Simon,
We are not talking about uplifting people in penury. One of these days when someone writes the history of the Internet, people will cite the importance of NSF (National Science Foundation) grants in allowing middle-tier colleges and universities to get connected to the NSF-net backbone. I know. I was at a small college with very modest means. We received a very small sum but it made a big difference. The talent and will was there, we just needed a small boost.
Al
