- KICTANet - KICTANet

FW: I want to work for Google...
by James Kagwe 10 Aug '08

10 Aug '08

Sorry for breaking the rules, but just wondering if this is true ________________________________ We already knew that working for Google had certain advantages, but, believe me, this giant of the search motor takes the welfare of its employees seriously .. as shown by this decompression (stress) capsule that is impermeable to sound and light ... <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=3&NLartID=12372> Moving around: A slide allows quick access from different floors ... There are also poles available ... they are similar to the ones used in fire stations. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=4&NLartID=12372> Food. Employees can eat all they want from a vast choice of food and drink. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=5&NLartID=12372> Work Station: Each employee has at least two large screens. There are 4-6 'Zooglers' per office. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=6&NLartID=12372> INOVATION: Large boards are available just about everywhere because 'ideas don't always come when seated in the office' says one of Googles managers. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=7&NLartID=12372> LEISURE. Pool tables, video games etc. are available in many areas. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=8&NLartID=12372> Communication... On each floor, there are private cabin areas where employees can attend to personal affairs. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=9&NLartID=12372> Technical Support: Problem with your computer ? No problem ... Bring it to this area where drinks are available while it is being fixed ... <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=10&NLartID=12372> \ Health: Professional masseurs (eusses) available. <http://www.letemps.ch/template/galerie.asp?imageindex=11&NLartID=12372> REST ... This room provides massage chairs that you control ... while you view relaxing aquariums ... Ambiance ... There are many books in this library ... even some about programming !! My questions are ... when do they work? How much do they pay to work there? And where do I send my application? . ________________________________ ________________________________ Get news, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. Check it out! <http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx%20>

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High Fuel Prices
by Brian Munyao Longwe 10 Aug '08

10 Aug '08

I'm wondering, Today another article in the Business Daily about high fuel prices (pg 4) ... this is the 3rd or 4th time that they have used a picture that indeed show a Total petrol station price display with a high price, but for some reason is seriously dominated by Florida (F1) ... what prices is the writer/photographer really complaining about? Brian

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[Fwd: [At-Large] Updates to New gTLD Program Implementation and auctioning model.]
by alice 09 Aug '08

09 Aug '08

http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-08aug08-en.htm ICANN has published a paper from its contractor PowerAuctions LLC, regarding the use of auctions to award new TLD strings in case of contention. http://icann.org/en/topics/economic-case-auctions-08aug08-en.pdf I think it would be important that the At Large speaks up. The model proposed in the document is a purely capitalistic one. It is based on the assumption that all gTLDs are created to make as much money as possible. Smaller, community based TLDs seem quite difficult to launch in such context. The mere possibility of auctions will actually generate contention on some strings. The little guys wishing to establish a not-for-profit TLD will be outplayed by the wealthy ones. A public forum has been established at http://forum.icann.org/lists/auction-consultation/. Comments to auction-consultation(a)icann.org before 8 September 2008. -- Patrick Vande Walle _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list At-Large(a)atlarge-lists.icann.org http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large_atlarge-lists.ican… At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org

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internet governance, domaining, domain disputes, DNS security and more internet related news
by alice 09 Aug '08

