costs are coming down, the total cost of ownership for rural application is quite hike. The cost of the minimum required gadgets like PC, modem, powerstabilizer, and printer along with the license cost of software (OS, data base, and applications as applicable) thus not justify their use for offering government related information service, just on the bases of return-on-investment criterion. These equipment's become absolute too soon, and have high maintenance costs in the rural areas.at the current cost levels, to breakeven, the kiosks operator will have to find alternative revenue generations activities utilizing these equipment's. we notice that in many cases such business potential does not exist and even if it existed, kiosks owners operators are not trained to develop new solution. Several entrepreneurs attempting to offer inexpensive hardware &software solution for rural application. The CorDECT technology by analogue communication and the computer by picopeta symptom Pvt. limited. are good examples of such initiatives? These organizations develop the computer and wireless connectivity solution with indigenous components, software and open source system. It is hoped that large scale production of these system would bring in appropriate cost effective technologies for rural application MSSRF based at Chennai is doing pioneering work in design appropriate technologies for the rural poor.