Guru blog

of Short lived hopes.

2014-01-31T18:14:00.000+03:00

You get an idea. Something you wanna try out. Say a business idea. You're sure it's going to work. At this point the conviction in your head suppresses any feeling that it might be a flop. Myself I have been in this before. Our former dean was getting us to learn coldfusion for some 'project' which was forthcoming. A lecturer aske
Having gathered a number of his students to his room he goes ahead to explain how it's going to be huge and all of us are going to reap from it. Of course that is true. Had it gone that way I'd be frequenting silicon valley for every 2 or 3 tech meetups. Hamburg would have become a name I associate with a city with lots of techies stuff and not a close-relative of the stomach. Well at least that is how it felt. There was much to gain both for me personally the clients whom we'd be serving at a fraction of what it costs them to get similar service. In fact even you who is reading this wouldn't have the agony of typing that long word on my domain. I'd have gone to the extent of buying me a professional domain name and even better, I'd get a url shortener ngu.ru so that you only have to type 6 characters and PAP you're here [As if being here is a life goal.] So much for painting heaven, now let's get back to reality.

I don't believe there's such a thing as 'false hopes'. I choose to call them 'short-lived hopes' I have had these
The point I'm trying to drive is that at the start of something all seems clear. When inspiration knocks and one's spirits are lifted it feels like the sweet end only without the challenges (some unforeseen) that come in between. I remember a quote I once read from Anne Morrow's Gifts From The Sea that the first of every relationship is pure.

"for the first of every relationship is pure,whether it is with friend or lover, husband or child" - Anne Morrow Lindbergh [Gifts from the sea]

Tuckman's theory of group forming agrees with that. The forming part is where everyone avoids conflict. It's up until people have known each others weaknesses and abilities that they are able to co-exist in harmony and tolerance. The thing is to keep focused in keeping the projects alive and always hopeful for better things. Staying afloat is the least you can do if you're waiting for the next opportunity. eeeeeerm. Okay I lost my trail of thought. Sorry

Bonus:
Guitar Video.

Happy new year. It's never that serious

2014-01-09T10:08:00.001+03:00

In Fact the first message I should convey is happy mashujaa day. Happy Kenya @ 50, Merry Christmass and finally happy new year amidst happy birthdays happy TGIF, happy weekend and happy afternoon.
I have really been a lousy blogger for the better part of last year. Seems it's taken me 6 months+ to learn a two minute thing. I wrote it on my last post. It was embedding so you can be sure i didn't even have content to put here.
This new year I hope i will be more diligent in stuff i should be diligent in. Stuff I once started having 'seen the light'.
This year it's all about Christ, Code and Chords(and sometimes other interests-- It's my personal blog anyway so it's never that serious). So once in a while I'll share a guitar piece on my instagram, youtube, Showcase an application or share a real life testimony testimony.

To start this I'll share this video of a tune my brother and I created yesterday evening. He was on the keyboard and my on the guitar

Above all I pray that you all have a blessed year.
ttyl -1

how to stop procrastination

2013-06-07T11:17:00.000+03:00

Read Quote of How to Stop Procrastinating by Using The "2-Minute Rule" on Quora

QR codes need quick response from me

2013-01-27T18:16:00.000+03:00

Often when I ask Dickson to comment on the possibilities of QR codes as a mobile technology that could define the next big thing he kills that vibe. "It's not a technology for the masses", he says. My particular excitement with QR codes is simply mobile. Still nobody [rather I don't know of anyone who] has done something worth talking about everywhere and that is possibly why dickson thinks it's not a technology for the masses. I also agree up to the part where not all people know about qr codes, not all people have smartphones, not all people download apps but my question, is that the only way we use technology?
NO. I'm not one to be quoted on what or how innovation should be done but I think if it solves a problem then it's innovation at the minimum. Innovation in these case needs use of more than one technology even when putting emphasis on one. For instance Dickson noticed newspapers nowadays have qr codes that they ask you to scan with your phone, follow the link and comment on a story.KAPS is my second example. They now use QR codes to store parking information for their clients. Do these clients need to have
smartphones. NO. do they need to know what play store is or on what street it is on? NO. They don't, they don't even need to know what or who a QR is. Theirs is just to scan it at the exit points and proceed with their business. They're using the technology anyhow.
I have been trying to figure out some more uses of the QR but are still skeptical about it's acceptance hence its relevance in todays society. That however doesn't mean all is lost. I've got more hints as to it's viability and sense in recent days. This is a title to a post on Techweez.