09 Aug '08

********************** GOVERNANCE ********************** 1. Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the EU Global Online Freedom Act EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM: More and more authoritarian states as Belarus, Burma, the People's Republic of China, Cuba, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam censor the internet by blocking websites and filtering search results and intimidate internet users through 'cyber police' and obliged registration. As this constitutes a clear violation of human rights under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, EU action needs to be undertaken, especially since European companies are cooperating with authoritarian governments to restrict the access of citizens to the provision of Internet and information society services. http://www.julesmaaten.eu/_uploads/EU%20GOFA.htm 2. Major U.S. Internet companies agree on a code of conduct for operating in repressive countries It's been a journey longer than the meandering, months-long trip the Olympic torch is taking to Friday's opening ceremonies in Beijing. But Google, Yahoo and Microsoft said today that they were close to finishing a voluntary code of conduct for doing business in China and other countries that censor the Internet -- a project they started in January 2007. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2008/08/major-internet.html 3. Internet firms agree to 'code of conduct' in China Just days before the Olympic torch will reach Beijing, Internet leaders Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft say they are close to an agreement on a code of conduct for doing business in China and other countries that censor the Internet. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10007122-38.html 4. Internet Companies Agree On China Code Of Conduct U.S. technology giants Microsoft, Google, and Yahoo, in talks with other Internet companies and human-rights groups, have reached an agreement on a voluntary code of conduct for activities in China and other restrictive countries, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. http://uk.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idUKBNG13395520080805 http://in.reuters.com/article/technologyNews/idINIndia-34833420080805 http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/policy/showArticle.jhtm?articl… 5. Vint Cerf calls for Internet speed limits Internet papa Vint Cerf said broadband speed limits rather than broadband data caps would be more useful in managing congested networks. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10007079-93.html 6. Cerf totes consumer SLAs Father of the internet and Google's chief internet evangelist, Vint Cerf has waded into the debate about how broadband carriers should manage network congestion, suggesting, in effect, data rate service level agreements (SLAs) for consumers. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2223299/cerf-totes-consumer-slas 7. Cerf's call for simple pricing: Net Neutrality all over again Vint Cerf, one of the co-inventors of the underlying technology that makes the Web work, now Google's Internet evangelist, has issued a call for throughput-based pricing by ISPs. This in response to the Comcast ruling by the FCC, which fined the cable carrier for capping bandwidth used by customers if they exceed what the company considers reasonable use—Comcast has called their approach, which can cap the number of bits a user sends per month "consumption-based pricing." http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ratcliffe/?p=358 8. Questioning the Coming US Internet Clog One of the nation's top authorities on global Internet traffic growth says his latest data show no reason to fear network capacity shortages, as traffic growth may even be slightly decelerating. http://communicationsdirectnews.com/do.php/110/31939 ********************** DOMAIN NAMES ********************** ********************** - ICANN ********************** 9. .ORG & NCUC Joint Letter to ICANN on Internationalized Domain Names by PIR Recently we teamed up with the Non-Commercial Users Constituency (NCUC) to express our concern to ICANN that the rights and needs of end-users are taken into account in the discussion of Internationalized Domain Names (IDN). http://www.circleid.com/posts/88710_org_ncuc_internationalized_domain_names/ 10. Can ICANN Manage the DNS Root Zone by Itself? "No!" Says US Department of Commerce In a recent letter, the US Department of Commerce NTIA strongly denied being engaged in discussions about a "root zone transition" from VeriSign to ICANN. The community, ICANN President Strategic Committee (PSC), and perhaps ICANN and IANA staff are suddenly informed that no transition of root zone management is going to occur. http://www.circleid.com/posts/88712_icann_manage_dns_root_zone/ 11. ICANN to raise awareness of domain name system vulnerability [sub req'd] http://telecom.paper.nl/news/article.aspx?id=225475 ********************** - ccTLD & gTLD NEWS ********************** 12. Grant boost for .cym domain bid A £20,000 grant to secure a "dot cym" internet address for Wales is to be given by the assembly government. Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said the money was to support the DotCYM campaign for a Welsh version of the .com or co.uk endings. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7543956.stm 13. Bid for .cym for Welsh websites WELSH companies should have the right to use .cym as well as .com on their websites, Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said yesterday. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/07/bid-for-cym-for-wel… 14. More options for Welsh identity on the net The campaign to allow Welsh companies to use the .cym suffix in their web addresses is almost as old as the internet itself, so it's pleasing to see this decent idea finally take its first steps off the drawing board. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/08/07/more-options-for-we… 15. Assembly cash for dotCYM campaign DEPUTY First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones will today announce Assembly Government funding to campaign for "full internet status for Wales". http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2008/08/06/assembly-cash-f… 16. Wales applying for its own domain name The Welsh deputy first minister is backing a campaign for a Welsh internet domain name. http://www.publicservice.co.uk/news_story.asp?id=6704 17. DotCym campaign wins £20k grant Wales The Welsh Assembly is to donate £20,000 to support the campaign to secure the "dot cym" internet address for Wales. http://www.webuser.co.uk/news/news.php?id=265029 18. N.Korea Likely to Provide Internet Service from 2009 It seems likely that North Korea will finally join the worldwide web and provide Internet service from next year. Kim Sang-myung, the chief of the North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, a group of former North Korean professionals, at a symposium in the National Assembly on Wednesday said, "According to the Internet Access Roadmap it launched in 2002, North Korea will begin providing Internet service for special agencies and authorized individuals as early as next year." ... It has also recently finished necessary consultations with ICANN for the Internet service in North Korea. In this situation, North Korea can begin providing Internet service any time provided equipment for server and Internet-based relay systems is supplied, Kim said. http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200808/200808070011.html 19. 100,000 .me Domain Names Now Registered The .ME Registry announced today it has registered more than 100,000 domain names. This milestone comes a little more than two weeks after opening for live, real-time registrations by the general public and less than four months after opening its doors. http://www.nic.me/index.php?page=12&news=94 20. .ME Domain Crosses 100,000 Milestone New personalized domain .ME is the hot new destination for Web addresses. The milestone comes a little more than two weeks after opening for live, real-time registrations by the general public and less than four months after opening its doors. http://www.webhostdir.com/news/showNews.aspx?ID=27076 ********************** - DNS SECURITY ********************** 21. Net address bug worse than feared A recently found flaw in the internet's addressing system is worse than first feared, says the man who found it. Dan Kaminsky made his comments when speaking publicly for the first time about his discovery at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7546557.stm 22. Kaminsky: Many ways to attack with DNS [IDG] There were 6 a.m. calls from Finnish certificate authorities and also some pretty harsh words from his peers in the security community, even an accidentally leaked Black Hat presentation, but after managing the response to one of the most highly publicized Internet flaws in recent memory, Dan Kaminsky said Wednesday that he'd do it all over again. http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/08/06/Kaminsky_Many_ways_to_attack_with… http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/080608-kaminsky-many-ways-to-attack.h… http://www.itworld.com/networking/54104/kaminsky-many-ways-attack-dns 23. Kaminsky: DNS Vulnerability Will Affect Email, Internal Systems, Too After almost a month of holding back, security researcher Dan Kaminsky took off the gloves and delivered the full impact of his newly discovered Domain Name Server vulnerability to an audience of more than 2,000 security experts here. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=161009 24. Kaminsky reveals 'many ways' to attack with DNS [IDG] Dan Kaminsky has revealed more details about the DNS flaw, and has said that he would do it all over again, despite receiving some harsh words from his peers in the security community. http://www.techworld.com/news/index.cfm?NewsID=102315 25. Dan Kaminsky Reveals DNS Flaw At Black Hat At the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, attendees occupied every available seat and most of the floor space to hear security researcher Dan Kaminsky finally explain the Domain Name System (DNS) vulnerability that has been the talk of the Internet security community since early July. http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/vulnerabilities/showArticle.jh… 26. IOActive's Kaminsky Warns: DNS Danger Still Exists IOActive's Dan Kaminsky discovered a DNS vulnerability in July, and the attack code was released weeks later. At his Black Hat speech, Kaminsky warned that patching the DNS vulnerability is urgent. Though Kaminsky said 85 percent of Fortune 500 firms have patched their networks to fix the DNS vulnerability, too many users are still unprotected. http://www.toptechnews.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xht… http://www.cio-today.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xhtml… http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Kaminsky--DNS-Danger-Still-Exists/story.xhtm… 27. Kaminsky Details DNS Flaw at Black Hat Talk Roughly 85 percent of Fortune 500 companies have patched their networks to fix a security flaw that lets cyber criminals redirect visitors to counterfeit or malicious Web sites, but Internet users still remain at grave risk due to the large number of infrastructure providers that have not yet addressed the issue, a prominent security researcher warned today. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2008/08/kaminsky_details_dns_f… 28. Email gets hit by major web security flaw [AP] A newly discovered flaw in the internet's core infrastructure not only permits hackers to force people to visit websites they didn't want to, it also allows them to intercept email messages, the researcher who discovered the bug said. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=55&objectid=10525801 http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/biztech/08/06/internet.security.ap/ http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2008-08-07-internet-flaw… 29. Giant cyberspace security hole getting fixed, slowly [AP] A giant vulnerability in the internet's design is allowing criminals to silently redirect traffic to websites under their control. The problem is being fixed, but its extent remains unknown and many people are still at risk. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cfm?c_id=1501832&objectid=10525623 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/08/06/1217702102160.html http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/08/06/1217702102160.html 30. Kaminsky reveals details and extent of DNS flaw Security researcher Dan Kaminsky has given details of a fundamental flaw in the Domain Name System, and the extent of the vulnerability. http://news.zdnet.co.uk/security/0,1000000189,39458177,00.htm http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10009827-83.html 31. Day 30: Kaminsky DNS Bug Disclosure In a highly anticipated presentation, Internet security researcher Dan Kaminsky today gave details of the much talked about Domain Name System (DNS) vulnerability issue which has been intensely covered since it was publicly announced a month ago on Jul 8th. http://www.circleid.com/posts/88670_kaminsky_dns_bug_disclosure/ 32. Kaminsky (finally) reveals gaping hole in internet Black Hat After a four-week orgy of speculation, recrimination and warnings, Dan Kaminsky's domain-name system vulnerability has finally gone public. And boy, are we glad the net's overlords paid attention. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/06/kaminsky_black_hat/ 33. Beijing Braces for Olympic Cyber-War - Can the world's most futuristic data center protect the Olympics' storage? With the world's eyes firmly focused on Beijing, officials and IT staff are bracing themselves for a flood of cyber-attacks when the Olympic Games begin later this week. http://www.darkreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=160642 34. Giant online security hole getting fixed, slowly [AP] A giant vulnerability in the Internet's design is allowing criminals to silently redirect traffic to Web sites under their control. The problem is being fixed, but its extent remains unknown and many people are still at risk. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/05/AR200808050… 35. Russian Gang Hijacking PCs in Vast Scheme A criminal gang is using software tools normally reserved for computer network administrators to infect thousands of PCs in corporate and government networks with programs that steal passwords and other information, a security researcher has found. http://nytimes.com/2008/08/06/technology/06hack.html 36. DHS: Networking security worth the money [IDG] When it comes to investing in computer security, the U.S. federal government could get a good return on investment by shoring up its networking protocols, according to the man who's been hired to coordinate computer security between federal agencies. http://www.itworld.com/security/54122/dhs-networking-security-worth-money http://www.pcworld.com/article/149554/2008/08/.html 37. New US cyber defense coordinator hints at plans [AP] One of the United States' biggest challenges in securing government computers from foreign attacks isn't necessarily technical. The country first needs to figure out how much those networks are worth and how much the U.S. should spend on protecting them, the new Homeland Security official in charge of that effort said Thursday. http://news.smh.com.au/technology/new-us-cyber-defense-coordinator-hints-at… http://news.theage.com.au/technology/new-us-cyber-defense-coordinator-hints… ********************** - DOMAIN DISPUTES ********************** 38. Retailers Beware – Recent Losses In Domain Name Decisions [reg req'd] Retailers and brands in the retail sector have recently been hit with a string of losses under the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Procedure ("UDRP"), which was designed to offer brand owners a quick and relatively inexpensive way of resolving domain name disputes. http://mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=64400 39. us: State Fund Insurance Nailed for Reverse Domain Name Hijacking State Fund Mutual Insurance, a company providing workers' compensation insurance in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and South Dakota, has been found guilty of reverse domain name hijacking in its attempt to snag SFM.com. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/07/state-fund-insurance-nailed-for-revers… 40. us: SureWest critic will change Web site's address The Sacramento computer programmer and SureWest Communications shareholder who started a Web site critical of the Roseville company's move to drop its quarterly dividend plans to change the domain address. http://www.sacbee.com/102/story/1140527.html ********************** - IPv4/IPv6 ********************** 41. DISA certifies Red Hat OS for IPv6 The Defense Information Systems Agency has certified the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) operating system as being ready for swapping Internet Protocol version 6 packets with other Defense Department servers, Red Hat announced this week. http://www.gcn.com/online/vol1_no1/46832-1.html ********************** - MISCELLANEOUS ********************** 42. New publication on Domain Name Law A new international Handbook on Domain Name Law has been published. The "Handbuch des Domainrechts" is an updated German version of the international Handbook "Domain Name Law and Practice"which was published by Oxford University Press in 2005. It was edited and written by leading experts in the fields of domain name dispute resolution and trade mark law from around the world. http://www.domainnews.com/en/general/new-publication-on-domain-name-law.html 43. VeriSign shares fall after 2nd-quarter report [AP] VeriSign Inc.'s shares fell Thursday after the Internet infrastructure company reported a wider second-quarter loss as it absorbed the costs of a major reorganization. http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/08/07/ap5301246.html 44. VeriSign Reports Second Quarter 