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Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content?
by Kanja Waruru 20 Mar '09

20 Mar '09

Walu, i have been told many times a good adv is the one that provokes and gets the audience attention. this one is a good adv because it grabbed Walu's attention and we are now debating it. but to answer you the media council is very much alive and kicking and you can contact Ms Esther Kamweru on email info(a)mediacouncil.or.ke website:www.mediacouncil.or.ke regards. Kanja --- On Fri, 3/20/09, John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > From: John Walubengo <jwalu(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or appropriate local content? > To: kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, 2:18 AM > > Complex is indeed the term. And depending on your > scientific convictions on when life actually begins i.e. is > at conception or after birth? Then this emergency pill > could be "abortion over the counter" and last time I checked > abortion was still illegal in Kenya. What media is > therefore doing is promoting the culture of death and > impunity that is already rampant in our society. > > But that's my thinking and If I can get the correct email > for Media Council I can submit more details/points. Makali, > Kanja is this Media Council thing still active or was it > overtaken by the new Kenya Communication Amendment Act > (2008)? > > walu. > --- On Fri, 3/20/09, alice <alice(a)apc.org> > wrote: > > > From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > Subject: Re: [kictanet] Disturbing Advert or > appropriate local content? > > To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > Date: Friday, March 20, 2009, 12:38 PM > > I guess within the scramble for customers this is one > > example. > > > > This is a complex issue and people are likely to > respond > > differently to > > this kind of content( indeed content generally). And > it > > also depends on > > whether it is on television or radio, in a cinema > film, on > > the Internet, > > in the press etc. So while you may find it offensive, > I may > > find it very > > informative and educative. > > > > So what harm is this advert likely to cause our youth > > against any > > benefits? difficult to know/measure and again quite > > complex. So > > important to balance "harm and offence". > > > > Re: complaints process etc both institutions are > > responsible at various > > levels. > > > > best > > alice > > > > (Views expressed are personal and not a reflection of > any > > of the > > institutions I am affiliated with) > > > > > > > > > > John Walubengo wrote: > > > By the way Alice, your post reminds me...there's > > this little Advert running on FM Radio stations about > > "the emergency pill". I must confess that I > > personally find it disturbing - particular when put in > the > > context of our listening youth. > > > > > > I have a whole thesis on why it should be pulled > off > > air and just wondering where to submit the same. > Is it to > > CCK or Media Council? Either way, could someone share > the > > email contact for receiving customer complaints > against > > Media? > > > > > > walu. > > > > > > --- On Thu, 3/19/09, alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > >> From: alice <alice(a)apc.org> > > >> Subject: [kictanet] African media > fragmentation > > piles the pressure on radio and TV stations as they > scramble > > for audiences > > >> To: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > >> Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" > > <kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke> > > >> Date: Thursday, March 19, 2009, 10:12 PM > > >> (From Balancing Act) > > >> > > >> African media fragmentation piles the > pressure on > > radio and > > >> TV stations as they scramble for audiences > > >> > > >> Once upon a time everyone knew what > television and > > radio > > >> were and they played a key role in > people’s > > lives. > > >> Particularly for urban Africans they were > the > > soundtrack to > > >> life, the sports match in the bar and the > common > > >> conversations about television programmes. > > Nowadays in the > > >> more liberalised of African countries there > are > > more > > >> television and radio stations than you can > > remember the > > >> names of and for the smaller group of the > more > > well-off, > > >> there are pay TV channels, time-shifting and > DVDs. > > And all > > >> that’s before you take into account SMS > > information > > >> services and the Internet which are eating > away at > > the edges > > >> of the audiences. Russell Southwood looks at > the > > >> fault-lines. > > >> > > >> Dakar will shortly have 7 television > stations, not > > >> including the three Pay-TV channels you can > get if > > you can > > >> afford them or can pirate a service. Lagos > has 13 > > television > > >> stations and perhaps three main Pay-TV > channels. > > Kinshasa > > >> has over 40 television stations, many of > which > > simply show > > >> pirated television content. In this > circumstance, > > no channel > > >> will get more than 20-30% of audience share > on a > > regular > > >> basis. > > >> > > >> Pay-TV may seem a very modest presence in > most > > countries > > >> but because it is widely watched in public > places, > > it > > >> audience reach is understated by its > subscriber > > numbers. > > >> Furthermore, piracy means that a large number > of > > additional > > >> subscribers (sometimes double the number) > are > > watching > > >> without paying for content. > > >> > > >> Vernacular radio has exploded and the number > of > > radio > > >> stations is exponentially larger than for > > television > > >> stations as many of them are much more > local. > > Uganda has 150 > > >> stations and Kenya over 90. But whilst radio > might > > have a > > >> wider and deeper audience reach than > television, > > the > > >> fragmentation makes it difficult for > advertisers > > to reach > > >> their audiences. > > >> > > >> The standard broadcasting formats that seemed > to > > serve so > > >> well in less competitive times are now being > taken > > apart and > > >> put back together by the viewers and > listeners > > themselves. > > >> Legitimate and pirated DVDs provide a steady > > stream of > > >> relatively cheap entertainment, particularly > of > > films. > > >> Recent releases may command a better price > but > > three > > >> relatively old action action movies (Bruce > Lee, > > Stephen > > >> Seagal, that kind of thing) can be bought > for > > around US$2. > > >> PVRs, streaming and catch-up downloads will > all > > become a > > >> reality as part of the dividend of cheaper > > bandwidth in > > >> 2009. > > >> > > >> Middle class Africans are using a growing > array of > > devices. > > >> Laptop use is growing as sales of this kind > of > > computer > > >> begin to equal those of desktop PCs. > High-end > > smart phones > > >> like Blackberries and iPhones are > increasingly > > visible. One > > >> African carrier has 800,000 high-end phones > on its > > network. > > >> > > >> These devices are not just for doing work or > > making phone > > >> calls. They have become media in their own > right. > > Recent > > >> surveys show that in North Africa 3-7% of > the > > population > > >> cited SMS as one of their most used daily > > information > > >> sources. Likewise the Internet is set to have > a > > much greater > > >> impact with the spread of broadband > subscriptions. > > >> > > >> According to Alexa.com, Facebook and You Tube > are > > already > > >> amongst the Top 10 sites in the African > countries > > that it > > >> analyses. Again based on survey work, between > 1-8% > > of the > > >> population used the Internet daily across a > range > > of very > > >> different countries. With cheaper > international > > bandwidth, > > >> these figures will increase slowly but > surely. > > Mobile > > >> Internet will become cheaper and play an > > increasingly large > > >> role in people’s lives. > > >> > > >> Current ad spend on the Internet and SMS is > tiny > > but ad > > >> money will migrate as it gets larger. This > is > > money that > > >> will most likely be lost to newspapers which > seem > > the most > > >> vulnerable as the media landscape’s > tectonic > > plates begin > > >> to shift. > > >> > > >> So what can the African broadcaster do faced > with > > all of > > >> this? There are two ways to stay in the game: > by > > using new > > >> media to extend the appeal of interesting > content > > across all > > >> platforms and by stealing new media’s best > ideas > > and using > > >> them to survive. Unfortunately too few TV > stations > > have > > >> invested in convincingly local TV content > that > > might well > > >> provide the adhesive that would keep viewers > > eyeballs glued > > >> to the their channel. > > >> > > >> This article is a summary of a more detailed > > analysis in > > >> the recently published African Film and TV > > Yearbook. A list > > >> of contents can be found by clicking on the > > following link: > > >> http://www.balancingact-africa.com/yearbook.html > > >> > > >> The second part of the Yearbook contains a > full > > listing of > > >> African film and television companies broken > down > > by country > > >> as well as a section with useful > international > > addresses for > > >> anyone in the sector in Africa. There is also > two > > specially > > >> focused listings: one looks at Film Location > > Agencies and > > >> Screen Commissions across the continent and > the > > other lists > > >> companies and education institutions > providing > > film and > > >> television training. > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> kictanet mailing list > > >> kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > >> > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > >> > > >> This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > >> Unsubscribe or change your options at > > >> > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > kictanet mailing list > > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > > > This message was sent to: jwalu(a)yahoo.com > > Unsubscribe or change your options at > > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/jwalu%40yahoo.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > kictanet mailing list > kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke > http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet > > This message was sent to: kanjawaruru(a)yahoo.com > Unsubscribe or change your options at http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kanjawaruru%40yahoo.com >

