July 2008 - KICTANet

harmonization policy for government ICT projects?
by saidimu apale 24 Jul '08

24 Jul '08

The Ministry of Lands is going hi-tech (http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&ne…) so is/was the Immigration Ministry, the Ports Authority with its failed/failing KWATOS system, the KRA... etc. Is there a gov't policy to guide Ministries or gov't agencies on implementation of such complex systems? A set of guidelines/best-practices? Minimum standards on care and retention of Kenyans' personal information? Most of those systems have a basic set of identical data (Kenyans' personal information: name, ID, etc): any guidelines on how the systems should inter-operate? In case of conflicting personal data, which of these systems is "official"? Apologies if this was discussed/settled earlier. Saidi

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Re: [kictanet] Expensive Software Systems [Update]
by James Kagwe 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

"Windows Explorer" browser? Who wrote this document??? ________________________________ From: kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke [mailto:kictanet-bounces+jkagwe=kippra.or.ke@lists.kictanet.or.ke] On Behalf Of wesley kiriinya Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 3:18 PM To: James Kagwe Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions Subject: [kictanet] Expensive Software Systems [Update] Following the previous post about the KPA software system which costs > 200M (about 450M including hardware machines), I found the following interesting: http://www.bdafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8717&Item… In summary, the system only uses Internet Explorer (which makes one wonder whether a requirements document was ever created). I can already see your eyes twitching and teeth grinding so I will stop there... And it seems like KRA’s Simba's system is IE only also. I hope this area of ICT is covered in the policy so that Kenyans (whom I believe are very talented) are empowered to take up such projects. Regards. When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong. -R. Buckminster Fuller.

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FW: [TriumphOfContent] FW: How many subscribers to a web email list does it take to change a lightbulb? (Humor)]
by alice 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

Interesting....KICTAnet mailing list is different and immune...is it? best alice -----Original Message----- *From:* TriumphOfContent(a)yahoogroups.com [mailto:TriumphOfContent@yahoogroups.com] *On Behalf Of *Anjana Basu *Sent:* July 22, 2008 4:49 AM *Subject:* [TriumphOfContent] FW: How many subscribers to a web email list does it take to change a lightbulb? (Humor) *How many subscribers to a web email list does it take to change a light bulb? * *ANSWER:* * 1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed. * 14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently. * 7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs. * 27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs. * 41 to correct the spelling/grammar flames. * 6 to argue over whether it's 'lightbulb' or 'light bulb.' * Another 6 to condemn those 6 as anal-retentive. * 2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is 'lamp.' * 27 to post URLs where one can see examples of different light bulbs. * 12 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy. * 4 to suggest that posters request the light bulb FAQ. * 44 to ask, 'What is an FAQ?' * 2 to post reasons why the light bulb burning out is the result of a government conspiracy. * 4 to say, 'Didn't we go through this already a short time ago?' * 43 to say, 'Do a Google search on light bulbs.' * 1 lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ____________________________________________________________ You received this message as a subscriber on the list: governance(a)lists.cpsr.org To be removed from the list, send any message to: governance-unsubscribe(a)lists.cpsr.org For all list information and functions, see: http://lists.cpsr.org/lists/info/governance

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Community Broadcasters
by Alex Gakuru 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

Good morning, I need to connect and correspond with community broadcasters. I recall KochFM had their representatives attend kictanet meetings last year.Does SIDAREC have representatives on the list? All help contacting other community stations is most appreciated. Regards, Alex

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NATIONAL WORKSHOP FOR ICT POLICY REVIEW
by Esther WANJAU 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

My Name is Esther Wanjau. I am the head of ICT in the Ministry of Information and Communications. The PS has requested me to invite all of you to the National ICT Policy Review Workshop on 28th - 29th July 2008 at Hilton Hotel to discuss the EA Harmonized ICT Policy. The PS will use the occasion to briefly present the Kenya ICT Policy Review Framework and invite you to contribute before the drafting begins. Attached is the Invitation Letter. Esther Esther Wanjau Assistant Director/ICT Ministry of Information and Communications Tel: +254 20 251152/250517 Cell: +254 722 867361 email: esther.wanjau(a)information.go.ke

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Flip Video Captures Kenya's Jimi Hendrix
by Brian Munyao Longwe 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