This app tracks your sleeping habit, will require QR code in bathroom to stop alarm

www.techweez.com/2013/01/22/android-app-to-track-sleeping-habit/

I got it on one of the mail subscriptions. Interesting. huh?
More of that is on my mail when someone sends me text. They want a customized plugin that creates QR codes.
Enough of searching for clues and on to work. serious work
catch me sometime in march when a good part of what I'm thinking of building is ready.
Cheers

It's 2013. All hopes refreshed

2013-01-04T09:50:00.001+03:00

It's a new year. Another year to be thankful to Almighty for the good and the bad times we've been though. All those defined our being here today.(Where? Everywhere, anywhere we can read this from.) It means a lot to most of us who live on hope. It's our 50th year as a country(KE). Means a lot to us especially since it's in the same year when we'll hopefully get to choose and decide the direction our country takes from today. A year we send off our 3rd president since independence and 2 years after we promulgated our new constitution. Away from politics, It's also the year when Teens who were born in '95 become legal and are eligible to going to Hague, let alone enter a mututho spot. A year when we'll have 0.7 million more people getting born in Kenya. I'll also be clocking 3 years experience in web development. [though experience in time not necessarily what matters but experience in skill]. My startup @patasq will also be turning 2 (in sept) and I'll be clearing 3rd year later in March.
We all have high hopes for the new year and should take this first week to reflect on where we are headed too.
Have a blessed and prosperous '13 all.

Happy 48th Jamhuri Day Kenyans

2012-12-12T14:17:00.000+03:00

Today Kenya turns 49. A journey that begun in 1963 after the end of the British rule in Kenya. It's been a remarkable journey with experiences and if we look back at how we've made it here we can plot our way forward. A lot has changed economically, socially and technologically and in all these our country has been improving. The road has been tough and what we have done over the years defines what we are and have today. It is this growth over the years that gives us hope of a future. Hope that we can achieve our goals and realize our dreams in the years to come. Vision2030 Is hence achievable because of this. What we can do now is what's important and will matter for our future and generations to come.

As we Relax on This Jamhuri day what we should all be aware that the leadership we have for our country is a big determinant of how we are going to achieve our goals.

At the moment there's concern by the IEBC and everyone else who's conscious about our country and it’s future (including me) of the poor turnout of people at their registration centers. IEBC reports 8.3 million registered voters over the last three weeks. The target is approximately 18million people so it means about 10 million people are still to be registered over the remaining time.

As I write this you only have 6 days to go to your nearest registration center and get registered as a voter. Please do and enlighten a friend, brother, cousin to do so cause the future depends on them.

Kenyans are Kenyans

To be optimistic I know that Kenyans will always be Kenyans and love to do things when they can see the deadline. I do believe than in the remaining days Kenyans will rush to get registered now that it's our way of doing things.

You may also use nimeregister to add a badge to your avatars on social media just to encourage that someone else to go get registered.

#Nimeregister. Je wewe?

http://nimeregister.com/

get registered and add a badge to your pic on facebook Twitter and Gravatar

Happy Jamhuri day Kenyans. I hope the special date of this Jamhuri day brings you joy, peace & freedom of spirit as we commemorate the journey our country has taken since our Independence.

12:12:12

Client Ujuajiosis Syndrome (CUS)

2012-10-26T00:01:00.001+03:00

Turn to your neighbor, ask him/her to sit down and pay attention cause I'm not likely to say this another time. We need to get this straight and understood for once and for all cause it's cost me 3 clients in the last 3 weeks. Severally I've been faced with the challenge of explaining why the client needs web hosting and more so why it's renewed every year or so. Today was the last nail and I thought I should get this clear or just quit chasing hosting & domain clients [too much trouble which won't justify the cost]. From where I stand, it seems to me like client knows that they at least need to get a domain name but they don't believe they need anything else save for the website which only needs to just get the design and the web designer may pave way and leave the rest to them. Clients want a website they can walk away with almost physically and own everything from the http:// to the .com or .co.ke.. How this thing works however is different from what you think or wish.
For instance these are Wikipedia definitions

A domain name is an identification string that defines a realm of administrative autonomy, authority, or control on the Internet. Domain names are formed by the rules and procedures of the Domain Name System (DNS).

