Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] SAP and Kenya ICT Board Partner on Skills Develeopment
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)? The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve. Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs. Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo! 100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think! On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt> Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way. On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt> Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
Evans That's below the belt. I think there's room for open and proprietary software. And besides these services fees that will go to integration etc will be shared by both Germans & Kenyans.... Can we agree that there's room for both schools of thought in this space? One thing for sure though. Whether you provide open or proprietary software if you suck at providing services then it won't matter... So can we focus on service excellence since we know that both open and proprietary software will have a role to play in our lives? Ali Hussein +254 773/713 601113 Sent from my iPhone® On Sep 21, 2012, at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote: Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote: Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote: This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
Ali you need a sense of humour.. That was with a light touch. On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
Evans
That's below the belt.
I think there's room for open and proprietary software. And besides these services fees that will go to integration etc will be shared by both Germans & Kenyans....
Can we agree that there's room for both schools of thought in this space?
One thing for sure though. Whether you provide open or proprietary software if you suck at providing services then it won't matter...
So can we focus on service excellence since we know that both open and proprietary software will have a role to play in our lives?
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPhone®
On Sep 21, 2012, at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt> Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
:) Noted Evans. I shall try to loosen up abit :) Ali Hussein +254 773/713 601113 Sent from my iPad On Sep 21, 2012, at 1:13 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Ali you need a sense of humour.. That was with a light touch.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote: Evans
That's below the belt.
I think there's room for open and proprietary software. And besides these services fees that will go to integration etc will be shared by both Germans & Kenyans....
Can we agree that there's room for both schools of thought in this space?
One thing for sure though. Whether you provide open or proprietary software if you suck at providing services then it won't matter...
So can we focus on service excellence since we know that both open and proprietary software will have a role to play in our lives?
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPhone®
On Sep 21, 2012, at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote: Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote: Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote: This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
@ Ali, the problem is that we have seen and participated in this kind of initiatives sponsored by multinationals before but it seems we are not making headway there is always a new one coming up, at the end the multinationals make strides by getting Marketing and Publicity but where does the country remain? we should read between the lines. On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
:) Noted Evans. I shall try to loosen up abit :)
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPad
On Sep 21, 2012, at 1:13 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Ali you need a sense of humour.. That was with a light touch.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
Evans
That's below the belt.
I think there's room for open and proprietary software. And besides these services fees that will go to integration etc will be shared by both Germans & Kenyans....
Can we agree that there's room for both schools of thought in this space?
One thing for sure though. Whether you provide open or proprietary software if you suck at providing services then it won't matter...
So can we focus on service excellence since we know that both open and proprietary software will have a role to play in our lives?
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPhone®
On Sep 21, 2012, at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
@Barrack It's the nature of the Beast (read marketplace). Out of this cacophony can we as a Nation emerge Stronger? If we think that all these companies (local & multinational alike) are in this game to just do 'good' then we need to be admitted to Mathare Mental Hospital to have our heads examined! I like what Evans has done with the FOSS Movement in Kenya. We need more of those and I challenge the KICT Board to give as much (if it doesn't already) 'airtime' to this as it does the SAPs of this world. What we MUST however strive to do deliberately is move the conversation away from a winner take all mentality that we seem to be in and to a discussion of execution, standards and service excellence. If we do that then this debate between FOSS and Proprietary Software will be mute because in this brave new world we live in both have a place on the table and both have to talk to each other. All you need to do to understand and prosper in this world is look at Big Blue and see why they managed to turn around a company which everyone thought was road kill. IBM Global Services. For a peep of that please visit:- http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/igs/index.html Can we create a homegrown company of this stature? (if not size?) My good people, me thinks we are asking the wrong questions...or dwelling on the wrong issues. My Pesa Nane.. Ali Hussein +254 773/713 601113 Sent from my iPad On Sep 21, 2012, at 1:29 PM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com> wrote:
@ Ali, the problem is that we have seen and participated in this kind of initiatives sponsored by multinationals before but it seems we are not making headway there is always a new one coming up, at the end the multinationals make strides by getting Marketing and Publicity but where does the country remain? we should read between the lines.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:22 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
:) Noted Evans. I shall try to loosen up abit :)
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPad
On Sep 21, 2012, at 1:13 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Ali you need a sense of humour.. That was with a light touch.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:03 PM, Ali Hussein <ali@hussein.me.ke> wrote:
Evans
That's below the belt.
