On 14 Feb 2008, at 22:07, Michuki Mwangi wrote:
I think i missed your response following that someone did turn the
thread into a different discussion item all together. Nonetheless, my
initial response was in appreciation that we only stand to benefit if
the big guns host locally.
I agree but i also indicted that our long term plan should be to have our own in addition to them hosting locally.
Lets face it; we are late entrants into the "content" arena. Apple,
Microsoft, Norton et al are less likely to give their content business
(in the immediate future) to an African based CDN. There's however a
more likelihood that they can pay for Akamai & others to bring their
content closer to their clients in Africa.
Principle; the last can be first and the first can be last. Example: India is leading the software revolution today but they were not the first.
Advise; Africa can focus on content and build it up to become "primus inta paris". Actually a good academic professor friend of mine with whom i disagree on a lot of things , do gree with me that content is the only frontier that Africa can have leverage in the knowledge era so we should focus on cultivating same. Another buddy argues that "wireless: is it, however the sum total is that you need content to run through the wireless and wireline creations in the long term.
On the other hand, Akamai is less likely to be attracted to
Nationmedia.com etc but an African CDN will most likely eyeball on such
clientel. Therefore there's an untapped opportunity for hosting of local
content (as it develops) and thats where our big guns will rise from.
While i agree with you startegically, allow me to present the case of producing and hosting our own content internally. My emphasis is on growing a content producing and hosting industry.
Dont forget the real winners in the knowledge era are those who produce their own not use
others. So our long term objective should be to have our own alongside others because it is
a free market economy.
This calls for a greater understanding of the "interconnection, peering
and transit" economics and models. This is what significantly influences
where the Akamai's & others setup shop. If you recall the Net-Neutrality
debate which highlighted some of the challenges of these models &
agreements.
So being a real winner in the knowledge era is producing your own
content and being able to sell it profitably to a as many consumers as
"internetly" possible :)
Michuki, you have spoken on this score like 3-wise men and i can't help but applaud your submission.
Eric here
Regards,
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