A web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server owned or leased for use by clients, as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Web hosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for other servers located in their data center.

The whole point is that you can't fully own a domain/server space. More so cause you can't handle the issues that arise from time to time.
I however don't get very disappointing at clients who want to know everything and at the same time mix perceptions with what you tell them. I've written before that people particularly kenyans are wajuaji. You want to know what medicine the doctor has used, how many bacteria it can kill in an hour and the concentration of hydroxyl ions in the medicine. Knowledge is power right?? Well I hope I've made it known too that not all knowledge is necessary so next time you want to be someone's client/customer, please if there's no trust go away. Forget this thing of asking about every detail nikama you're out to investigate business process ati to prove you're involved.

I leave you with this diagram of a web hosting environment Read it, understand na next time sitaki maswali ya kujua web server hufanya aje ama aje...

Week poa

Shujaa here shujaa there.

2012-10-23T00:00:00.000+03:00

20th October. Mashujaa day. Call it heroes day in English. A day when we get to celebrate our heroes in Kenya. People who have done things that to date we still rejoice in their actions. The day was initially Kenyatta day. Of course Kenyatta was a hero but talking about heroes we'd make all days so-and-so day cause we've had many. Say Wangari Maathai, Dedan Kimathi, Oginga Odinga and of course myself. It's in the era of Kibz that 10th and 20th were scrapped as 'individual days' and heroes day came to be. A more general and inclusive way of celebrating our heroes both living and dead.
Here's a definition of the word shujaa.

Shujaa shoe·jaah/ˈshuujar/he·ro/ˈhi(ə)rō/

Noun:

A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.

The chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities.

So there you have it. A hero is a person who's had noble qualities. From the extract at least you can appreciate the hero in Kibaki. He had the chance to make 30th Kibaki day but did not bother.
In Kenya today we've lost it in terms of heroes. The young have no heroes at all. The ones they have are a perversion of heroes. All values we once held to have been lost. Respect nowadays is only an animal instinct where you only respect the other cause they're bigger, stronger or capable of hitting back. We have more freedom but worse choices.
This shujaa day I celebrate a few heroes in my life. Heroines too.

The dads who be good dads to their families.
The mothers who take time to teach their young ones the way forward.
The sisters/girls who keep morals.
Mentors who watch over their *mentees and encourage them.
Doctors, teachers, Lawyers, Policemen, watchmen & all workers who do their work diligently.
All patriots [players, athletes, soldiers]

I AM A SOCIAL PRO

2012-10-11T09:06:00.002+03:00

I do rounds on the net. All over from News, blogs, TL's, trends to Wikipedia. So while patrolling the net yesterday I came across an article that caught my attention. Not really cause there's money to be made or an interesting meme to laugh about and share but there's social responsibility. The Article on iHub blog is written by Muthuri Kinyamu (@KenyanMarketer).

Muthuri is kikuyu for 'a man'. Not just a man but a man who's made choices - good choices for that matter.

I'm aware of the limits of kissing ass as per the new constitution and so I'll proceed to talking about what the content is about. In his article @KenyanMarketer tries to explain of how Social media has become an important tool for communication/mobilization and sharing. This is in relation to the recent #KOTAgainstMPBonus which if you're a #KOT you're well aware of. Still on the same he's tried to illustrate the threats and opportunities these platforms pose to our society.
So that's where the social clubs come in and aim at educating the mass tweeps and citizens on social media on the need to be ethical and professional in engaging online for the sake of the societal good.

This will work under a campaign dubbed the "AM A SOCIAL PRO"

The core objective of these clubs is to teach, educate, create awareness and impart knowledge & skills of various disciplines of social media and platforms to the university students to unlock the massive potential on social media. The faculty will also benefit from these clubs as they’ll learn how to create and share digital content in various formats with the students across various platforms as well as help them embrace new media and integrate it to teaching.