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Discounted Rates to attend the 1st East African WiMAX Conference & Expo 24-26 March 2009, Safari Park Hotel Nairobi
by John Mwangi 19 Mar '09

19 Mar '09

Dear AITEC Supporter, Due to the great interest that the upcoming conference has received from the market we have been requested by a few of privately sponsored delegates to lower the registration fee in order to accommodate every one for the conference. In this regard we have revised our rate for the 3 day conference to 17,400 inclusive of 16% VAT. Please take this early opportunity and register before Friday the 20th March 2009 deadline. I have attached the final conference programme and the booking form for your consideration, kindly email back the registration form duly filled to confirm your participation. Very limited spaces are available so please hurry. I look forward for your feedback and to assist you with your booking. Kind regards, John Mwangi Managing Director AITEC East Africa Showbe Plaza Muranga Road PO Box 13891-00800, Nairobi, Kenya * (Office) +254 20 2121028 * (Cell) +254 721 860 228 * <mailto:johnm@aitecafrica.com> johnm(a)aitecafrica.com <http://www.aitecafrica.com/> www.aitecafrica.com

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Kenya National BPO Week - 7th to 9th April 2009
by Peres Were 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

'Under the auspices of the Ministry of Information and Communications' Proud Sponsors Include: cid:3320036433_125206 For Bookings Contact Joe or Grace Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: <mailto:secretariat@kenyabposociety.or.ke> secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Website: <http://www.kenyabposociety.or.ke> www.kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518

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WIPO-Proposed New gTLD Trademark-Based Post-Delegation Procedure
by alice 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Arbitration and Mediation Center has released a detailed proposal for a trademark-based post-delegation dispute resolution procedure involving new gTLD registries. http://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/resources/icann/index.html. WIPO's proposed post-delegation procedure addresses registry behavior that causes or materially contributes to trademark abuse, whether through the TLD itself or through domain name registrations in the TLD, as further described in item 2 of the letter. Sincerely, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center PS You may also wish to refer to our new Press Release at http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0005.html. ------ World Intellectual Property Organization Disclaimer: This electronic message may contain privileged, confidential and copyright protected information. If you have received this e-mail by mistake, please immediately notify the sender and delete this e-mail and all its attachments. Please ensure all e-mail attachments are scanned for viruses prior to opening or using. _______________________________________________

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join the liveblog on management of African ccTLDs
by Rebecca Wanjiku 18 Mar '09

18 Mar '09

join liveblog on beckyit.blogspot.com Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Kenya National BPO Week 7th to 9th April 2009
by Peres Were 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Kenya.png> px Proud Sponsors Include Under the Auspices of the Ministry of Information and Communications For bookings contact: Joseph or Grace Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society. Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518

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Secure ICT 2009 Conference Nairobi, Kenya
by Evans Kahuthu 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

FYI, You are invited to attend the 1st annual Information Communication Technology & Network Security (Secure ICT) Conference, September 8 and 9, 2009 at the Laico Regency Hotel in Nairobi Kenya. Secure ICT 2009 is a "must attend" event for those tasked with protecting personal or confidential information in a rapidly changing technological environment. The security of ICT infrastructure is of critical importance as Enhanced high-speed Internet is coming to East and Southern Africa as early as June 2009 by way of a new undersea fiber optic cable linking the continent to India and Europe (Seacom;Eassy;Teams). This conference will bring security experts to provide information technology and communication professionals and managers with the latest information on cyber security threats, trends, tools and strategies for protection of critical information technology and communications assets. The conference will offer two concurrent tracks, Information Security Management and Incident Response and Information Security Technology and Operations. The sessions on these two track have been carefully selected to address the specific needs of ICT managers and technical staff. For more information, please visit our website http://secureict.co.ke Sincerely, Evans Kahuthu

