September 2009 - skunkworks

From recession!! to our own form DOT COM BUBBLE..
by Jonah Tech 17 Sep '09

17 Sep '09

Here is an interesting article about the the reccesion as not many people would agree but it could prevented...If they only listened http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/09/13/why_capitalism_… Now we are in our own Dot Com bubble which is fueled by the Fibre Optic cables and reduced cost of IT equipment....Firms are investing and businesses are propping up for a Market that might not return...Chunga

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Hosting?
by Steve Muchai 17 Sep '09

17 Sep '09

Hi all, A while back, in response to a query about hosting, I saw an ad here for some local outfit that's offering hosting AMP hosting including shell access. Anyone remember who these guys were? BR, S -- "A democracy is a sheep and two wolves deciding on what to have for lunch. Freedom is a well armed sheep contesting the results of the decision." - Stolen from someone else's sig.

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Microsoft and M-Com get into mobile payments
by Mbugua Njihia 17 Sep '09

17 Sep '09

Microsoft has joined with payment software vendor M-Com to push a mobile payment system that will be accepted by banks around the world. The two companies have built a software package called BankAnywhere which is based around Windows and Microsoft SQL Server, as well as Internet Information Services (IIS).The software is platform agnostic and will consist of software on the phone linking in to back-end services in banks. The software was announced at Sibos 2009 in Honk Kong. symbiotic_logo Mbugua Njihia - CEO SYMBIOTIC MEDIA CONSORTIUM | Design:Develop:Deploy [a] Muringa Court - Suite B2:Kilimani- Junction of Kirichwa and Muringa Road [t] +254 20 359 6305 [c] +254 721 668 709 [e] mbugua(a)symbiotic.co.ke [w] www.symbiotic.co.ke [b] http://www.symbiotic.co.ke/blog/ This message may contain information, which is confidential, private or privileged in nature. If you are not the intended recipient of the message, you are notified that any distribution, use or copying of this message is prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately

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Slow Changing Dimensions
by Mr. Lawi 17 Sep '09

17 Sep '09

Hi, Analysts in the house: Anyone implemented type 2/3 Scd in Oracle? Or any other rdbms? Did you use any special tools, and if so which ones? Any help/pointers will be highly appreciated. Thanx

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BBC Kenya Special: Cables - expected tech transformation
by Gakuru Alex 17 Sep '09

17 Sep '09

Ndemo, Kibera Community Broadcaster, animators - Ahmed Deem + Daniel Mulli, Daniel Deen, says "Animation and Tech scene in Kenya has great people who can do great work":-), Ndemo, "I am not worried about the middle class, My worry about those below poverty lines.." He also says, "ICT Board has been sent to Kibera to go train the youth.." Save for one, two Board staffers, dunno why I have this feeling the opposite would have been more beneficial and truer :~) :~) -- Anyway, pull the BBC podcast..... axel -n 10 http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/worldservice/digitalp/digitalp_20090915… --- Posted this yesterday - (resending for the sake of cc'd skunkworks) New Africa broadband 'ready' By Adam Blenford BBC News, Nairobi A new high-speed undersea cable connecting East Africa with the rest of the world is poised to go live, Kenya's top internet official has told the BBC. ... Ken Kasina: Speaking at a cafe in the basement of a Nairobi shopping centre where fellow developers and programmers meet to use a free wi-fi connection, Mr Kasina said the price of his 512kbps internet connection was preventing him working effectively at home. I thought the cable would land and the next week we would have fast internet at home," said Ken Kasina, a developer for the successful crowdsourcing service Ushahidi. A top-up card gives him 1GB of data use for a fee of 2,500 Kenyan shillings (£20; $33). At that price, Mr Kasina insists he needs to carefully control what he does online in an effort not to waste his credit and his money. Even if the connection allowed it - which it barely does - listening to music or watching video online is not sensible. "When you take it in comparison to what you're doing, it's a lot (of money), trust me. It's like spending a million to buy a wheelbarrow," Mr Kasina said. .... TRUE!!! <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8257038.stm> Enjoy!

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Alipay...Alimama
by Mbugua Njihia 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

Just picked this up from the Alibaba Turns 10 - Aims To Create 100 Million Jobs, Employ 10 Million People article on techcrunch Alimama <http://www.alimama.com/> - an online advertising exchange and affiliate network - as well. Alipay <https://www.alipay.com/> , China's most popular third-party online payment system modeled after Paypal but offering additional features such as escrow services.

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sms modems anyone?
by joe mwirigi 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

Looking for a rugged sms modem anyone? BElieving In Everlasting Springs

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Content database for a premium rate SMS service
by Christopher Ogwella 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

Thanks Joram, but maybe I should rephrase the question. I am looking to set up such a database from scrath so the information I wanted was what sort of a database would be suitable for it (oracle, SQL etc), something about the structure of the DB, security measures, space requirements and the like. I woluld appreciate info from anyone who has developed such a DB. Regarding content, I felt there is no need to re-invent the wheel given that content such as bible verses, quotes etc are already available. So are there downloadable DBs available and secondly, what are the terms of engagement with content provders such as cellulant. E.g. Is there a need to redirect sms traffic to a third party site or will the content sit on my database? I,d appreciate any input. -- Sent from my mobile device "Marriage is give and take. You'd better give it to her or she'll take it anyway." - Joey Adams If there is a "WILL", there are 500 relatives "Insurance is like marriage. You pay, pay, pay, and you never get anything back." - Al Bundy

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17' touch screens
by m80mig＠gmail.com 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

Hi all, Anybody supplying any brand of the above. Pliz contact me offscreen michael wambua 0712710697 m80mig(a)gmail.com www.michaelwamb.net23.net

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Entrepreneurs need which kind of funding?
by Ogure Obunga 16 Sep '09

16 Sep '09

I once went out looking for funding to set up my own biz. Apart from being frustrated, it cost me lots of efforts and time. It is then that it occurred to me that what I really needed was not much money. After all, the most successful companies in the world were started with little or no capital at all. I think the best approach that financiers could adopt especially for the entrepreneurs in technical fields is to offer apprenticeship, incubation or something like that. And since I hit the road with this in mind, I could only have wished that I had started much earlier. So far, I'm not complaining. Obunga Ouya

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