The launch is of Social Media Clubs in Kenya is set to be on the 25^th October.
Learn more about it here.

The launch of social media clubs in kenya from William Nguru

The Waititu week.

2012-09-29T19:54:00.000+03:00

Allow some Politico-speak from me at least today.

It's been a really long week for the Embakasi Member of parliament and Nairobi County governor hopeful Hon. Waititu. How Honorable He may be is another issue but as for now let's assume that ceteris paribus.

The reason I decided to make this post is because of a previous debate we had with people at the office. I was on Waititu's side and of course watu waliamini magazeti na media.

My view of this whole issue is that Mr. Waititu did not buy all this, Media hyped it too much and tables turned politically for Mhesh for a crime he probably never committed.

Let my explain why I think Waititu is within his own line.

1.This is waititu... yes. Himself

First and foremost we must understand that this is Waititu. Kwani what did you expect of Waititu? Asking this I mean we all know his previous record and mode of operation. He's a person who serves instant justice and makes remarks as they stream in his head depending on the current situation.Go search for waititu on youtube and have a alook at his history(click here to see the search). Just like we understand many other politicians nature and personalities then I think Waititu is not an exception here given that he did not sneak into leadership. He is not even a nominated member of parliament. Think people. You never knew the person you elected?

2. This is Kayole

Kayole is not just any hood. Especially kayole regulation and justice is served differently. That's how they live. Shock me and tell me you never knew that. They have regulating forces other than just the government. Whether the government and NCC provides it's services enough in kayole enough is another issue.

3. This is Kenyan media

Kenyan media is the shadiest shadow of a country's media we'd have. They want to create a story sell newspapers and develop that story for the rest of the week while poor kenyan's give in to reading stories that don't even get to the truth of the matter.

Do we know the context in which Mhesh said what he said? most probably the locals in embakasi call the 'culprits' who do crimes 'wamasai'... In any case 'wamasai' is a common name for watchmen in eastlands. If you live in westlands or lavington you may not know that and so that definitely means tribalism to you. Moreso masai are also in TZ... is it tribalism beyond borders?

It's unfortunate that the office in the ministry of water may be vacant cause of political issues but I hope this is the beginning of the separation between government and politics. Politicians/MP's should not run governments in future 'ven though we love to vote for them whenever we get the chance.

#London2012

2012-08-12T23:51:00.000+03:00

First of all heshima zangu goes out to all the 49 athletes that represented #TeamKenya at the London Olympics 2012.It's indeed a great honor to represent your country in anyway. Hata kama you were the only one. This applies in any other event including ku twist mdomo huko states :-^ . Lot's of congrats to all athletes who did their best to at least endure to the end of their respective races. Quitters never win; so not quitting is winning in a way. Bigup.

I must also say that London was more than prepared to host the Olympics British style. Perfect information sharing, well updated site with all the info one may need upon visiting it. Moreso creating an Olympics atmosphere sio mchezo. I got it.

Back to #TeamKenya, I really think they did a good job. I personally don't like how the media reports nationally on broadcasts and print that the team has let us down. Tweeps have also been unfair in spreading the word about #TeamKenya's failure. When did we ever celebrate them enough for doing us proud in the media's standards? We should be proud of our team whether they perform or not. Their unconditionally ours and just choosing to represent the country wherever means a lot already.
Anyway as the Olympics end today, Let's purpose to welcome our heroes well without the slightest complain that someone would have done this or that. We correct what's wrong before next time not wait and tweet it when their in Brasil '14. No!
In short, Kenyans tuwe wapole.
It's just my opinion so it doesn't matter.

i hope #teamkenya doesn't sneak back into the country. this is one team we need to show our support right from the airport. down is not out.
— rombo (@rombokins) August 12, 2012

ION: Naskia kuna wazee wa suti waliamua kwenda kula mandazi london and cheruiyot's trainer was left... \_

KU Primary, been great time (1)