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Fw: Grants for African college students
by John Walubengo 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

for the interested universities... walu. --- On Thu, 3/12/09, Juma, Calestous <calestous_juma(a)harvard.edu> wrote: > From: Juma, Calestous <calestous_juma(a)harvard.edu> > Subject: Grants for African college students > To: "'david.dickson(a)scidev.net'" <david.dickson(a)scidev.net> > Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009, 6:17 AM > BOSTON, MA-- One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is beginning a > summer grant program in which up to 100 teams of university > students from around the world will distribute thousands of > XO laptops to children in Africa this summer. > > Partnering with schools and non-governmental organizations > in Africa, undergraduate and graduate students from around > the world will provide educational opportunities that > facilitate self-expression and exploration for children. > > OLPC is providing each team with 100 XO laptops, related > hardware, and up to $10,000 for operating costs. Student > teams will have the opportunity to attend an orientation > workshop in Kigali, Rwanda from June 8-17. > > Afterwards, they will spend nine weeks in an African > nation, working directly with local community partners to > integrate the XO into primary education. > OLPC founder and Chairman Nicholas Negroponte said that the > new program "represents a determined effort by OLPC to > engage university students worldwide in bringing an > education revolution to children living in some of the most > remote places on Earth. > > By empowering students from a multitude of countries and > cultures to act as agents of change, the belief that all > children have a right to quality education -- regardless of > where they happen to live -- will spread across the > globe." > > To date, OLPC has put over 500,000 XO laptops into the > hands of children all across the world. The One Laptop per > Child association developed a low-cost laptop -- the > "XO Laptop" -- to revolutionize how we educate the > world's children. > > OLPC's mission is to provide educational opportunities > for the world's poorest children by providing each child > with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with > content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, > self-empowered learning. > > The OLPCorps program features a high level of local > community involvement, as local schools and NGOs will > sustain the project for years to come. > *** > One Laptop per Child - Africa Grant Program Students have > played a pivotal role in every revolution, except > learning. That will change in 2009. Through One Laptop > per Child, student teams from around the world will each > deploy 100 XO-laptops throughout Africa this summer. If you > are an undergraduate or graduate student with an interest in > education, technology or capacity building, our summer grant > program will provide you with unprecedented hands-on > experience. > > Student Teams will: • travel to one of the 53 African > countries of their choosing for 9-10 weeks • participate > in a 10-day orientation in Kigali, Rwanda at OLPC's > office• receive up to $10,000 per team for operating > costs• deploy 100 XO laptops, including hardware and > support• collaborate with up to 100 other teams as part of > a life-long global network empowering a generation • send > a representative to MIT/OLPC's all-expense paid summit > from October 10-12, 2009. > > OLPCorps Africa Members will be active members of our > innovative 1 to 1 laptop-learning project and hold key roles > as leaders in our grassroots movement. The OLPC summer > grant program, which is a full-time commitments, begins June > 8. Teams will work closely with the One Laptop per Child > team to design and implement XO deployments, join a uniquely > African OLPC network, and lead a growing social movement. > How to apply: For more information on OLPCorps Africa and > specific application requirements, please visit our website: > http://laptop.org/en/participate/get-involved/OLPCorps.shtml. > Proposals must be received by March 27th. Contact OLPCorps > (OLPCorps(a)laptop.org) with any questions or concerns.

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[Fwd: [i-network] Introducing the Uganda ICT Consumer Protection Association]
by alice 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

*Introducing the **Uganda ICT Consumer Protection Association (UICPA)* Following a series of discussions on various mailing lists and especially on the I-Network ICT Mailing list for the past 2 to 3 years in regard to ICT services and products in Uganda, a few individuals decided to explore the idea of bringing together grieving ICT consumers. These individuals have now set up the Uganda ICT Consumer Protection Association. The association recognises the existing institutions and channels of dealing with consumer concerns and will work collaboratively with these institutions with the aim of improving ICT services and goods for the consumers. >From Internet services to voice services and all the way to hardware products, the situation is running out of control, and the few bodies mandated to protect consumers like the Uganda Communications Commission and the Uganda National Bureau of Standards seem to be overwhelmed by their wide mandates, limited budgets and inadequate human resources. The association is membership based and membership is open to all ICT consumers and stakeholders. The association aims at achieving the following: 1. Providing a collective platform / voice through which ICT consumers concerns can be addressed, for example billing complaints 2. Addressing poor quality of voice and data services 3. Addressing ICT goods and services pricing irregularities that result in loss of money by consumers 4. Evaluating performance of the universal service fund under the Uganda Communication Commission (UCC). 5. Addressing the high failure rate of hardware, for example promotional mobile phones As a start, the association has been duly registered and letters of introduction were sent out in February 2009 to various stakeholders informing them of the set up of the new association including Uganda Communications Commission, Ministry of ICT, Uganda National Bureau of Standards and Uganda Consumer Protection Association. *How will these aims be achieved?* The association will provide complementary activities and services to the already existing channels and institutions for addressing the above 5 issues. This will be done through 3 main approaches: 1. *Awareness creation:* The association shall carry out awareness creation and sensitisation activities within ICT consumers. This shall be aimed at making them more aware of their rights as ICT consumers, provide them with information on the channels and institutions that provide solutions and redress for complaints raised and above all work with service and goods providers to ensure that information regarding customer care, access, availability and reach are easily available and known by ICT consumers. 1. *Advocacy:* The association shall carry out advocacy for better, revised and new consumer laws as well as the upholding and consideration of ICT consumers in Uganda. The advocacy shall be based on the consumers’ experience and emergent issues that shall arise as the association carries out its aims. The advocacy activities shall also seek to get better terms from goods and service providers in the country to allow ICT consumers and providers enjoy mutual benefits. 1. *Collective Voice:* The association shall register and take note of issues, complaints and compliments from ICT consumers regarding ICT goods and services in the country. The association shall seek redress for ICT consumers on a collective basis where issues with service and goods providers have been reported to providers, relevant government authorities and yet no action has been taken. The association shall use its strength in numbers to seek for a solution for these issues. The association shall provide a forum to ICT consumers to discuss and share information on issues affecting ICT consumers in the country. The association shall use this forum and the knowledge generated at the forum to carry out advocacy and awareness activities as part of the development of the ICT sector in Uganda. For more information on the association and how it can help you please contact the association Plot 53 Kira Road Kamwokya Bukoto Email: report(a)ictconsumer.or.ug Web: _www.ictconsumer.or.ug <http://www.ictconsumer.or.ug/>_ -- Wire Lunghabo James Linux Solutions Blog: http://www.computerworld.co.ug/blogs/wire-james => Share One Computer among 10 users working simultaneously <= => Reduce computer electricity bills by 60% <= => Lower your expenses on computer servicing by 50% <= => Significantly Reduce IT support costs <= **** Contact Linux Solutions today for the ideal solution **** "For Exceptional Services, Innovative and High quality Products" Office: +256-312-278767 Cell: +256-712-726609 Visit web site <http://d2.dgroups.org/iicd/i-network> Click here <mailto:leave.i-network@dgroups.org> to unsubscribe The email is intended only for the recipients. The owners of the Dgroups cannot be held responsible for the contents of the email message.

