September 2009 - skunkworks

US Broadband Stimulus=45/15 Mbps down/up
by Gakuru Alex 21 Sep '09

21 Sep '09

Saturday, January 31, 2009 Broadband Stimulus The House passed its version of the stimulus bill earlier this month, of which $6 billon dollars was allocated for broadband deployment, and now the Senate Appropriations Committee has released a draft of its broadband stimulus package, of which $9 billon has been allocated. Yochai Benkler has done an indepth assessment of the two broadband stimulus packages, highlighting some of the new terminology the House bill has added: "The House bill adds some explicit important definitions for understanding broadband. It defines "advanced broadband," for which 75% of the money is marked, as 45 Mbps downstream, 15 Mbps downstream. Now, I continue to be baffled about the willingness to formalize asymmetric speeds as the measure, but this is the first time any formal regulatory requirement has even begun to speak in 21st century terms about what counts as broadband." Agreed - I also noticed that the Senate bill calls for 100 Mbps down/20 Mbps up (though this is only defined for tax credits, not direct spending), which is asymmetric (its a read/*write* web folks) but encouraging in that they are clearly interested in raising the bar in terms of what the telcos have been trying to pass off as "fast enough". <http://blog.communityfiberproject.net/>

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HP PDAs vs Blackberry vs Nokia smart phones
by J. N. Kimani 21 Sep '09

21 Sep '09

Hello, I urgently need advise concerning PDAs. * HP vs Blackberry vs Nokia smart phones - what is best? * Service provider terms and conditions - Blackberry had some terms and conditions from Safcom/Celtel. Are those restrictions still there? Someone please inform me a reputable Blackberry / HP PDA/ Nokia authorized dealer shop. I need to buy a few units. Thanks and kind regards, -- J. N. Kimani Fundi wa Mitambo

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Re: [Skunkworks] [kictanet] Fwd: Do commercial web portals and sitesfall into Content Service Provider category?
by aki 21 Sep '09

21 Sep '09

Dear Hon Ndemo, thank you very much for the clarity below which is a real big help towards starting out on our goals. This sets the ground for us to move kenya ahead towards more content driven in the form of web portals. This is indeed a very positive development for some of us. Asante sana. @Barrack, thank you for refering my query to the correct list. @Skunks and web developers, the challenge is now open to to move from a static web site types to more meaningful internet data which inturn will see creation of diverse content. Great development below, comments from Hon Ndemo surely have created a clear skies day for many. There are some nice guidelines in the content license that help on self regulation of posted data i.e non-offensive etc and would be a good basis of the portals. Sorry for the cross posting. Rgds. On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 8:34 AM, <bitange(a)jambo.co.ke> wrote: > Barrack, > Informal enterprise means outside of formal legal framework of enterprise. > The standard threshold for moving from informality into legal small > enterprise is at 5 million in sales (KRA threshold for paying taxes). Let > us not use the absence of law for not advancing our entrepreneurialism. We > must constantly pursue enterprise as long as we are within our moral values. > If we wake up every morning to check the legality of our actions, we may > never develop. Laws are simply guidelines. What matters most is our > intentions and and the values that we embrace. > > It is for exaple illegal to carry a rungu or panga in Kenya since the > British outlawed these as offensive weapons but the Masai indeed carry these > tools and it. Is perfectly correct within their cultural values. At some > point we should correct such mischivious laws as well as the ones that would > impede enterprise growth. As for CCK it must work within the legal > framework to avoid creating too many loopholes. > > Ndemo. > > Sent from my BlackBerry® > > >

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IT job?
by Jarateng Kowinjo 20 Sep '09

20 Sep '09

> Hi All > > I need a job.I believe you guys can help. I have 3yrs experience in ICT > industry. My skill sets are biased towards > Network Engineering/Administration > IT Support > > I have a BSc. in Comp Sci, CCNA and IMIS-UK dip. I also have interest and > modest skills in IT security; Ethical Hacking, Web design. I am Linux Savvy > > If you got something in mind please get back. I can be reached thro' kowinjo(a)gmail.com > > rgds >

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Do commercial web portals and sites fall into Content Service Provider category?
by aki 20 Sep '09

20 Sep '09

Does anyone know if the above case is so? And what happens to the informal ICT sector where professional, experienced individuals or small office/home office types, self employed want to develop the above as legit business? Looking into the details of the category license, reveals a concealed fate for small investors, which means a non-starter : -"*Content Services*" means information of any kind normally provided at a fee and is delivered over electronic communications networks and services. They include broadcasting content, financial information services and other information society services. -Within NINE (9) months from the Effective Date, the Licensee shall establish and maintain efficient information services to assist any person to answer questions regarding products, services, and any other reasonable questions relating to the Licensed Services - Within nine (9) months from the Effective Date, the Licensee shall submit to the Commission the accounting principles which relating to the running of the Licensed Systems and which allows the recording of investments, expenses and revenues in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in Kenya.15.2. Within sixty (60) days of the end of each fiscal year of the Licensee, the Licensee shall deliver to the Commission its balance sheet as at the end of such fiscal year and the related statements of operations, equity and cash flows, in each case accompanied by a report thereon of independent auditors stating that such financial statements fairly present the financial position of the Licensee at the dates indicated and were prepared in accordance with accounting principles submitted to the Commission in accordance with 15.1 above. -In particular, by the 15th July of every year or as agreed by the Commission, the Licensee shall submit a Compliance Report detailing the performance of the previous operational year ended 30th June. - The Licensee shall pay to the Commission:21.1. An initial Licence fee amounting to Kenya Shillings one hundred thousand (KShs.100,000). -On 1st July of each year, an annual operating fee equivalent to zero-point-five percent (0.5%) of the audited annual gross revenues accruing from the Licensed Services during the previous financial year or Kenya shillings one hundred thousand (KShs. 100,000) only whichever is higher. *I highlight these point as at some stage it will affect many. Who knows, you could be selling things from your site portal using mpesa/zap etc and the next thing you know you are operating illegally.* ** *Rgds.*

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TEAMS Mombasa Station Manager
by Simeon Oriko 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Hi I'm looking for the email address of the TEAMS Mombasa Station, Station Manager. Would you please furnish me with this. Kind regards Simeon.

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Re: [Skunkworks] Let's build an Electronic Payment Solution!
by Jonas | Lamu Software 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

An alternative to Paypal is 2checkout. http://www.2checkout.com/ It is just Paypal that refuses payments to Kenya. For the software payment solution ... Why not create what Kenya really needs. A generic online payment solution. Focusing on just software does not really make sense since there is no actual payment solution at all?

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KDN and Telkom in fibre deal.
by Job Muriuki 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Telkom have acknowledged that safaricom are leaders in the voice market so they want to team up with kdn to offer each other redundancy on the fibre connections. The question is will the out do safaricom in the data segmet? -- Sent from my mobile device

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TFT monitor repairs
by Evans Ikua 19 Sep '09

19 Sep '09

Guys, We are looking for someone to fix a large number of TFT monitors with various issues. If you know anyone who can do the job please refer them to me. Thanks and happy Idd. Ikua

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Kenyan profiled as one of worlds most creative 100
by Joram Mwinamo 18 Sep '09

18 Sep '09

Board member in an Mpesa like company, how did she escape the attention of Kenyan media?Apparently she is causing lots of waves internationally http://www.fastcompany.com/100/2009/june-arunga -- Sent from my Voice Recognition Watch© -------------------------------------------------------------------- God is not an excuse for lack of discipline -------------------------------------------------------------------- Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,but that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.As we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear,our presence automatically liberates others.

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