2012-06-22T23:13:00.000+03:00

Over the last 7 weeks I have been involved in community work. It's not optional anyway so I won't say It's what I'd have preferred to do if I was consulted.
Anyway, It's been fun teaching. I was charged with teaching class 6 maths, class 7 Science and class 8 math. Much more work I was involved in includes environmental work, P.E, PPI and some mentoring here and there. If you've been on my facebook wall or twitter you're pretty familiar with all this,
Suppervisor never showed up so please take a seat \_ to see what transpired at K.U primary

Class 6 Math class

Class 7 P.E

Look, I found where the lens is

Class 7 with pinpops after P.E

Class 7 football team

The class 7 pupils who helped clean the lib

We cleaned up the library. K.U Primary library will never be the same again

but for this boy, forgive him please

My @KCBgroup Case & Customer service manager v (Manesh)

2012-06-13T23:12:00.002+03:00

On Saturday(9th june) I logged on to KCB moi avenue. I'd come to see Customer Service manager - Janet. My first stop is the safaricom desk where phones sell themselves (There was nobody at that desk the whole morning so the conclusion). At a glance I was sure Janet was not present today. I hit up this lady next desk asking for Janet's whereabouts. Answer I got, 'Janet's no longer with us'. Whoa!
Janet had been on my case, I'd writter a letter complaining about how KCB staff (Actually the lady at the loans desk is part of these staff) had conned me into opening an account. They never contacted me later and it has since been accruing charges. Jannet was also supposed to contact me and advice on the way forward. Her failure to do this was why I was at the bank on that day.
Anyway the lady who's taken up her desk informed me that Janet had passed on that same morning.
I have since searched on twitter for her name and came across one tweet in honor of Janet.

#RIP Janet 'Manesh' Manena :-(
— Nic Wasunna (@NicWasunna) June 9, 2012

I din't know you much janet but for the little braveness i once saw you with I say Rest in Peace Janet Manesh

Janet 'Manesh' Manena

My flowers here. RIP janet

PS: @KCBgroup She was following up on my story, she dies my story dies. RIP accrued charges

This our information age is our un-doing

2012-05-31T22:04:00.000+03:00

So many people these days are know-it-alls. It seems after we discovered that nobody knows everything we went ahead and become the nobody. People these days have no respect for others knowledge or expertise. Somebody will be so quick to criticize another who's field they know nothing about. Some even go ahead and argue where they don't have facts to support their knowledge.
There are a few reasons in my opinion that lead to this ,

Listening to others speak and taking their words as your source of information. This is common along jobless corners, at the stage, in a mat or at a local.

Looking at pictures in a newspaper. Barely reading the stories or sometimes reading newspapers and adopting a writers point of view in a subject.

Ego cause you think that since you're an authority else where then you are everywhere else.

And lastly guesswork. You just wanna flow with the conversation/debate and so you keep putting your 2cents.

The information age it is, wikipedia is filled in by us and so we're the people with the knowledge.. Okay, but stick to what you know and you're sure of.

Pictures have a huge impact online

2012-05-18T21:43:00.003+03:00

Internet usage has gone up with faster connections and more coverage all over Africa. Social is for sure the main reason why we spend lot's of time online. We love to share, information, news, ideas, our feelings and most of all our photos. Pictures/photos and videos are the main reason we spend time online. In a bid to get a lot more, Online folks these days don't love lots of literature. A photo caption is enough to spread the joke which the pic should have already passed in the first place. I see photo blogs flourishing, they always get tons of comments while wordy posts 'ven though great reads may have less. see? photos communicate more.

Now this is not a repetition of your English class in standard 3, It's something you need to take into considerations the next time you're doing something online and you want to 'get traffic' to your site. Facebook bought instagr.am for quite a huge sum. There is not a direct revenue model for instagram. Twitpic is another pic repository that's gone well all in the name of pic uploads.
Think of it.... try pics

Interns, Tuko Pamoja

2012-05-14T21:50:00.001+03:00

First of all refer to my title above, Tuko pamoja.
I've been seeing interns all over my TL today wakufungua roho ati they don't get paid.

