June 2009 - skunkworks - Skunkworks Site

Re: [Skunkworks] Can you build teams... if? thanks Paul
by Barrack Otieno 02 Jul '09

02 Jul '09

Thanks for your response Paul, i am looking at it from point number 3 in your list, given the challenging nature of Projects conducted in teams, the ICT board could create a Special Purpose Vehicle, that would identify the needs of each project and try to match them with available expertise on the lists, the board can also provide guarantees to the client and once the project is delivered, the board can take its cut in the form of management costs (something similar to the way KBS manages peoples matatus), this would help to bring more focus into the projects, my thoughts are based on the number of Collaborative projects that have been brought up on this forum but they dont seem to take of despite their economic viability. Those are my thoughs Thank you On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 10:07 AM, Phares Kariuki <pkariuki(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SCRUM is an idea. > > > I suggest setting up a wiki where everyone can register with skillset and > availability.... > > > > On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 9:59 AM, Pride <pride.njukia(a)swiftglobal.co.ke>wrote: > >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- >> Hash: SHA1 >> >> Nyc one, i have been toying with the idea too, and am more than willing >> to contribute even in the least level, not yet a pro developer but i got >> the interest and will to go the extra mile. >> >> So when do we start? >> >> P >> >> aki wrote: >> > Hello. I'm glad you mention it. Project X was an idea too that I wanted >> to >> > share about the creation of kenya's first distributable Open Source >> > Corporate solution ( a commercial concept ). I even went into all the >> > details of how the suggested work flow would work. There was some >> interest >> > but my serious handicap was that I'm not a developer ( give me a few >> years ) >> > nor did I get any feedback from developers. The project is still open to >> > anyone who'd want to implement it. I know of a brazilian company who >> would >> > have easily done it for me at a cost ( including private labelling ) but >> > this is not my interest and that would defeat its creation. In brazil ( >> I've >> > never been there ), open source solutions have a very strong market >> > presence and many companies customize them. >> > >> > A recap of Project X : create a local distribuatble DVD linux/freebsd >> > solution to contain Mail Server, Firewall Server, Squid Server, 2 >> Network >> > card Interfaces, NDIS, NTLM or OLDAP, Web Interface etc. >> > >> > Sales : Distribute the DVD to super markets or any outlets. Purchase >> cost is >> > eg Ksh 300/-. Silly self install system DVD, anyone can create a full >> server >> > in a matter of minutes, no foss knowledge or experience required. ( ISO >> > installer ) >> > >> > Support : Annual support billable. This revenue would create chances for >> new >> > developers while existing developers would get revenue. This also >> creates a >> > professional approach to offering the above. >> > >> > I moved on to other things in my personal time so I hope someone will >> > implement it one day... :-) >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 1:46 AM, James Muendo <timrick(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> > >> >> Personally, >> >> Crystal Offered to do something not many can do.He is ready to get a >> team >> >> of skunks and skunkettes to form a team to work through project >> X(Aki... >> >> what happened to these project?),and am sure if they team up with >> Walu,then >> >> Project Management isnt an issue. >> >> >> > >> > >> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Skunkworks mailing list >> > Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke >> > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> > Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> > Other lists >> > ------------- >> > Skunkworks announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> > Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> > kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> >> >> - -- >> >> >> Kind Regards, >> >> Pride Njukia >> Systems Administrator >> Swift Global (K) LTD >> Parkside Towers, 6th Flr, Mombasa Road, >> P.O.Box 42164 (00100) Nairobi. Kenya. >> Tel: 020-6921000 >> Fax: 020-6921500 >> Email: hostmaster(a)swiftkenya.com >> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- >> Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux) >> Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org >> >> iEYEARECAAYFAkpJt+UACgkQgqy4IpTiVIr5cgCg5Zs10Vi1vLytxoEK06gZcK7b >> g04AoPOYzDV+UPEn/jS+UIWs3A2x2N+V >> =4onG >> -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- >> _______________________________________________ >> Skunkworks mailing list >> Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Skunkworks announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general >> > > > > -- > With Regards, > > Phares Kariuki > > | T: +254 734 810 802 | E: pkariuki(a)gmail.com | Twitter: kaboro | Skype: > kariukiphares | > > _______________________________________________ > Skunkworks mailing list > Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Other services @ http://my.co.ke > Other lists > ------------- > Skunkworks announce: > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce > Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science > kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general > > -- Barrack O. Otieno ISSEN CONSULTING Tel: +254721325277 +254733206359 http://projectdiscovery.or.ke To give up the task of reforming society is to give up ones responsibility as a free man. Alan Paton, South Africa

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Re: [Skunkworks] Can you build teams... if?
by wesley kiriinya 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