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IGF liveblog session
by Rebecca Wanjiku 17 Mar '09

17 Mar '09

If you would like to follow the live sessions from Mauritius, please visit beckyit.blogspot.com Tel. 254 720 318 925 blog:http://beckyit.blogspot.com/

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Two major blunders on KTN's "the presenter"
by Maina Samson 16 Mar '09

16 Mar '09

Just observed some two blunders with KTN's concluded "the Presenter" show. Who else did? 1. Calling a commercial break while on stage already holding the envelop containing the name of the winner. That, to me, is supposed to be the most transparent stage and even if its good to create some suspense, create it with Cameras on the envelop. Otherwise it will become very hard to convince the genera viwers other than those in the Lyco regency that nothing happened to the envelop during that break. Nevertheless, Fahreed Khimani is a great MC, so are Melly and the Yu CEO. 2. Taking a commercial break as indicated in (1) above to advertise "Orange- together we can do more" just when the Yu CEO is busy on stage trying to capture the crowds with his good MC talent. If I were doing the programming, zain, Safcom or Ornage would not have featured anywhere. For all goodness sake, Yu were the sponsors!!!!!! Regards, Samson Major

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media bias consequences,,, a good example
by Gakuru Alex 15 Mar '09

15 Mar '09

[Throughout KCA discussions most, including our learned friends, were erroneously made to believe the media that this was just but terrible, no-good, plain "anti-media law." Now (save for into the third month) it's good continue emerging. The author's embarrassment and belated admission of the positives leaves one wondering what the ordinary (wo)man on the street thinks of the law? Does it make a classic "media misinformation" research case? I had hoped that un-biased content obligations by this law were highlighted. This gives information consumers the opportunity to make their most informed and independent view of all media features --AlexG] ---- March 15, 2009 Nairobi-Kenya In Kenya’s recent legislative history, fewer pieces of legislation have enjoyed as much bad press as the Kenya Communications (Amendment) Bill (now Act) 2008 (The KCAA). Admittedly, when a colleague in the industry recently asked me to articulate the positive aspects of the Act, I was embarrassingly surprised that I did not already have something I could e-mail him right away. A lot of the material that was out there seemed to harp on one perceived shortcoming in the Act or the other. In order to atone for my somewhat unbalanced analysis of the Act (but without recanting my previous opinions about its shortcomings), I took the time to prepare this feature-length commercial about its positive virtues.... <http://michaelmurungi.blogspot.com/2009/03/ten-reasons-to-spare-positive-th…>

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Conficker/Downadup Evolves To Defend Itself]
by alice 14 Mar '09

14 Mar '09

Conficker/Downadup Evolves To Defend Itself Worm develops ability to disable antimalware tools, switch domains more frequently By Tim Wilson, DarkReading <http://www.darkreading.com/> March 12, 2009 URL:http://www.darkreading.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=215900041 The enigmatic Conficker worm has evolved, adopting new capabilities that make it more difficult than ever to find and eradicate, security researchers say. In a blog published late last week <https://forums2.symantec.com/t5/Malicious-Code/W32-Downadup-C-Digs-in-Deepe…>, researchers at Symantec said they found "a completely new variant" of Conficker, sometimes called Downadup, that is being pushed out to machines previously infected with earlier versions of the worm. The new variant, which Symantec calls W32.Downadup.C, appears to have defensive capabilities that weren't present in earlier versions. While it spreads in the same manner, "Conficker.C" can disable some of the tools used to detect and eradicate it, including antivirus and other antimalware detection tools. W32.Downadup C also can switch domains at a much greater rate, Symantec said. "The Downadup authors have now moved from a 250-a-day domain-generation algorithm to a new 50,000-a-day domain generation algorithm," the researchers reported. "The new domain generation algorithm also uses one of a possible 116 domain suffixes." A report from CA about Conficker.C <http://www.ca.com/us/securityadvisor/virusinfo/virus.aspx?id=77976> confirms Symantec's findings, although the CA researchers said the jump from 500 to 50,000 domains will not occur until April 1. The ability to quickly switch domains will make it difficult for Internet security organizations, such as ICANN and OpenDNS, to block the domains used by the worm, industry experts note. The new variant emerges just as some vendors have come out with tools they say will eradicate the worm. Enigma Software today issued a new, free tool <http://www.enigmasoftware.com/> that it says will remove Conficker.A and Conficker.B from infected machines. A spokesman says the company has begun work on the new variant. And BitDefender also is offering a free tool <http://www.bdtools.net/> it says will remove all variants of the worm. Perhaps the most disconcerting aspect of the worm is that although it has reportedly infected hundreds of thousands of machines, it does not, as yet, seem to have a purpose. Although it has been contacting domains and spreading itself through various means, security experts say it has yet to be given a task -- such as distributing spam or launching a DDoS attack -- and researchers are still uncertain as to what it might be used for. And some experts say there may be other exploits that behave like Conficker/Downadup. "BitDefender Labs has been seeing an increase in worms, like Downadup, that have a built-in mathematical algorithm, generating strings based on the current date," says Vlad Valceanu, BitDefender's senior malware analyst. "The worms then produce a fixed number of domain names on a daily basis and check them for updates. This makes it easy for malware writers and cybercriminals to upgrade a worm or give it a new payload, as they only have to register one of the domains and then upload the files." /Have a comment on this story? Please click "Discuss" below. If you'd like to contact/ Dark Reading's /editors directly, send us a message <mailto:editors@darkreading.com>/ Copyright © 2007 CMP Media LLC <http://www.cmpnet.com/> _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Grants for African college students
by John Walubengo 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