Nairobi Buzz: Flip Video captures Kenya's Jimi Hendrix The day I picked up the Flip Video camera I had a late dinner/drink with Harry Hare at Rezorus, a restaurant in Westlands. We innocently walked in and took our seats not knowing that that night was slated for a special performance by one of Nairobi's hottest bands. Within a very short time we realised that this was no ordinary evening as people kept streaming in and the place got fuller. But we cared less as the band kept belting out their own renditions of popular songs, both old as well as new. The hottest was probably "Hotel California" - during which the guitarist played the guitar solo Jimi Hendrix style with his teeth. As he was doing this, Harry punched me and pointed at the Flip - "Go catch that!" he shouted. And here is the result. http://mashilingi.blogspot.com/2008/07/nairobi-buzz-flip-video- captures-kenyas.html

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Re: [kictanet] Expensive Software Systems [Update]
by tyrus＠icsit.jkuat.ac.ke 23 Jul '08

23 Jul '08

> > "Windows Explorer" browser? Who wrote this document??? > Am also equally astounded at the level of technical aptitude these technical writers have and this is not the first time a glaring fact error has been made in this section of the BD. Honestly, if some one will write an IT article, will they atleast get their facts right? Tyrus Muya Kamau. Systems Administrator, eLearning Jomo Kenyatta University of Agri & Techology Kenya, Cell Phone: +254-721292936. Mail:tyrus@icsit.jkuat.ac.ke [DISCLAIMER] This message may contain confidential information and must not be copied, disclosed or used by anybody other than the intended recipient. If you have received this message in error, please notify us by e-mail (noreply(a)jkuat.ac.ke) and then delete the e-mail and any copies of it. E-mail may be susceptible to data corruption, interception and unauthorised amendment, and no liability is accepted for any such corruption, interception or amendment, or the consequences thereof. No liability or responsibility is accepted for viruses - it is your responsibility to scan

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IDS Research Fellows in Knowledge...]
by alice 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

Begin forwarded message: Message from Lawrence Haddad Dear Alumni: Warm greetings from IDS. I would be most grateful if you could circulate this advertisement for 2 IDS Research Fellows within your networks. Closing date for applications is July 29. Best wishes, Lawrence IDS Research Fellows in Knowledge, Information and Communication in International Development (closing date, July 29, 2008) http://www.ids.ac.uk/go/about-ids/working-at-ids/current-vacancies What roles do knowledge, information and communication play in positive social change? The Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex, has launched a new research theme to advance understanding in this area (including the contribution of associated technologies) and is looking to appointtwo Research Fellowsto lead this work, linking research and practice within its Information Department, Communications Unit and Research Teams. IDS is looking for researchers interested in exploring this theme from an issue perspective, or equally as processes in themselves, for example, how information, communication and knowledge shape, and are shaped by, power relationships; how they affect the ways in which groups and individuals know, express and engage with development ideas. The two Research Fellows will be located within the IDS Information Department which runs several Knowledge Services (www.ids.ac.uk/info) that act as information and knowledge intermediaries. We therefore have a special research interest to develop thinking and practice in this area, closely linked to our capacity development work to support intermediaries around the world. Required qualifications and skills: Applicants will need to demonstrate their capacity for leadership, innovation and fund-raising and have a strong track record of independent research and publication and/or equivalent practical experience in a relevant field. They will also need to demonstrate how they would link analysis and research findings to practice and policy. Candidates should have a doctorate or equivalent demonstrable experience in research or practice, with at least one years experience post-doc. A commitment to working collaboratively and in teams with people from a range of cultural, disciplinary and organizational backgrounds is essential. Lawrence Haddad Director Institute of Development Studies www.ids.ac.uk good with research ------- End of forwarded message ------- _______________________________________________ AAW-Network mailing list AAW-Network(a)lists.apcwomen.org http://lists.apcwomen.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/aaw-network