2008 Results [news release] VeriSign, Inc. ... reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2008. VeriSign reported revenue of $303 million for the second quarter of 2008. On a GAAP basis, VeriSign reported a net loss of $68 million and a net loss per share of $0.35. These GAAP results reflect a $92 million non-cash impairment charge on certain long-lived assets and assets held for sale. Also recorded were restructuring charges of $98 million in continuing and discontinued operations. ... VeriSign Naming Services ended the quarter with approximately 87.3 million active domain names in the adjusted zone for .com and .net, representing a 3% increase over Q1 2008 and 20% increase year over year. In June, VeriSign announced additional infrastructure deployments in Europe with new sites in France and Belgium to fortify its Internet infrastructure as part of Project Titan. http://www.verisign.com/static/043991.pdf 45. VeriSign's Losses Widen VeriSign reported higher losses in the second quarter in part because of restructuring-related charges. The company posted net loss of $68 million, or 35 cents a share, that included a $92 million non-cash impairment charge and restructuring charges of $98 million. That compares with a net loss of $4.7 million, or 2 cents a share the year before. http://www.thestreet.com/s/verisigns-losses-widen/newsanalysis/technology-u… 46. VeriSign reports $68 million loss [Bloomberg] VeriSign, the biggest operator of computers that direct Internet traffic, reported a $68 million loss and projected sales that missed some estimates as growth in the number of Web sites slowed. http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_10124679 47. VeriSign Reports 2Q Losses VeriSign has reported a net loss of $68 million or $0.35 per share for the second quarter, despite ending the quarter with approximately 87.3 million active domain names, a 3 percent increase over Q1 and a 20 percent increase year over year. http://www.thewhir.com/marketwatch/080708_VeriSign_Reports_2Q_Losses.cfm 48. Register.com Gives Out Free Domain Names Register.com is giving away domain names , 1 per company. There appears to be no-strings-attached to the promotion. This isn't an affiliate link either . . . probably should be eh ? Click here to get a free domain name. http://www.domainnamenews.com/registrars/registercom-gives-out-free-domain-… 49. Registries Must Lobby GoDaddy for Success - GoDaddy 's power in domain registration cannot be ignored. Here's a tip to any registries for new domains coming online in the next couple years: before you create your marketing strategy and invest in infrastructure, go cozy up with your new pal Bob Parsons at GoDaddy. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/05/registries-must-lobby-godaddy-for-succ… 50. The Dutch Cable SIP Exchange Project, XConnect Global Networks and Nokia Siemens Networks Successfully Test Intelligent Network (C7) and ENUM Integration in Cable Telephony Peering Project [news release] The Dutch Cable SIP Exchange project (SIPX), an initiative of the Dutch cable industry, successfully tested interoperability between its peering system, which is provided by XConnect Global Networks, Ltd., and the Nokia Siemens Networks hiQ VoIP platform used in many of its participant networks. http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/08/06/3587978.htm ********************** - DOMAINING & AFTERMARKET ********************** 51. Google offers deeper look into searches Google is giving everyone a chance to peek deeper into its database of search requests and discover the things that preoccupy individuals and, in aggregate, entire cities, regions or nations, at any one time. http://iht.com/articles/2008/08/06/business/adco.php 52. New Google tool aims to provide more insight into online searches Google Inc. yesterday rolled out a new tool that it said can help marketing and advertising users better analyze Internet search patterns, while also adding new tools such as a "heat map" for graphically displaying search volumes and other data. http://computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&article… 53. T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Down Under to Donate Profits to ICA; Discount Pass Expires Soon T.R.A.F.F.I.C. Down Under is happening on the Gold Coast, Australia, with Fabulous.com (Dark Blue Sea Ltd) and T.R.A.F.F.I.C. partnering to host the premiere event being held from November 18 to 20, to be held at the Sheraton Mirage Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. http://technewsreview.com.au/article.php?article=5584 http://www.domainpulse.com/2008/08/05/traffic-down-under-to-donate-profits-… 54. Domain Roundtable Goes to Washington Next conference will be held in Washington D.C. June 2009. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/05/domain-roundtable-goes-to-washington/ 55. au: Domain name sales dip no surprise The number of internet domain names being bought and sold has dropped off in just the second month since a rule change that allowed them to be openly trading was introduced. http://smartcompany.com.au/Free-Articles/The-Briefing/20080805-Domain-name-… 56. Domain Trading Post takes over as Australia's largest .au aftermarket Australia's newest domain name aftermarket trading website, Domain Trading Post has quickly taken over as the premier marketplace for trading secondary .com.au domain names. http://www.domaininformer.com/news/press/080804DomainTradingPost.html 57. OD.com Sells for $220,000 The domain name OD.com has sold for $220,000 at Sedo , according to the "recent sales" section of the site. http://domainnamewire.com/2008/08/07/odcom-sells-for-220000/ 58. New York TRAFFIC Auction - Open call for Domains Aftermarket logoWe are pleased to announce the launch of the first phase of Aftermarket.com. This first phase is a dual online & offline auction system using the new platform of DomainTools created specifically for the Aftermarket.com. http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/08/new-york-traffic-auction-open-call-for-…