Apologies for cross-posting...but here's an opportunity for University/college students... walu. > From: Juma, Calestous <calestous_juma(a)harvard.edu> > Subject: Grants for African college students > To: "'david.dickson(a)scidev.net'" <david.dickson(a)scidev.net> > Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009, 6:17 AM > BOSTON, MA-- One Laptop per Child (OLPC) is beginning a > summer grant program in which up to 100 teams of university > students from around the world will distribute thousands of > XO laptops to children in Africa this summer. > > Partnering with schools and non-governmental organizations > in Africa, undergraduate and graduate students from around > the world will provide educational opportunities that > facilitate self-expression and exploration for children. > > OLPC is providing each team with 100 XO laptops, related > hardware, and up to $10,000 for operating costs. Student > teams will have the opportunity to attend an orientation > workshop in Kigali, Rwanda from June 8-17. > > Afterwards, they will spend nine weeks in an African > nation, working directly with local community partners to > integrate the XO into primary education. > OLPC founder and Chairman Nicholas Negroponte said that the > new program "represents a determined effort by OLPC to > engage university students worldwide in bringing an > education revolution to children living in some of the most > remote places on Earth. > > By empowering students from a multitude of countries and > cultures to act as agents of change, the belief that all > children have a right to quality education -- regardless of > where they happen to live -- will spread across the > globe." > > To date, OLPC has put over 500,000 XO laptops into the > hands of children all across the world. The One Laptop per > Child association developed a low-cost laptop -- the > "XO Laptop" -- to revolutionize how we educate the > world's children. > > OLPC's mission is to provide educational opportunities > for the world's poorest children by providing each child > with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with > content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, > self-empowered learning. > > The OLPCorps program features a high level of local > community involvement, as local schools and NGOs will > sustain the project for years to come. > *** > One Laptop per Child - Africa Grant Program Students have > played a pivotal role in every revolution, except > learning. That will change in 2009. Through One Laptop > per Child, student teams from around the world will each > deploy 100 XO-laptops throughout Africa this summer. If you > are an undergraduate or graduate student with an interest in > education, technology or capacity building, our summer grant > program will provide you with unprecedented hands-on > experience. > > Student Teams will: • travel to one of the 53 African > countries of their choosing for 9-10 weeks • participate > in a 10-day orientation in Kigali, Rwanda at OLPC's > office• receive up to $10,000 per team for operating > costs• deploy 100 XO laptops, including hardware and > support• collaborate with up to 100 other teams as part of > a life-long global network empowering a generation • send > a representative to MIT/OLPC's all-expense paid summit > from October 10-12, 2009. > > OLPCorps Africa Members will be active members of our > innovative 1 to 1 laptop-learning project and hold key roles > as leaders in our grassroots movement. The OLPC summer > grant program, which is a full-time commitments, begins June > 8. Teams will work closely with the One Laptop per Child > team to design and implement XO deployments, join a uniquely > African OLPC network, and lead a growing social movement. > How to apply: For more information on OLPCorps Africa and > specific application requirements, please visit our website: > http://laptop.org/en/participate/get-involved/OLPCorps.shtml. > Proposals must be received by March 27th. Contact OLPCorps > (OLPCorps(a)laptop.org) with any questions or concerns.

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WhereCamp Africa
by alice 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

Dear all This is an interesting event for organizations looking to better use mapping tools for their work. (http://www.wherecampafrica.org/) Great for technical staff to attend - it could be a great networking/inspiration event for them. ------------------------------------ All the best, Janet -- Program Manager Information Program Open Society Institute Oktober 6. ut. 12 H-1051 Budapest Hungary +36 1 327 3182 http://www.soros.org/ip/ jhaven(a)osieurope.org

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ICANN To IP Experts: Come Back With A Solution For Internet Trademark Protection]
by alice 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

12 March 2009 ICANN To IP Experts: Come Back With A Solution For Internet Trademark Protection By Monika Ermert <http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/author/monika/> for /Intellectual Property Watch/ @ 1:00 pm http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/03/12/icann-to-ip-experts-come-back-wit… Trademark issues are emerging with the upcoming introduction of new generic top-level domains on the internet, and the board members of the body introducing the names has passed the ball back to intellectual property experts to find answers. The Intellectual Property Constituency of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN, the internet technical coordinating body) has been asked to work out a viable solution “no later than 24 May 2009.” Trademark issues have been defined as one of four overarching issues still to be solved before ICANN can finalise the application procedure for the next hundreds or thousands of top-level domains from .eco to .music. In its resolution on Friday in Mexico City, the ICANN board decided to request that the ICANN Generic Name Supporting Organization (GNSO) Intellectual Property Constituency - in consultation with ICANN staff - convene an “implementation recommendation team” comprised of an “internationally diverse group of persons with knowledge, expertise, and experience in the fields of trademark, consumer protection, or competition law, and the interplay of trademarks and the domain name system.” The team is to “develop and propose solutions to the overarching issue of trademark protection in connection with the introduction of new gTLDs.” “We have reached out to the IP community saying, ‘You come back to us with some proposal how this should be solved,’” said ICANN Board Chairman Peter Dengate Thrush. An IP lawyer by profession, Dengate Thrush said he was confident that a proposal would be brought back to ICANN because of the “track record” of the IP experts. “We have gone through this already once in 1998/99,” he said. The debates 10 years ago resulted in the formation of the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy <http://www.icann.org/en/udrp/udrp.htm> (UDRP), built into the system to fight domain grabbing. Many domain-name disputes under the UDRP are brought to the World Intellectual Property Organization, which is expected to release its annual report on internet disputes next week. The danger of name-grabbing at the first stage and the concern that trademark owners will be pressured to protect their brands in hundreds of new TLDs led to a flurry of critical comments during the comment period last year for the first version of the Applicant’s Guidebook to the new domains. Even the US government called into question the need for new gTLDs asking for studies on the issue of market demand and market impact. ICANN recently published “preliminary” versions of studies prepared by Dennis Carlton, economics professor at the University of Chicago and highest-ranking economist in the Antitrust Division of the US Justice Department between 2006 and 2008. The draft texts came under heavy critique from participants at the ICANN meeting in Mexico. After ICANN’s decision on the implementation recommendation team there are some concerns with regard to the composition of group by outside observers. Board member Dennis Jennings of Ireland said he was glad that the resolution taken included internationality as a principle for the group. The discussion about IP issues seemed to have been “driven by big business and West, or North American intellectual property interests,” he said, adding that “other dimensions that need to be taken into account.” Wendy Seltzer, non-voting liaison of the At-Large Advisory Committee on the board said she hoped that members of other communities would be “consulted early in the process and would have full opportunities to analyse proposals that come out of this working group.” ”All interested constituencies will have the opportunity to provide input to the group,” wrote Kristina Rosette, an IP lawyer at Covington & Burling who represents the IP Constituency in the GNSO. This means the opportunity to provide input before drafting starts and during the early stages as well as the opportunity to comment on the draft, she said in a written statement to /Intellectual Property Watch/. ”It may also mean membership on the team,” Rosette added. “To my knowledge, that aspect has not been decided nor has the size of the team.” But she would expect that the group could be established in the next 10 days. Rosette also said she was confident that the IP Constituency could ultimately present a solution acceptable to other constituencies. Members of other constituencies in first reactions were worried that the IP Constituency would start over and neglect the policy development process that has taken place over years on the new gTLD introduction. They complain that the constituency has taken part in it and now is given a privileged chance to push their interests. “We need a solution,” Dengate Thrush said of the trademark issue. If the report is not acceptable to other constituencies in ICANN, “we will start our own work for a solution,” he said. Government Involvement The chairman of the ICANN Government Advisory Committee (GAC), Janis Karklins, welcomed the steps taken to ensure IP protection but criticised a proposal that geographic names be given the same level of protection rather than higher protection. So far GAC advice on the protection of country and place names has not been “fully taken into account,” Karklins said, as ICANN provided protection for the top level but not the second level of the upcoming new gTLDs. The second level would be in the form of @name.othername. Dengate Thrush reacted to this by saying that there might be a need for the GAC to reconsider parts of its advice, “partly because they’re difficult to implement and partly because they’re in conflict with other policy decisions.” Dengate Thrush also confirmed that as details of the different processes of introducing new gTLDs and new internationalised country-code top-level domains (IDN ccTLDs) becoming much clearer, the possibility for different start times for each set of names would become more real. Dengate Thrush asked, “Now that the possibility of divergence is becoming more real, what is the policy behind that?” and called for discussion on the question at the next ICANN meeting to be held in Sydney on 21-26 June. /Monika Ermert may be reached at info(a)ip-watch.ch <mailto:info@ip-watch.ch>./ _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Re: [kictanet] ict@innovation workshop
by Gakuru Alex 13 Mar '09

