Causes of the digital divide

High-performance computers are personal computers with fast processing speed and large amounts of both central memory (RAM) and backing storage. They can run modern web services, stream video, and handle demanding applications without issue. Don't confuse this with High Performance Computing (HPC), which is a different concept — HPC refers to combining the power of multiple machines together at an organisational level, not what individuals use at home.

Low-performance computers, usually older machines, are slow at processing and have far less storage. While they can technically run some software, they struggle with modern internet services — video streaming, complex web pages, and cloud applications all become difficult or impossible. In many developing countries, schools have been provided with low-cost refurbished computers donated from organisations in wealthier nations (particularly the USA). These are better than nothing, but their low spec means students and communities cannot fully access the digital world.

The key connection: if someone only has access to a slow, old computer, they technically have a computer — but they cannot take full advantage of the internet. Slow computers combined with a lack of high-speed broadband are a double barrier that keeps many people firmly on the wrong side of the divide.

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