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First African Broadcast, Film and Convergence Conference, Kenyatta Centre, Nairobi, September 23-25, 2008
by alice 08 Aug '08

08 Aug '08

*First African Broadcast, Film and Convergence Conference, Kenyatta Centre, Nairobi */September 23-25, 2008/ The first African, Broadcast, Film and Convergence Conference will take place at the Kenyatta Centre in Nairobi, 23-25 September 2008. It will bring together senior broadcasting executives, producers, advertising agency executives, regulators and policy-makers to discuss the challenges faced by the industry over the next five years. Speakers lined up include: David Waweru, MD, KBC; David Maingi, CEO, Kenya Film Commission; Khalik Sherriff, COO, e.TV; Ian Fernandes, MD, Nation TV’s Digital Division; Toyin Subair, CEO, Hi-TV; Richard Bell, African Telecoms, Media and Technology Fund; Redeemer Kwame, Ghana Telecom on its IP-TV service with Indian partner WiseNet; lawyer Claudia Rinke on international rights issues; Angelo Kinyua, Big Ideas Entertainment; Kenyan producer Thump Campbell; UK’s Lucy Scher, Script Factory; Ronnie Andrews, GTV; Jeremy Nathan, DV8; Lenny Nganga, Saracen Media; Joe Otin, Steadman Group; James Boyd McFie, Business School, Strathmore University; John Sarpong, Africast; Joe Mucheru, Google; and many, many more. For further information, contact AITEC on +254(0)20-212-1028. The full conference programme is available at www.aitecafrica.com <http://lists.balancingact-africa.com/t/2131/235533/32/0/>