I think there's room for open and proprietary software. And besides these services fees that will go to integration etc will be shared by both Germans & Kenyans....
Can we agree that there's room for both schools of thought in this space?
One thing for sure though. Whether you provide open or proprietary software if you suck at providing services then it won't matter...
So can we focus on service excellence since we know that both open and proprietary software will have a role to play in our lives?
Ali Hussein
+254 773/713 601113
Sent from my iPhone®
On Sep 21, 2012, at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/info%40alyhussein.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
I wouldn't begrudge 100 underprivileged young people an opportunity to become a resource to the local SAP user community. SAP, Oracle, IBM, Microsoft...these kind of things have been happening much longer it isn't the first time. At a strategic level though, it would be great for KICTB to keep these tightly aligned to where we hope to be in 2030. I would think, as someone suggested elsewhere, encouraging these firms to fund an endowment of some kind to finance ICT education for underprivileged young people at the tertiary level would be better. However, there can't possibly be only one way to catalyze growth in the sector. This SAP affair is just one. I'd like to see more. Kind regards, Muchiri Nyaggah | PRINCIPAL PARTNER @muchiri Cell: +254 722 506400 We work with leaders to identify and bring to market great innovations in Africa. SEMACRAFT CONSULTING PARTNERS Nairobi, Kenya. www.semacraft.com | www.semacraft.com/blog twitter: @semacraft On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:58 PM, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Well, if I was German and SAP was German and the money would end up in Germany, I would think the same way.
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 12:43 PM, Andrea Bohnstedt < andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt> Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/muchiri%40semacraft.co...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
Ditto Andrea. No one inititiave will resolve our challenges, the least we can do with this one is say kudos and push for the next one we believe is more sustainable. Regards, Patrick M. Karanja Skype pmkaranja | Twitter @mutuota ________________________________ From: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> To: mutuota@yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, September 21, 2012 12:43 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] SAP and Kenya ICT Board Partner on Skills Develeopment Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo! 100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think! On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote: Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT
board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322 www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mutuota%40yahoo.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
Its unfortunate we resign so easily despite the fact that there is a roadmap in place all we are doing is question whether it is being followed how many such projects have we seen and what has the country achieved with them?, it is easier to clap than raise a flag no wonder more and more crusaders of yesterday have opted to mind their own business. On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 1:02 PM, Patrick Mwangi Karanja <mutuota@yahoo.com> wrote:
Ditto Andrea. No one inititiave will resolve our challenges, the least we can do with this one is say kudos and push for the next one we believe is more sustainable.
Regards,
Patrick M. Karanja Skype pmkaranja | Twitter @mutuota
________________________________ From: Andrea Bohnstedt <andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> To: mutuota@yahoo.com Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Sent: Friday, September 21, 2012 12:43 PM Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] SAP and Kenya ICT Board Partner on Skills Develeopment
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/mutuota%40yahoo.com
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/otieno.barrack%40gmail...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Barrack O. Otieno +254721325277 +254-20-2498789 Skype: barrack.otieno http://www.otienobarrack.me.ke/
+1 Andrea. Any movement forward is welcomed On 21 September 2012 12:43, Andrea Bohnstedt < andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com> wrote:
Honestly, guys - maybe it's because it's Friday and I'm a bit undersugared, but what's the issue here? SAP will train 100 underprivileged students in what I can see are marketable technical skills that will give them a good foundation for a career. Boo!
100 out of, what - tens of thousands of kids? Hundreds of thousands of kids? *Of course* this will not fix either youth employment or the state of Kenya's ICT industry over night. It also won't fix the fact that Rhapta Road seems to be crumbling, but then again, it doesn't have to. Doesn't stop anyone from pursuing any other initiatives in the areas everyone put forward. Well done, SAP, I think!
On 21 September 2012 12:37, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote:
Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)?
