On Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 8:58 AM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack@gmail.com> wrote:
Aki,
My opinion is Open Source is more important to the developing World than the developed due to flexibility in Licensing and cost of deploying and might be the only affordable option that will enable us catch up if we ever will with the developed world, in any case most licensing models have been developed for markets in the developed world. I think the greatest challenge we are facing is point of entry, at what age are we introduced to software developement, can someone do a comparison between the developing and developed world as to when people are introduced to s/w developement this might be the answer to our quest for innovation, in the developing world most guys tend to get into programming in their late teens or twenties when "other priorities" have caught up with them in life :-), Wesley i am keen to get your take on this...is age a factor with regard to entry level in programming?, sorry aki for deviating
There is nothing to debate here especially in Africa. Of course the younger the better BUT better late (learning) than never.
Worked with a lady from India some years ago. I asked her how they become so good in programming (she was fantastic). She said they exposed themselves to people, programmes or projects that made them sharp. She would bring her 7 or 8 year old son to work just to sharpen him. He should be 15 or 16 years now.
Whatever the case, as in Kenya, many Indians begin coding at 18 - 23 years and catch up with their Western peers in about 5 years They are INTENSE!.