May 2011 - skunkworks - Skunkworks Site

Re: [Skunkworks] [Council] [ke-internetusers] Press Release - New LPI Affiliate
by Judy Okite 17 May '11

17 May '11

CONGRATULATIONS!! are in order...keep it up, Ikua! Kind Regards, “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.” Kofi Annan On Tue, May 17, 2011 at 11:57 AM, Dorothy K. Gordon < director-general(a)aiti-kace.com.gh> wrote: > Great news!!! I believe this will contribute significantly to FOSS uptake > in Africa. > > best regards > > Dorothy K. Gordon > Director-General > Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT > Mobile: 233 244 311 348 > BB : 233 265005712 > Direct Line: 233 302 683579 > Skype:dgaitidg > Website: www.aiti-kace.com.gh > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Katim S. Touray" <kstouray(a)gmail.com> > To: "Evans Ikua" <ikua.evans(a)gmail.com> > Cc: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks(a)lists.my.co.ke>, members(a)fossfa.net, > "ke-users" <ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net>, "FOSSFA Council" < > council(a)fossfa.net> > Sent: Monday, 16 May, 2011 6:10:42 PM GMT +00:00 Casablanca / Monrovia > Subject: Re: [Council] [ke-internetusers] Press Release - New LPI Affiliate > > > Hi Evans, > > Congratulations! This is great news, and a feather to your cap! I hope you > don't mind my copying this to the FOSSFA lists. > > Again, congrats for a great job! > > Katim > > > > On Mon, May 16, 2011 at 6:09 PM, Evans Ikua < ikua.evans(a)gmail.com > > wrote: > > > LPI Announces New Affiliate in East Africa > > (Sacramento, CA, USA: May 11, 2011) The Linux Professional Institute > (LPI), the world's premier Linux certification organization ( > http://www.lpi.org ), announced a > new affiliate in Africa: LPI-East Africa. LPI-East Africa will promote > LPI programs and certifications in the nations of Kenya > Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Ethiopia and South Sudan. > > "In 2010, the percentage growth of LPI exams was significant in Africa. > This increase in testing demonstrates the active and progressive > adoption of Linux and Open Source technologies on the continent. The > emergence of LPI-East Africa is a further indication of this trend and > we welcome this new affiliate into our network of global partners > promoting Linux and Open Source professionalism," said Jim Lacey, > president and CEO of the Linux Professional Institute. > > LPI-East Africa will be managed by Evans Ikua, a long time advocate of > Linux and Open Source solutions in Kenya and other nations throughout > East Africa. Mr. Ikua is also the FOSS Certification Manager for > ict@innovation--a joint project of FOSSFA - The Free Software and Open > Source Foundation for Africa (FOSSFA: http://www.fossfa.net/ ) and the > Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH > ( http://www.giz.de ). > > Mr. Ikua was the founding chairman of the Linux Professional Association > of Kenya and provides Linux and Open Source web solutions and training > programs through his consulting company, LANet Consulting. > > "The formation of the Linux Professional Institute of East Africa marks > a major milestone in the development of the open source community in > East Africa. As a master affiliate for the LPI in this region, we are > now positioned strategically to offer better leadership on all open > source matters. We are now entering into an exciting new realm where > we will not only have the capacity to promote the use of open source, > but we will also have the backing of a globally respected brand. This > truly goes to confirm that LPI is a community driven professional > body," said Evans Ikua, executive director, LPI-East Africa. > > Inquiries on LPI-East Africa activities and programs may be directed to: > operations(a)east-africa.lpi.org > > The Linux Professional Institute is globally supported by the IT > industry, enterprise customers, community professionals, government > entities and the educational community. LPI's certification program is > supported by an affiliate network spanning five continents and is > distributed worldwide in multiple languages at more than 7,000 testing > locations. Since 1999, LPI has delivered over 290,000 exams and 95,000 > LPIC certifications around the world. > > # # # > > About the Linux Professional Institute: > > The Linux Professional Institute provides a global framework, industry > leadership and other services to enhance, develop and further lifelong > professional careers in Linux and Open Source technologies. Established > as an international non-profit organization in September 1999 by the > Linux community, the Linux Professional Institute continues to > demonstrate recognized global leadership, direction and skill standards > for those who pursue a career in Linux and Open Source technology. LPI > advances the Linux and Open Source movement through strategic partners, > sponsorships, innovative programs and community development activities. > LPI's major financial sponsors are Platinum Sponsors IBM, Linux Journal, > Linux Magazine, Novell, SGI, and TurboLinux as well as Gold Sponsors, HP > and IDG. > > Media Contacts: > > Scott Lamberton > Director of Communications > Linux Professional Institute > http://www.lpi.org > slamberton(a)lpi.org > +1-905-269-0862 > > Evans Ikua > Executive Director, LPI-East Africa > operations(a)east-africa.lpi.org > Cell: +254-722-955831 > > > _______________________________________________ > ke-internetusers mailing list > ke-internetusers(a)bdix.net > http://www.bdix.net/mailman/listinfo/ke-internetusers > > > > _______________________________________________ > Council mailing list > Council(a)fossfa.net > http://fossfa.net/mailman/listinfo/council_fossfa.net > > _______________________________________________ > Council mailing list > Council(a)fossfa.net > http://fossfa.net/mailman/listinfo/council_fossfa.net >