13 Mar '09

"FOSS is an idea whose time has come", stated Hon. (Eng.) James Rege. News article <http://www.strathmore.edu/News.php?NewsID=50> Enjoy! Alex On Thu, Mar 12, 2009 at 5:48 AM, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: > folks, > > Been at http://www.strathmore.edu/Events.php?EventID=6 all along. > Great workshop it has been!! Will post a news update in due course. >

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ict@innovation workshop
by Gakuru Alex 12 Mar '09

12 Mar '09

folks, Been at http://www.strathmore.edu/Events.php?EventID=6 all along. Great workshop it has been!! Will post a news update in due course. rgds, Alex

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Confirmed Speakers for National BPO Week 7th to 9th April 2009
by Peres Were 10 Mar '09

10 Mar '09

The Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society will hold the inaugural Annual National BPO Week on 7th to 9th April 2009. This Conference and Exhibition comes at a very important time as the sub-marine cable lands in Kenya, creating great opportunities within the BPO sector in the country. It is expected that there will be exponential growth of Kenya's BPO sector once the fibre optic cable becomes operational in June 2009. The conference and expo will run concurrently at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, in Nairobi. Internationally recognised speakers from the global and local contact centre and BPO industry will provide thought leadership during the conference sessions. The main expo will mostly include companies that are involved in Business Process Outsourcing, Call Centre, Software, Hardware, and Telecommunication among others. They will seek to showcase their products and offerings to the general public and seek to educate them on the emerging opportunities available to the youth and others alike. Confirmed international speakers include: Ken Bone President - Rising Data Solutions Ken has over 20 years of experience establishing, developing and operating world-class BPO centres in emerging markets. He is one of the pioneers responsible for the establishment and success of the BPO industry in the Philippines. Prior to joining Rising Data, Ken was the CEO of Electraserv Inc., a contact centre based in the Philippines. This call centre was founded in February, 2005. Electraserv is a Hong Kong Company, with operations in the Philippines and marketing offices in the U.S.A. Russ Sandlin Head of Contact Center - Gulf Bank of Kuwait Russ joined the bank in 2008. Prior to this, Russ managed large contact centres for Barclays PLC, HSBC, Chase Manhattan, Bank of America, AT&T and Dell. Russ is also the founder of Benprise LLC, an Outsourcing Service Provider. Russ has helped US based investors move their work offshore setting up contact centres in Korea, Mexico, Dubai, Qatar, Pakistan, India, the Philippines, China, Ghana and Kuwait. Russ is an industry expert in Offshore Outsourcing, BPO, KPO and Contact Centers. Dr. Pradeep Mukherjee President and Managing Partner of Avasant - Asia Avasant is a leading Management Consultancy and Global Sourcing firm headquartered in USA. Dr. Mukherjee has over 20 years of experience and expertise in Consultancy and Management of Technology Business. He has advised leading enterprises in US, Europe and ASPAC on strategic aspects of Services Globalization and Transformational Outsourcing. His expertise includes IT Consulting & Strategy, BPO Strategy, Global Risk Assessment and Management, Relationship Management, Contracting and Program Management and M&A .He has in the past advised Private Equity organizations on deal sourcing, deal structuring and post deal transformation. Captain Percy Jokhi Global Head of Security & Vigilance - Firstsource Solutions formerly Vice President of Security Services HSBC Bank. First Source Solutions has approximately 22,250 employees spread over various contact centers in India and abroad spanning USA, UK, Ireland, Argentina & Philippines. First Source clients include major blue chip international companies. As Global Head of Security and Vigilance, Percy's role includes creation & standardization of security policies & procedures within the organizations contact centres and throughout the entire organization. While Vice President -Security Services, at HSBC Bank, Percy set up the security department for the Bank in India and went on to set up the same for all companies and properties of HSBC Group in India. Percy has wide experience in all aspects of Security and in particular securing contact centre and BPO operations to meet international standards necessary for procuring outsourced contracts from the financial services industry. BOOK YOUR SPACE TODAY! Peres Were Vice-Chair Kenya BPO & Contact Society For bookings contact Kenya BPO & Contact Centre Society. Studio House, along Argwings Kodhek road, 2nd floor E-mail: <mailto:secretariat@kenyabposociety.or.ke> secretariat(a)kenyabposociety.or.ke Tel. No. /020-2391301/ 0722-663176/ 0733-917518 www.kenyabposociety.or.ke <http://www.kenyabposociety.or.ke/> www.bpoweek.co.ke <http://www.bpoweek.co.ke/> www.outsource2kenya.co.ke <http://www.outsource2kenya.co.ke/>

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ICANN Mexico Meeting Briefing note
by alice 10 Mar '09