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Inside Nairobi, the Next Palo Alto?
by alice 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/business/worldbusiness/20ping.html?ex=121… Inside Nairobi, the Next Palo Alto? Jacob Wire/European Pressphoto Agency Google has mapped Nairobi and wants to add similar detail for other African cities. Other places must be content with technologies made by others. Yet people in these areas are dreaming of more. Consider Wilfred Mworia, a 22-year-old engineering student and freelance code writer in Nairobi, Kenya. In the four weeks leading up to Apple’s much-anticipated release of a new iPhone on July 11, Mr. Mworia created an application for the phone that shows where events in Nairobi are happening and allows people to add details about them. Mr. Mworia’s desire to develop an application for the iPhone is not unusual: many designers around the world are writing programs for the device. But his location posed some daunting obstacles: the iPhone doesn’t work in Nairobi, and Mr. Mworia doesn’t even own one. He wrote his program on an iPhone simulator. “Even if I don’t have an iPhone,” Mr. Mworia says defiantly, “I can still have a world market for my work.” Nairobi’s challenges are many. Internet use is relatively expensive and slow. Power failures are common. The city also lacks a world-class technical university. Mr. Mworia’s professors don’t offer lessons in the latest computer languages; he must learn them on his own. Political instability can be a problem, too. Earlier this year, Kenya suffered widespread violence after its disputed national election. For weeks, work in Nairobi came to a halt. “If you have a bright idea in Nairobi, you can’t just turn it around,” says Laura Frederick, an American working on an online payment system in the city. Still, Nairobi is home to a digital brew that invites optimism about its chances for creating unusual innovations. The city has relatively few wired phone lines or networked personal computers, so mobile phones are the essential digital tool. Four times as many people have them as have bank accounts. Text messages are far more popular than e-mail. Safaricom, the dominant mobile provider, offers a service called M-pesa that lets customers send money with text messages. Nokia sells brand-new phones here for as little as $33. While engineers in the United States lavish attention on expensive phones that boast laptoplike features, in Kenya there are 10 million low-end phones. Millions more are used elsewhere in Africa. Enhancements to such basic phones can be experimented with cheaply in Nairobi, and because designers are weaned on narrow bandwidth, they are comfortable writing compact programs suited to puny devices. “Applications are heavy in America,” says Michael Wakahe, a Nairobi code writer. “Here we have to make them light,” because simpler hardware requires smaller programs. These can have advantages in wireless systems. The distinctive digital experience in Nairobi inspires confidence in its youthful community of programmers, bloggers and Web enthusiasts. Over the past year, about 600 people in Nairobi — most under 25 — have coalesced into a group called Skunk Works, sharing ideas and encouraging new businesses. In June, it held an all-day workshop that included sessions on using the Android phone operating system from Google, developing applications for digital maps and creating content for mobile phones. “Possibilities are opening up for us,” says Josiah Mugambi, one of the group’s organizers. The prospect of marrying low-end mobile phones with the Internet is earning Nairobi notice from outsiders, who wonder whether the city might emerge as a test-bed for tomorrow’s technologies. One intriguing possibility is broadcasting local television programs on mobile phones. In Nairobi’s highest-profile validation, Google opened a development office here last September. “Africa is a huge long-term market for us,” Eric E. Schmidt, Google’s chief executive, said by e-mail. “We have to start by helping people get online, and the creativity of the people will take care of the rest.” Google hired seven recent university graduates, who digitally mapped the streets and structures of Nairobi for Google Maps. The company is now doing the same for other African cities. A leading Nairobi television broadcaster, NTV, has made a deal to present whole episodes of its programs on YouTube, a Google property. Google plans to hire more people in Nairobi and is recruiting staff in half a dozen other African cities. In Nairobi, Google chose a veteran of the city’s Internet-access industry to lead its office. The company assigned two Americans here; like the presidential candidate Barack Obama, each is the child of a Kenyan and an American. The company’s presence has raised ambitions. “When I interview people for jobs in this office,” explains Chris Kiagiri, a Google technology officer in Nairobi, “I ask them, ‘What would you like to see Google do in this market that it has not attempted anywhere else in the world?’” “A lot of people assume Google is trying to replicate in Africa what it has done elsewhere,” adds Mr. Kiagiri, who transferred last year from Google’s head office in California. “Sure, we want to bring existing products into this market. But we also want to organize information locally in a way we haven’t done elsewhere.” To be truly creative in a technological backwater is to defeat geography. Even as powerful a technological force as Google might not succeed. But dreaming of greatness, Kenyans are pushing Google to expand into completely new areas. One local programmer, Timothy Mbugua, wants Google to enhance its communication backbone so he can use it to build a money-transfer business that would charge lower rates than existing services. While it sounds daunting, Mr. Mbugua explains, “I’m only saying to Google, ‘This is what I need from you in order to execute my idea.’” G. Pascal Zachary teaches journalism at Stanford and writes about technology and economic development. E-mail: gzach(a)nytimes.com.

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Is Africa the safe haven for Cyber-Criminals?
by John Walubengo 22 Jul '08

22 Jul '08

The rapid developments within the ICT sector across Africa may be happening faster than the corresponding development within the Information Security space. The uptake of mobile and internet services in Africa is considered one of the fastest globally yet governments, businesses and consumers have adopted various e-Services with little or no regard to the underlying security challenges. check out the rest of story @ http://politics.nationmedia.com/Blog/default.asp?Display=310 walu.

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