Japanese February 7, 2003: Chika Sekine gave a lecture
Calendar says we have had the first day of spring already. The air is still cold enough, however. The Ume flower in my garden is in full bloom and real spring is about to come.
I visited Oita University today. Ms. Chika Sekine the representative of UDIT Co., Ltd. , a prominent activist in Internet world, will give a lecture there.
	We have been in close contact with her since Beppu Bay Conference or in Yufuin mailing list. She is now developing everybody-friendly-information tools along with proliferation of them. She works hard as a consultant as well.
The students and teachers of Oita University, the members of welfare-tools developing companies, and ordinary citizens take part in the lecture.
	I have already read her book. I expect to hear from many topics from the book. Iwanami Publisher sells " Information Society for All" written by Chika Sekine.
Sekine starts a PC in the lecture room.
	Small trouble is an ordinary scene in a meeting.
Stand-by PC helped to project the contents on the screen. Sweat on the foreheads.
	Mr. Yamagishi, the sponsor of today, makes a few words in the beginning.
"Please raise your hand who uses PC every day." Many raised their hands. "Then do you think a PC is easy to use?". Almost no hand was raised. "Why? It means much more easier PC should appear, isn't it?" Sekine started her talk.
	She covered the situation on PC usage in the world, especially in the USA, and explained about the concept of "Universal Design" using easy wordings.
It is Japan that should try to solve the hard problem, as Japan is now heading toward an ultra-aged society with unbelievable speed. Many audience were moved by her lecture and join around her for further discussion after the lecture.
	An informal gathering for discussion was held in another room and I joined it. The attendants exchange the impressions and questions on her lecture.
Sekine nodded deeply by hearing an impression of a student of Information Welfare Course who said "I have been at a loss what I should learn, but I understand now that the most important thing is to do what I am interested in." Ubiquitous, means "wherever, whenever we can get information." Sekine added the third important key word to it "Whoever." I firmly believed that I should start something from what I can do today.
Yufuin night next dayYufin Mailing List gathered several prominent members to welcome Sekine group in Yufuin. A local small community like Yufuin makes much use of facsimile rather than E-mail as the former is easier than the latter. The size of a community may affect the usability of the Internet tools. Mailing list is used for taking contact with outer area here in Yufuin. Topics on the usage of home pages and IT continued late into the night.