10 Mar '09

Mexico City Briefing Note Published 9 March 2009 A briefing note on the Mexico City meeting <http://mex.icann.org/briefing-note> of 1-6 March 2009 has been published. ICANN's 34th international public meeting was hosted by ICANN, the Mexican Internet Association (AMIPCI), the Network Information Center (NIC) Mexico, and the Internet Society (ISOC) Mexico. The briefing note summarizes key developments at the meeting and outlines next steps and sources of further information for each. The topics included are: * New generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) * Internationalized Domain Names and the IDN Fast Track * Amendments to the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) * The Improving Institutional Confidence (IIC) consultation * GNSO Improvements * Independent Reviews * A summary of Board resolutions The briefing note is an informal summary. The authoritative records of official meetings will be available in their minutes. Further information about the meeting, including presentations and transcripts, is available at http://mex.icann.org/. Information about the next meeting which will be from 21-26 June 2008 in Sydney, Australia can be found at its dedicated website at http://syd.icann.org <http://syd.icann.org/>. *Related links: * Mexico City briefing note: http://mex.icann.org/briefing-note Mexico City meeting website: http://mex.icann.org/ Sydney meeting website: http://syd.icann.org <http://syd.icann.org/> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Sign up for ICANN's Monthly Magazine <http://www.icann.org/magazine/>* _______________________________________________ AfrICANN mailing list AfrICANN(a)afrinic.net https://lists.afrinic.net/mailman/listinfo.cgi/africann

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Re: [kictanet] [ke-internetusers] KICC LAN PROJECT SUCCESFULLY COMPLETED
by James Rege 09 Mar '09

09 Mar '09

Walu, you can say "funny" again, it has been completed on time and without any of those "fleecings". May I also join hands with others in saying congratulation to everybody who had a hand in the project? As we are all trying very hard to prove a point that ict is the way and will assist all sectors in reducing graft, it would have been sad if the project had failed for one reason or the other. I only wish the late Dr Juma Okech was around to have a champaign in celebration. Lucy did you have a chance to add wifi for the geeks - those who rome the corridors with lap tops on their left/right hands and typing with the other? Congrats James Rege On Mar 6, 2009, at 3:09 PM, John Walubengo wrote: > > hey Lucy, > > I have been wanting to comment on this ICT Board project but hadnt > just gotten the minute...until now. > > I think the completion of your Infrastructure Project at KICC is > commendable in several ways. > > Firstly, it is rare for Govt projects to be completed on time, > within budget and hopefully expected quality standards. Particularly > in .KE where we have poor track record for ICT projects (ref: Anglo- > fleecing, et al) > > Secondly, it is rare for Govt Depts to be open about the same > (projects) - even if for it is for purposes of benchmarking and/or > lessons learnt. (Secrecy Act applies?) > > Funny, I just realized that as Kenyans we have been so numbed by > scandals that when a Project is "above board"/"open"- we fail to > notice that flicker of hope that all is not lost. That maybe there > are some "civil-servants" who want to make a change in their own > little ways. And that they should be encouraged and their lessons > shared precisely because they are a minority. Their little successes > should be celebrated because only then, can we built that critical > mass of civil servants that will begin to change the way Govt > thinks, behaves and responds to its 21st century Netizens. > > walu. > > > > --- On Fri, 2/20/09, Lucy Odhiambo <lodhiambo(a)ict.go.ke> wrote: > >> From: Lucy Odhiambo <lodhiambo(a)ict.go.ke> >> Subject: [ke-internetusers] KICC LAN PROJECT SUCCESFULLY COMPLETED >> To: kictanet(a)lists.kictanet.or.ke >> Cc: ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net >> Date: Friday, February 20, 2009, 6:21 PM >> Dear All, >> >> >> >> We are pleased to inform you that Kenya ICT Board and the >> E- Government >> directorate initiative has successfully completed >> installation of the much >> anticipated connectivity project at the Kenyatta >> International Conference >> Center. Sponsored and implemented by the two key >> stakeholders, the project >> has seen the set up of a secure Local Area Network; with >> infrastructure laid >> across the entire KICC premises. >> >> >> >> The network will be centrally managed and maintained on an >> inclusive IT >> system with connectivity to both the internet and the >> Government Common Core >> Network (GCCN). It is supported on a fiber optic backbone >> that was rolled >> out as part of the project and completed under the guidance >> of a team >> comprising experts from the Board among other stakeholder >> organizations. >> KICC has for a long time stood out as a key government >> owned building that >> does not have its own local area network and access to the >> Government WAN >> (wide area network.) >> >> >> >> This project is a milestone achievement as it realizes >> connectivity of all >> government offices to an overall network (comprising all >> other ministries >> and selected departments) allowing seamless and secure >> communication and >> file sharing. >> >> The project will be commissioned next week and we will keep >> you informed on >> the details. >> >> >> >> We congratulate the team that made this project a success - >> lead by Victor >> Kyalo and George Otieno from the board and the late Dr. >> Juma Oketch , >> Elijah Liech and the E-Government Directorate team. >> >> I have attached the project charter to give you some >> background on the >> project. >> >> >> >> >> >> Lucy Gachui Odhiambo >> >> Communications Manager >> >> Kenya ICT Board >> >> 12th Floor Telposta Towers >> >> Koinange Lane >> >> PO Box 27150 - 00100 >> Nairobi, Kenya >> >> Cell 0737- 839047 >> >> Tel: 254-020-2093040 >> >> <http://www.ict.go.ke> www.ict.go.ke >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> ke-internetusers mailing list >> ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net >> http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers

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Community Comment Invited on Petition To Form A New GNSO CyberSafety Constituency
by alice＠apc.org 06 Mar '09