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Loyalty Schemes
by Jangita Nyagudi 17 May '11

17 May '11

Hi Guys, Could anyone put me in touch with the people in charge of loyalty schemes in the major supermarkets, outlets etc - basically any business that requires or currently uses loyalty schemes? There is a product we would want to push to them. Please contact me offlist Thanks! J

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Errors with Government Apps and Websites
by Peter Karunyu 17 May '11

17 May '11

Good people, Someone please shed some light on this, if one finds some stupid serious mistakes in some government apps, who should these errors be forwarded to? In this day and age, who writes queries such as "SELECT * FROM ..."? Or uses the default username for the database?

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Calling Speakers for this Saturday's BitMagic event
by wesley kirinya 17 May '11

17 May '11

Hi Skunk(ette)s, I hope by now you're familiar with BitMagic. Over the past couple of months we have had interesting speakers who have shared lots of insight when developing their techie solutions. Once again we're calling out to speakers for this Saturday's BitMagic event. If you have an interesting tech-talk, demo or insight into anything techie you would like to share with the BitMagic community, kindly send me an email off-list. Kind Regards.

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IT Manager and Webmaster/Graphic Designer Required
by Silas Savali 17 May '11

17 May '11

Dear All I am looking for an IT Manager with a minimum of 5 years experience in the field. Experienced in Windows (MCSE) , Linux, Networking (A+, N+) CCNA. Knowledge of Sage Accounts will be an added advantage. Salary is negotiable at approx 150k. Male candidates are preferred but qualified ladies will be very much considered Webmaster / Graphics Designer - General knowledge of HTML/CSS - Graphic Designer - Can use Adobe Creative suite comfortably - Coreldraw knowledge a plus - Please send a list of websites designed and or managed - Send also some samples of design work eg Newspaper adverts, Posters, banners etc - Knowledge of computer maintenance and basic networking is a plus as you will be based in the Nairobi office while the IT people are based in the Mombasa office so you can double up as IT support for Nairobi office - Salary is negotiable - Ladies preferred Send me your CV offlist to my address. I welcome any clarifications and or queries

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Registration of .coop domains?
by Timothy Mutugi 17 May '11

17 May '11

Hi, Is there anyone on the list who registers (or knows someone who registers) .coop domains? Timo.

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A Small Orange attacked
by Dennis Kioko 17 May '11

17 May '11

It appears that nowadays hackers are successfully targeting any website with user data. A Small Orange, a web host is among the latest and is advising user passwords and payment details may have been compromised. *Implications* - if you still use your email , bank, social account passwords on other websites, you are creating a major security risk for yourself - its high time we shunned companies that offer their own credit card implementations rather than use processors such as Paypal (not restricted to Paypal) etc. in this age, its beeter to ahve the likes of Paypal handle such stuff as they have developed the proper security mechanisms. - Sites should stop insisting on telling you to create a user account and password, let them use your existing web mail accounts , social media accounts and open id as first resorts. gis avoids them keeping your passwords. - how soon before someone bigger than Sony gets hit? -- with Regards: <https://twitter.com/#%21/denniskioko> <http://blog.denniskioko.com> www.denniskioko.com

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Program Shortcut
by george 17 May '11

17 May '11

Hey Skunks, In a domain scenario, win 2K3-how do you add a shortcut, say a program icon, on a user's desktop or several users for that matter? Rgds,

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L019: Bitcoin P2P Currency: The Most Dangerous Project We've Ever Seen
by gisho 17 May '11