Hey Al Kags, It's been a whole working day since u posted your request and so far no real progress, just words of advice here and there and I don't think you'll get more than that. Give this thing 2 more days. If people aint stepping up or are not available, take the budget, find a company that can do it (Kenya, Africa, the World, even Martians) and get the work done. It's great that you threw in the idea in the list. I do hope a Skunk(ette) team will take it up. BTW: With freelancers you have a risk: People have their own psychological, behavior, etc issues. I hope the time line of the project includes time for the freelance team to get to know one another. Wesley might decide to walk out in the middle of the project because Aki snores too much when he's writing code. --- On Mon, 6/29/09, Samuel Waithaka <samwaithaka(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Samuel Waithaka <samwaithaka(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Can you build teams... if? To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke> Date: Monday, June 29, 2009, 4:27 PM This discussion has been quite intensive and throwing this challenge the way Al Kags did will get us into action-oriented thinking mode. I might not have given this as much thought as some have but I what seems to emerge is that leadership is the issue here. The expertise and the capacity is evidently not. In getting down to it, Crystal Watley seems to be getting closer. Cause after all is said and done it's the action bit that counts. I hope Crystal becomes the first example to show this leadership; getting busy on it now? It's the risky part; not every other persons role (personaly I don't feel upto the task at the moment) but it's the most rewarding... Murigi, Your approach is quite insightful and technical. I'm only wondering who the starter would be. Feels like we're coming back to 'the external hand' again On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 3:33 PM, Murigi Muraya<mmskunkworks(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Al Kags, > > Anything is possible but here are my opinions. > > Freelance developers should be bound to some form of technical business > organization. Most developers burn out of projects in 6 to 36 months anyway > so unless a non technical organization wants to become a software house.... > There must be an institutional system or memory to maintain or improve a > software project. > > Contracted technology firms should be required to train and pay software > developers in a way that makes it more probable for them to deliver on what > is required. Many find it too expensive to train, certify or hire up to date > techies. This means that the contracted firm should also not be underpaid. > Training and equipping techies is not cheap at all. > > Some of us have seen how creative techies can inspire others to produce in > projects, informal forums, communities, seminars or classroom settings. Any > developer or techie worth noting participates in a technical community or > organization that can vouch for their passion, competence and reliability > (goodwill). Team members should be consulted before adding anyone to their > group. What if a new hire 'stole' your star developer's x? > > Let us hear about the projects your contacts have in mind and then we can > compete in gaining their confidence as individual, community or corporate > teams. Since software project requirements are rarely static it should be no > surprise that what is initially agreed on rarely comes to pass. Features are > cut or modified to finish whatever becomes the software within a specified > time period and budget. > > --------- > > MM > > On Sun, Jun 28, 2009 at 5:59 PM, Al Kags <alkags(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> Hi all. >> >> Much has been said on this forum about government, organisations and >> companies not giving much work to developers who do are not >> companies. having spoken to a few people who could give the contracts >> etc., i understood them to say that the concerns were that their >> concerns are:- >> >> 1. They cannot be assured of the freelance developers level of quality. >> 2. They cannot be assured of the freelance developers delivery time - >> that they will deliver everything they say they will at the appointed >> time >> 3. That they require too much supervision >> 4. That they over promise. >> 5. The development of a website/application requires several >> competences - designer, IA, developer, integrator etc. The contention >> is that you guys don't/won't work together as a team. >> >> Here's a question: >> >> If an organisation/ company was to decide to do a call for entries/ >> tender of sorts for a significant web project to be delivered by a >> team of freelance individuals from this forum, can it be done? >> >> The sub-parts of these question are:- >> >> a) Can you form a team consisting of Project Manager (to assure >> everything is done in time, guide the proposal making etc); Designer >> (who does outstanding designs in CSS); Developer(s) who can work well >> with Google Aps - integrate Gmaps etc into the site; mobile developer >> to develop mobile apps, etc; integrator to ensure that the site is >> seamless? >> >> b) Can your team come together and bid for the project in detail - >> including what you can put together, timelines, budgets, >> documentations etc? (Each member of the team would sign a contract and >> would be paid as an individual for their quoted rate) >> >> c) Can the team that wins the bid implement the project in such a >> seamless and timely manner, delivering such high quality that the >> project can stand up as a model that the government, organisations and >> companies can use to contract you? >> >> d) Being that this is such an untried model, would the other >> developers in the skunkworks arena support the winning team to ensure >> that they succeed in delivering the project at the highest possible >> quality and within the exact time they promised to do so? If yes, what >> is the structure that skunkworks would use to do this? >> >> >> Here's my thinking. A lot of the developers and other related >> professionals here are passionate and really good at what they do, and >> they often just need a chance. Not everyone can be employed by the >> 3mice etc of this world and so its a challenge to give everyone a >> chance. >> >> Given the concerns expressed by the client group, the onus is on >> interested people here to prove to them that the model of contracting >> individual freelance professionals here is a workable one. >> >> I know one organisation that would be interested in trying it out. So >> before they make a further move, I bring the idea here to you and ask, >> >> what is possible? >> >> -- >> Al Kags >> ----------------------- >> Founder, The Desturi Trust >> http://www.alkags.com >> _______________________________________________ >> Skunkworks mailing list >> Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks >> Other services @ http://my.co.ke >> Other lists >> ------------- >> Skunkworks announce: >> http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce >> Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science >> kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general > > > _______________________________________________ > Skunkworks mailing list > Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks > Other services @ http://my.co.ke > Other lists > ------------- > Skunkworks announce: > http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce > Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science > kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general > > -- Samuel Waithaka http://www.brighterdayweb.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/waithaka http://www.brighterdayweb.com/seo-articles.xml http://www.brighterdayweb.com/news.xml _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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Size of /var?
by Nicholas Loki 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