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The Captain on Payment Gateway!!
by Bill Kagai 08 Aug '08

08 Aug '08

I have seen in today's Nation - Back Page - Among the targets the Captain set for Ministries include:: 1. The Ministry of Information will provide a payment gateway and harmonise the E-transaction Bill with the Banking Act. [sic] We do have a solution under beta testing jointly with Commercial Bank of Africa which uses MPESA as one of the transaction avenues, whilst CBA acts as the settlement institution. I know PayPal is also testing another system. Could we perhaps plan to brainstorm and set the necessary benchmarks before these products are put in the market to coincide with submarine cables landing?? As usual, I look for leadership and inspiration from our champion - Bw. Bitange Ndemo. You can test the solution by g360 Ltd at: http://www.mobilepay.i360microsystems.com/shop.php

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Ministry to support young entrepreneurs
by Mike Theuri 08 Aug '08

08 Aug '08

http://www.eastandard.net/business/InsidePage.php?id=1143991935&cid=14& Ministry to support young entrepreneurs Published on 08/08/2008 By Kenneth Kwama The Ministry of Trade is working to create a policy to relax procurement rules to make it easier for young entrepreneurs to tender for Government jobs. "Some of the rules like those that require people to have been in business for more than 10 years before being considered for Government tenders are unfair to young entrepreneurs and should be reviewed," said Mr Omingo Magara, Assistant Minister for Trade. Magara spoke during the unveiling of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is set to take place from November 17-23. The concept is aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs who want to do business. The event will take place in more than 60 countries. In Kenya, it will be co-ordinated by the Sacoma Centre for business enterprises, which says it hopes to create 10,000 new jobs for the youth by the end of the one-week event. "We are working with partners who are willing to support the youth in various ways like training, mentorship and start up capital. In the end, we hope this will enable young people to create their own businesses and employ people," said Ms Peres Ochieng', CEO of Sacoma. Youth Participation The organisers expect thousands of youths from different districts to participate. Chris Spavin, the International Campaigns executive for the programme, lauded the idea as revolutionary to help the youth in developing countries take charge of their own destinies. "It aims to inspire a movement of people and stakeholders to celebrate and engage in enterprising ideas and make them happen," said Spavin. The idea was first mooted in the UK, with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown acting as patron of one of the founder organisations. Magara said his ministry would provide the infrastructure necessary to support the initiative and also work on new policy to make the business environment friendlier to the youth. He cited the many procedures required by procurement rules saying they were hostile to young entrepreneurs. He said some jobs like construction of feeder roads in rural areas could be given to the youth without necessarily going through the tendering process. Other events lined up for the week include business ideas competition and campaigns for new policies geared at improving business environment for young people.

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computers and problems.
by wesley kiriinya 07 Aug '08

07 Aug '08

So I'm writing this up as something to provoke some thought in our IT minds as we go about innovating and creating policies in IT. I believe it would be fair to say that computers don't solve our problems, rather they make the solutions more efficient and/or convinient. Many people believe that computers and similar gadgets solve their problems. Companies that create computers and marketers have used this idea to sell their products to the less IT knowlegable population. Because of various lies and half truths the ideas of the original creator of a product are never communicated therefore one finds people with different understandings of the same technology and what it does. Although this has existed for a long time it's only coming out clealy in the IT field because of its fast changing nature. Within one year what one knows about a technology can change as more about the technology is revealed. Looking at what computers do, they are machines that run software, and software is just a bunch of instructions that manipulate hardware. A piece of software seems to solve a problem to the un-knowlegable IT user but to the originator/creator the solution was already created even before it was implemented in software ( otherwise what would the software be doing? Reminding you about your problems? ) and it is from this perspective that I believe computers can be viewed because by doing it the other way round one ends up with managers who buy tonnes of computer equipment and software thinking their company woes will suddenly come to an end ( It's easier to ask God for a miracle! ). The problems need to be defined and solutions created in the ordinary way, leaving out the machines. Then let the machines do what they do best, crunch numbers faster and transmit data faster than humans. Comments and criticisms most welcome. Regards. 8~)