17 May '11

--- On *Sun, 5/15/11, Jason Calacanis <jmc(a)launch.is>* wrote: L019: Bitcoin P2P Currency: The Most Dangerous Project We've Ever Seen by Jason Calacanis and the LAUNCH team A month ago I heard folks talking online about a virtual currency called bitcoin that is untraceable and un-hackable. Folks were using it to buy and sell drugs online, support content they liked and worst of all -- gasp! -- play poker. Bitcoin is a P2P currency that could topple governments, destabilize economies and create uncontrollable global bazaars for contraband. I sent the 30 or so producers of my show This Week in Startups out to research the top players, and we did a show on Bitcoin on May 10 [ http://bit.ly/TWIST-140 ]. Since that time the number of bitcoin stories has surged [ see http://lnch.is/L019-bitcoin ]. After month of research and discovery, we’ve learned the following: 1. Bitcoin is a technologically sound project. 2. Bitcoin is unstoppable without end-user prosecution. 3. Bitcoin is the most dangerous open-source project ever created. 4. Bitcoin may be the most dangerous technological project since the internet itself. 5. Bitcoin is a political statement by technotarians (technological libertarians).* 6. Bitcoins will change the world unless governments ban them with harsh penalties. What Are Bitcoins? ========= Bitcoins are virtual coins in the form of a file that is stored on your device. These coins can be sent to and from users three ways: 1. Direct with peer-to-peer software downloaded at bitcoin.org 2. Via an escrow service like ClearCoin 3. Via a bitcoin currency exchange Each owner transfers the coin to the next by digitally signing a hash of the previous transaction and the public key of the next owner and adding these to the end of the coin. A payee can verify the signatures to verify the chain of ownership. The benefits of a currency like this: a) Your coins can’t be frozen (like a Paypal account can be) b) Your coins can’t be tracked c) Your coins can’t be taxed d) Transaction costs are extremely low (sorry credit card companies) You can watch a simple video here: http://jc.is/jlcte0 Where Do Bitcoins Come from? ========= Bitcoins are created by a complex algorithm. Only 21M can be made by the year 2140. Your desktop bitcoin software can make bitcoins, but at this point the electricity and time it would take to produce a bitcoin is larger than the actual value of a bitcoin (your laptop might take five years to make one, and they currently trade at $6.70 per bitcoin [ see https://mtgox.com/trade/buy for the latest exchange rate ]. Bitcoin miners use super cheap GPUs (not CPUs) to create the coins, but as more people come online to make them, the algorithm adjusts so that one block can only be made every 10 minutes. Who Invented Bitcoins? ========= An individual with the name -- or perhaps handle -- of Satoshi Nakamoto first wrote about bitcoins in a paper called Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System [ http://lnch.is/bitcoin-manifesto ]. This person has stepped back from the project and trusted Gavin Andresen to take charge as the project’s technical lead. How Does One Buy and Sell Bitcoin? ========= Currently Paypal and credit card companies are making it illegal to sell bitcoins. Why? Simple: PayPal’s terms of service prohibit “currency exchange.” CoinPal had its account frozen, details here: http://www.bitcoin.org/smf/index.php?topic=2555.msg101084#msg101084 Given that you can’t whip out your Paypal account and buy them, and that it will become harder and harder to get them, bitcoins will be bartered for services in the real world. For example, a Hacker News community member named Nicholas Carlson just boasted that he is being paid for a programming project in bitcoins [ http://ncarlson.com/post/5493803214/bitcoin-experiment-first-job-offer ]. Bitcoins in Real Life ============ In the next year you’ll hear about people in casinos in Vegas buying and sell bitcoins for cash and casino chips. Imagine a bachelor party comes to Vegas and STNY (someone that’s not you) gives $550 to a guy at a bar and he takes out his laptop or tablet and ships 100 bitcoins to STNY’s phone. STNY then goes to Craigslist and ships some bitcoins to an escort and a drug dealer, who then show up in person to provide goods and services. The Drug Underground and Bitcoin ============ Last month folks were buzzing about an online drug marketplace called SilkRoadMarket [ http://www.silkroadmarket.org ], which was reportedly trading in, well, all kinds of drugs: marijuana, mushrooms, LSD, ecstasy and DMT. Of course, since bitcoin transactions are untraceable, you would have zero recourse if you sent a dozen bitcoins to someone for a couple of tabs of LSD. Just like you might lose your $10 if you gave it to a kid in the school yard for a dime bag and he never came back. Let’s Make Some Predictions ============ We are 100% certain that governments will start