06 Mar '09

Community Comment Invited on Petition To Form A New GNSO CyberSafety Constituency 5 March 2009 The ongoing GNSO Improvements process has created significant community interest in the formation of new GNSO constituencies and several groups have stepped forward to begin the process of forming a new GNSO constituency. The ICANN Board has now received its first formal petition - from the prospective CyberSafety Constituency. All members of the ICANN community and the public are now invited to review the petition and charter of the CyberSafety Constituency and share comments with the Board through 5 April 2009. Background and Explanation: In June 2008, the Board of Directors endorsed a series of recommendations on how to improve the GNSOs structures and operations. One of the significant drivers of those recommendations was an interest in maximizing participation in the GNSO and its policy development processes. Among the various recommendations endorsed by the Board was that ICANN take steps to clarify and promote the option to self-form new constituencies. The current ICANN Bylaws provide that any group of individuals or entities may petition the Board for recognition as a new or separate constituency, in accordance with Section 5(4) of Article X. Such a petition must explain (1) why the addition of such a Constituency will improve the ability of the GNSO to carry out its policy-development responsibilities and (2) why the proposed new Constituency would adequately represent, on a global basis, the stakeholders it seeks to represent. Despite those Bylaw provisions, it has been many years since the organization has had a formal request for a new constituency. Since the Board action last June, however, the ICANN Staff has received inquiries from several interested parties about how to form a new GNSO constituency. The ICANN bylaws do not provide specific procedural guidance for how interested parties should submit the petitions contemplated in Article X. Mindful that explicit steps, formats, and/or processes for expansion would take some time for the community to develop in the implementation of the improvements recommendations, the Board directed ICANN Staff to provide the community with some initial guidance, a structure and a specific procedural path for potential new constituencies to follow. At its 1 October meeting, the Board acknowledged Staff's development of a "Notice of Intent" document for potential new constituencies and directed Staff to develop a formal petition and charter template to assist new constituency applicants in satisfying the formative criteria (consistent with the ICANN Bylaws) to facilitate the Board's evaluation of petitions to form new constituencies. The process subsequently developed by the Staff required interested groups to first submit a Notice of Intent to Form New Constituency (NOIF) [DOC, 148K]. The proponent of the CyberSafety Constituency completed that first step on 20 October 2008. The second step of the process is development of a New Constituency Petition and Charter. The proponent of the CyberSafety Constituency completed that effort on 23 February 2009. Relevant Board Resolution, Bylaws and Constituency Submissions: Minutes of 1 October 2008 ICANN Board Meeting: http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-01oct08.htm ICANN Bylaws Article X, Section 5, Subsection 4: http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm - X-5.1 Copies of the CyberSafety Constituency Petition Documents: o CyberSafety Introduction Letter to Petition and Charter Document [PDF, 10K] o CyberSafety Constituency Petition and Charter (23 Feb 2009-Redacted) [PDF, 94K] The Process From Here: At the end of this Public Comment Forum period, the ICANN Staff will provide a summary/analysis of the comments submitted regarding the CyberSafety Constituency petition and charter. That summary/analysis will be shared with the community and the Board. The Board will ultimately make the decision on whether to authorize the new constituency. It should be noted that the GNSO Improvements Report approved by the Board in June 2008 has additional guidelines and recommendations for the ongoing practices and processes of GNSO constituencies. It is expected that this work will be ongoing as part of the GNSO Improvements implementation efforts. Deadline and How to Submit Comments: The Staff is opening a 30-day public consultation forum, from 5 March 2009 through 5 April 2009, and invites community comments on this matter. This particular comment period is slightly longer than 30-days because the period is tolled while International ICANN meetings are in session. The formal Public Comment Forum Box is located here: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200904.html#cybersafe… To submit comments: cyber-safety-petition(a)icann.org To view comments (including the various constituency submissions): http://forum.icann.org/lists/cyber-safety-petition/ Staff Responsible: Robert Hoggarth _______________________________________________

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ICANN Meeting Sydney
by alice＠apc.org 06 Mar '09

06 Mar '09

http://syd.icann.org/ The page is up and registration opened. As you may remember the fellowship programme application round is ongoing and deadline for applications is 9 March 2009. best alice

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New gTLDs Preliminary Reports on Competition and Pricing
by alice＠apc.org 06 Mar '09

06 Mar '09

New gTLDs Preliminary Reports on Competition and Pricing 4 March 2009 Mexico City, Mexico An important element of ICANNs consideration of the introduction of new gTLDs is consumer benefit as well as pricing issues. ICANN commissioned an independent third-party report and retained Dennis Carlton, who is a Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago and who, from 2006 to 2008, was the highest-ranking economist in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. Professor Carlton also is a Senior Managing Director of Compass Lexecon, a prestigious economic consulting firm that specializes in competition matters. Professor Carlton has prepared two preliminary reports relating to the introduction of new gTLDs. In one report Preliminary Report of Dennis Carlton Regarding Impact of New gTLDs on Consumer Welfare, [PDF, 160K] Professor Carlton states: I conclude that ICANNs proposed framework for introducing new TLDs is likely to improve consumer welfare by facilitating entry and creating new competition to the major gTLDs such as .com, .net, and .org. Like other actions that remove artificial restrictions on entry, the likely effect of ICANNs proposal is to increase output, lower price and increase innovation. This conclusion is based on the fundamental principles that competition promotes consumer welfare and restrictions on entry impede competition. The other report, Preliminary Analysis of Dennis Carlton Regarding Price Caps for New gTLD Internet Registries, [PDF, 60K] addresses pricing issues associated with new TLDs. He concludes as follows: I conclude that price caps or ceilings on prices charged by operators of new gTLD registries are unnecessary to insure competitive benefits of the proposed process for introducing new gTLDs. I further conclude that imposing price caps on the registries for new gTLDs could inhibit the development and marketplace acceptance of new gTLDs by limiting the pricing flexibility of entrants to the provision of new registry services without generating significant benefits to registrants of the new gTLDs. ICANN encourages the community to read both reports. A public comment forum has been opened on these preliminary reports prepared by Professor Carlton for 45 days, until 17 April 2009. The complete Preliminary Reports and Public Comment Forum can be found at: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200904.html#compri New GTLDs and the Internet Openness Change Innovation After years of discussion and thought, new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) are being expanded. They will allow for more innovation, choice and change to a global Internet presently served by only 21 generic top-level domain names. As a not-for profit corporation dedicated to coordinating the Internet's addressing system, ICANN is not doing this to add to its revenue. An implementation plan is being developed with opportunities for public comment. There will be processes for objections. There has also been detailed technical scrutiny to ensure the Internet's stability and security. There will be an evaluation fee but it will recover costs only (expenses so far, application processing and anticipated legal costs). Promoting competition and choice is one of the principles upon which ICANN was founded. In a world with 1.5 billion Internet users (and growing), diversity, choice and innovation are key. The Internet has supported huge increases in choice, innovation and the competition of ideas, and expanding new gTLDs is an opportunity for more. Media Contacts: Brad White Director of Media Affairs Corporate Affairs ICANN Ph: +1.202.429.2710 E: brad.white(a)icann.org International: Andrew Robertson Edelman (London) Ph: +44 7921 588 770 E: andrew.robertson(a)edelman.com Related Links and Resources: New gTLD Program Summary and Analysis of First Draft Applicant Guidebook Public Comments _______________________________________________

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TEAMS Map
by Dorcas Muthoni 05 Mar '09

05 Mar '09

Where can i get the TEAMS (The East African Marine System) map showing all the landing points. Would appreciate to know the current progress status as well. I have information that Alcatel-Lucent have announced that laying of the cable should be complete in the second quarter of 2009. More information suggests that date of first use is due April 2009. Any further updates are most welcome. -- Muthoni My Blog: http://rugongo.blogspot.com/ -------------------------------------------- Mahatma Gandhi once said:- First they ignore you, Then they laugh at you, Then they fight you, AND THEN YOU WIN!!!

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