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Is it necessary to legislate IT Professionalism under an Act of Parliament?
by kathae＠cskonline.org 07 Aug '08

07 Aug '08

visit www.cskonline.org and make a vote on whether its necessary to legislate IT Professionalism under an Act of Parliament? Your vote counts in ensuring high standards of professionalism would be mantained in this country >From Peter Ndonga, System administrator (Computer Society Of Kenya). +254724326360

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FW: Early cell phone termination fees illegal
by Edith Adera 06 Aug '08

06 Aug '08

What is the rule in Kenya? Celtel (read Zain) seems to have this rule as well? Whats in place here to protect consumers? Edith Adera _____ From: Gideon Christian [mailto:gchristian@idrc.ca] Sent: 01 August 2008 16:39 To: ICT4D-Futures Workspace Subject: Early cell phone termination fees illegal California judge rules early cell phone termination fees illegal http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/99655 In one of the most significant legal rulings in the tech industry this year, a Superior Court judge in California has ruled that the practice of charging <http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10039461?source=most_viewed> consumers a fee for ending their cell phone contract early is illegal and violates state law. The preliminary, tentative judgment orders Sprint Nextel to pay customers $18.2 million in reimbursements and, more importantly, orders Sprint to stop trying to collect another $54.7 million from California customers (some 2 million customers total) who have canceled their contracts but refused or failed to pay the termination fee. While an appeal is inevitable, the ruling could have massive fallout throughout the industry. Without the threat of levying early termination fees, the cellular carriers lose the power that's enabled them to lock customers into contracts for multiple years at a time. And while those contracts can be heinously long, they also let the carriers offer cell phone hardware at reduced (subsidized) prices. AT&T's two-year contract is the only reason the iPhone 3G costs $199. If subsidies vanish, what happens to hardware lock-in? Could an era of expensive, but unlocked, hardware be just around the corner? It's highly probable. Of course, the carriers aren't going to take this lying down. Early termination fees are seen as critical to business, so carriers are expected to look for ways to reclassify the fees (such as by calling them "rates," part of the arcane set of laws that covers the telecommunications industry). The industry is also pushing for the federal government to step in and claim oversight over the early termination fee issue, which would invalidate any state ruling. The FCC is generally more tolerant of such fees, though Chairman Kevin Martin has proposed a plan whereby the fees are decreased the closer you are to the end of your contract. The FCC may also buy the argument that, since carriers are nationally based (and consumers can use their phones anywhere in the country), that a single policy should apply across the nation, rather than creating a patchwork of legislation that could lead to confusion and chaos caused by having 50 different policies. Is the early termination fee dead? Not yet, but it's looking a little haggard. Gideon Christian, LL.M Research Intern/Stagiaire Int`l Development Research Centre (IDRC) Centre de Recherches pour le Développement International (CRDI) 150 Kent Str Ottawa, ON, K1P 0B2 Canada Tel/Tél:+1-613-236-6163 ext 2063 Cell:cellulaire: +1-613-265-1300 Fax/Téléc: +1-613-238-7230 Email/Courriel: gchristian(a)idrc.ca www.idrc.ca / www.crdi.ca Dgroups is a joint initiative of Bellanet, DFID, Hivos, ICA, ICCO, IICD, OneWorld, UNAIDS and World Bank --- You are currently subscribed to ict4d-futures as: eadera(a)idrc.or.ke To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-ict4d-futures-75952T(a)dgroups.idrc.ca

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