Wassup Skunks, Got this strange reading from my 'df -h' output on Sol 10: Filesystem size used avail capacity Mounted on ... /dev/md/dsk/d30 9.6G 8192E 0K 92365229983016% /var ... >From 'du -sh *' of / it shows that the size of '/var' is 1.7G. Any ideas what the output above means? KR, Loki "Excellent people exceed expectations".

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Stickers
by Arthur Buliva 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

Am looking for someone or a company that makes laptop stickers. Good quality ones at that - like the ones stuck on laptops for Intel or Windows Vista. Any idea(s)? arthur

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domain registrar (.co.ke)
by Alex Wanjohi 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

who can register for me 4 domains(.co.ke) and what price? am looking for the cheapest.. limited budget :) kind regards -Alex

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Pricewars are here
by Phares Kariuki 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

AK has just called us at work. From next month, we get 4 times the bandwidth at the same price... And they will terminate fibre to our office for free.... Huh... Yay! -- With Regards, Phares Kariuki | T: +254 734 810 802 | E: pkariuki(a)gmail.com | Twitter: kaboro | Skype: kariukiphares |

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SafCON 3G Modem
by James Wachira 01 Jul '09

01 Jul '09

Guys. Anyone interested in the above Modem, to contact me offlist. Am letting it go for 3k. All contact details are as below! Cheers -- With Regards, James W, Nairobi, .ke |tel: +254 728 024 897 | gtalk: jwaciira | yahoo: jamoke | twitter: jwaciira | ----------------------------- The Geek shall inherit the earth. - Linus 5:5

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Re: [Skunkworks] Quotations Invited: ICT standards web portal
by Walubengo J 30 Jun '09

30 Jun '09

Alex, isnt your invitation to quote violating the very clauses you have been preaching exist in our laws i.e. (govt organs (KBS is?) should not bound solutions on specific platforms - whether open source or proprietery? maybe i need some education. walu. --- On Tue, 6/30/09, Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: From: Gakuru Alex <alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Quotations Invited: ICT standards web portal To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke> Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 4:24 PM ooops! I am already being asked "when is the deadline"?.. How much time do you need? 14 days or 21 days? Alex On Tue, Jun 30, 2009 at 3:13 PM, Gakuru Alex<alexgakuru.lists(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Local Software Developers/ICT Solution providers, > > You are hereby invited to submit quotations for the provision of: > > 1. Open Source website Content Management System (CMS) services > 2. Open Source website Document Management System (DMS) services > > Your quotation should include, among others, > > CMS: > a) customisation costs, > b) cost of template, > c) deployment costs > d) cost of training 4 persons (administrator and 3 users) > e) post installation & training support costs > f) etc.. > > DMS: > a) customisation costs, > b) cost of template, > c) deployment costs > d) cost of training 4 persons (administrator and 3 users) > e) post installation & training support costs > f) etc.. > > If you feel that you can offer above ICT services please send your > quotations by email to the undersigned > addressed to: > > Alex Gakuru, > The Chairman, Working Group, > SC 34 Technical Committee(TC), > Kenya Bureau of Standards > email: gakuru(a)gmail.com > _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general

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24: The never released pilot episode
by Billy 30 Jun '09

30 Jun '09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLH_QyPTYM -Billy

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Joomla Help
by jude mwenda 30 Jun '09

30 Jun '09

Ji all, Got a question to the joomla experts out there. Is there a way of having multiple sites running on the same joomla installation? Or even let say there is a joomla installation on the root with the other running as a sub directory but one instance.. -- Regards Jude Mwenda "Was ist mein Leben, wenn ich nicht mehr nützlich für andere." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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