banning bitcoins in the next 12 to 18 months. Additionally, we’re certain bitcoins will soar in value and a crush of folks will flood the system and start using them. Currently there are 6M coins at $6.70 each for a total economy of about $40M. Bitcoin speculation and hoarding will also cause a massive spike in bitcoin value. For example, if 10M people find out about bitcoins in the next year and want to buy $100 worth, $1B will be infused into the bitcoin economy. Finally, there will be massive breakage in bitcoins. If your laptop crashes and you didn’t back up your bitcoins, well, you’re SOL. If someone steals you laptop that has 10,000 bitcoins on it you won on Bitcoin Poker, you’re SOL. Lost your USB drive with 500 bitcoins on it after a night out on the town? You’re SOL. Sites like 99designs, eLance and oDesk will start accepting bitcoins for payment. If they don’t, they will face competition from folks who do. Bottom line: The world is going to be turned over by bitcoins unless governments step in and ban them by prosecuting individuals. This is about to get really interesting, everyone. * We made this term up to describe the “good people” of the internet who believe in the fundamental rights of individuals to be free, have free speech, fight hypocrisy and stand behind logic, technology and science over religion, political structure and tradition. These are the people who build and support things like Wikileaks, Anonymous, Linux and Wikipedia. They think that people can, and should, govern themselves. They are against external forms of control such as DRM, laws that are bought and sold by lobbyists, and religions like Scientology. They include splinter groups that enforce these ideals in the form of hacktivism, such as the takedown of the Sony Playstation Network after Sony tried to prosecute a hacker for unlocking its console. ----------------- TWIST Bitcoin episode ============ Full show: http://thisweekin.com/thisweekin-startups/bitcoin-discussion-with-gavin-and… Gavin explains the fundamentals of Bitcoin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta73DofiT7o Who is Satoshi, the mysterious bitcoin founder? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDRwgbWkxFw The million-dollar bitcoin question: Can the system be hacked? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2837h-85O4 Jason sets his software to generate bitcoins and Gavin explains why that's a bad idea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jix4MG5V0-E ----------------- About LAUNCH LAUNCH Media covers and celebrates new products, services and technology in two ways: an email newsletter and an in-person conference. LAUNCH was founded by a serial entrepreneur, former journalist and now angel investor we’re tired of promoting. http://www.launch.is About the LAUNCH Newsletter Our newsletter is compiled in a collaborative fashion by a half-dozen writers, researchers and industry pundits we invite to our Google Docs from time-to-time. Our conflicts are many, but our insights and facts are always well-researched, honest and to the point. We’re blunt to a fault -- by design. http://www.launch.is/newsletter About the LAUNCH Hackathon We're looking for the perfect location for a 72-hour hackathon this fall. We need a 10K to 20K square-foot space with killer internet in San Francisco/Silicon Valley. Suggestions: hackathon(a)launch.is<http://mc/compose?to=hackathon@launch.is> . About the LAUNCH Conference The LAUNCH Conference rocked. That’s really all you need to know. Catch it all here if you missed it: http://www.youtube.com/launchconf And we’ll have another one next year, maybe sooner. Support real tech journalism -- not smarmy gossip posing as such -- by advertising in LAUNCH: sales(a)launch.is<http://mc/compose?to=sales@launch.is> . LAUNCH Coda #61: Money changes everything if you let it. ============================================== You are receiving this newsletter because you are a member of the Jason Nation newsletter or you signed up on launch.is Unsubscribe gichuhieras(a)yahoo.com<http://mc/compose?to=gichuhieras@yahoo.com>from this list: http://launch.us2.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=baefb9fcb23d26e0308254e5c&i… Our mailing address is: LAUNCH 902 Colorado Avenue Santa Monica, California 90401 Forward this email to a friend: http://us2.forward-to-friend1.com/forward?u=baefb9fcb23d26e0308254e5c&id=1f… Update your profile: http://launch.us2.list-manage.com/profile?u=baefb9fcb23d26e0308254e5c&id=58…

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Looking for single-disk NAS unit
by Joseph Wayodi 17 May '11

17 May '11

Hi people, I'm looking for a single-disk NAS (network-attached storage) unit. Any of the models below, or similar: D-Link DNS-313 Linksys NSLU2 Icy Box NB-NAS Iomega iConnect Wireless Data Station Does anyone supply, or know where I can get one? Regards, Joseph.

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