The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve.
Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs.
Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications
On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote:
This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed.
Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source.
The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved.
SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great.
Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody.
Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
_______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------
Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke
-- *---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua,* lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40rat...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- Andrea Bohnstedt <http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt> Publisher +254 720 960 322
www.ratio-magazine.com Find/post East Africa careers<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php> Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings, other business events<http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php>
_______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet
Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/kivuva%40transworldafr...
The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development.
KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
-- ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh www.transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know
Dear listers SAP training is a gift that has been given to kenyan graduates. But remember that this gift comes with limits. we cannot open to view the gift, ie we can only look at the shinny wrapper and brag to everybody that we have been given a gift.if we open it, we cannot hang it on the wall to match the deco of our own home since the colour and the photos are those of the previous owners deco. we can only explore this gift from the descretion of the owners.I think we ought to be careful what startegy we use to attain the vision 2030, taking shortcuts will lead us there but we will only be digging one hole to fill the other. --- On Fri, 9/21/12, Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> wrote: From: Evans Ikua <ikua.evans@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [kictanet] [Skunkworks] SAP and Kenya ICT Board Partner on Skills Develeopment To: memakunat@yahoo.com Cc: "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke> Date: Friday, September 21, 2012, 2:37 AM Mwendwa, this is where we have a disconnect. To build onto what you have pointed out, the Government would do good to actively support the development of the capacity of local developers who can be able to extend and develop local or open source ERPs, and any other systems. My big question here to Paul is, how much money do we lose in forex buying SAP and all the other software licenses annually, as a country? Can we get figures of how much a standard SAP implementation costs? How many are there in the country? How much of that money stays in the country and how much goes to Germany? Aren't we better off investing in our own developer skills so that we can keep some of this money within the country (and maybe pay teachers better)? The reason why rich countries stay rich is because they have positive balances of payments. A poor country like Kenya has a negative balance of payments. This basically tells us that we need to import as little as possible, and export as much as possible. Then vision 2030 becomes easier to achieve. Countries like Malaysia, Brazil, UK and Germany have come to this realization. They know what is in their best business interest and so they actively support local developer capacities, as opposed to having software engineers whose work is just to install packaged software from shiny discs. Brain drain? When we have a situation like I have just mentioned above, the really good developers will never have an incentive to stay in a country where all they do is install software. They will soon emigrate to Germany (or Silicon Valley) where they can be employed by SAP to get involved in the exciting world where they can actually do the development. With open source, they would stay in Kenya and still get to develop exciting applications On Fri, Sep 21, 2012 at 11:50 AM, lordmwesh <lordmwesh@gmail.com> wrote: This is a great debate, but we should not trivialize what the ICT board is trying to do in helping build local SAP developers. Any movement forward is welcomed. Although Great developers don't need any baby sitting, they will move and work with any platform may it be proprietary closed or Free open source. The debate of what software an enterprise should use should be decided by the investors, after analysing all risks involved. SAP has seen an opportunity to develop local talent, great. Anybody who feels like me that local developers should also be taught to integrate Open source ERPs should sponsor them too. A lot of talk and no walk will not help anybody. Kudos KICTB, Any movement forward is welcomed. ______________________ Mwendwa Kivuva For Business Development Transworld Computer Channels Cel: 0722402248 twitter.com/lordmwesh transworldAfrica.com | Fluent in computing kenya.or.ke | The Kenya we know _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke ------------ List info, subscribe/unsubscribe http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks ------------ Skunkworks Rules http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94 ------------ Other services @ http://my.co.ke -- ---------------------------------------------------- Kind Regards, Evans Ikua, lanetconsulting.com, lpi-eastafrica.org, ict-innovation.fossfa.net, Skype: @ikuae Cell: +254-722-955831 -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Unsubscribe or change your options at https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/memakunat%40yahoo.com The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and development. KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth, share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.
participants (8)
-
Ali Hussein -
Andrea Bohnstedt -
Barrack Otieno -
Evans Ikua -
Kivuva -
meshack emakunat -
Muchiri Nyaggah -
Patrick Mwangi Karanja