#payinterns ...who are we talking to here? as far as i'm concerned the 'interns' are talking to themselves here on twitter.
— Jackie LifestyleDiva (@thelifestylediv) May 14, 2012

Having this tweet as my support that it was interns doing the conversation, lemme Relate that to an incident that occurred recently. A woman; lady rather was complaining that they were overcharged by a mat ati because it was mid-day and therefore the price should be 50 not 80. The thing is this lady had already gotten to her destination and if anything, before boarding the mat she was aware of the day's 'hiked fare'. So who's fooling who. You agree into something and then later complain that you deserved more...
If you should listen to somebody seeking to get a job, they go so low the employers have the last laughter. They are always willing to get a job even with no pay. The logic here is " I'll get experience and that will be my selling point on my next job". Same thing has flocked our design and dev market. The so-called upcoming developers are badly willing to do work for free or say at a throw (far) away charge. That's good because you will have reference on your portfolio to push you to the next job. But look at the flip-side of it, what if it goes sour and professionally done work (plus paid for) is better and your first 'CSR client' doesn't need your free service. Or maybe you don't get good publicity from your CSR client. Shall you again complain that clients are taking advantage of designers or whatever-you-are?

Anyway my fellow interns as we wait upon Atwoli to pass on our message to the relevant authorities, my stand is firm; tuko pamoja.

Unlimited this unlimited that

2012-05-04T00:00:00.002+03:00

Earlier this week Dan and I had a heated debate. Both of us were right I think only that we din't have a better thing to do. Dan thinks that the concept of unlimited exists. He very much enjoys having his 'unlimited internet'... for the sake. From my view this is just the concept that since it's unlimited, you get more than you paid for and so it ends up being too worth. Saying it badly, I think people who love unlimited are in it for misuse and not for the convenience. Think of it as an earning,

So on Monday Safaricom woke up to kind of prove my view of this debate. They discontinued their so called unlimited service. What happened to the unlimited here?? The subscribers went up against safaricom's initial plans. There's nothing as unlimited internet. Let alone internet; there's no resource that is unlimited.
The reality is that even if they continued to offer the service the unlimited users would sooner begin feeling the drag in the service.

On unlimited still, there's these hosting sellers who sell with the same catch.. Unlimited. Often when a client pings us for hosting space and we tell them of the 'limited space'; they go around comparing with other hosting. We never hear of them again... reason: they found an unlimited plan for the same price.

i love money anyway and on that note i'm off to change my hosting plans
happy month y'all

An idea age

2012-04-24T17:17:00.002+03:00

People all over are talking about ideas. Everybody these days has an idea in their mind.Some have many ideas. Good ideas. A friend of mine on facebook says everything they've thought of has already been implemented on an app.

"Every time I have an idea for a new App, I discouver that ten people already created something just like it." ~ George Harrison. Oyier 2012

Those who've made it had ideas. They just did not stop at that. When they implemented them then the difference in their ideas was manifested even when they seemed to have one idea. Youtube & vimeo are two similar video repositories. They however have differences that are distinct to their users. Facebook & Twitter yet being social platforms are so different. The users know that. The founders Jack & Mark had ideas which at the idea stage would have sounded similar. There'd have been people saying/asking why we need two social platforms. They'd even probably have suggested the two meet up and come up with 'One bigger social network'. Are we not seeing other players coming up as late as today.
Same thing applies to our ideas today. Somebody(person A) asked how m-health(an app that was being developed my one Joseph Mokaya) was different to medkenya (App by mbugua njihia & so and so). Someone else(person B) asked why WapiDamu(an initiative to help source for blood-donors) as opposed to WanaDamu(an initiative to get the blood-donors by person B's pals). Both personA and B were only shielding their friends as the 'originator' of that particular idea.We get ideas and we're so quick to shield others from coming up with an idea with similarities to ours saying that they copied 'our' idea. #Fail.

Ideas are from God i say. Let's accept that everybody else has and learn to work with those whose idea is like ours.

.....just my idea

Innovation needs no Incubation, I think

2012-04-21T22:35:00.000+03:00

Have you realized how apps that win competitions go nowhere? And as if that's not enough, do you know how judges decide the winner? Presentation. A lot of money is floating in the everywhere waiting to be won in the next competition. In fact Myself if I had money to sponsor an event, I would. At least to remain relevant against my competitors. I think we're training presenters as opposed to innovators.So, is this what we're calling innovation? I know and you also can give examples of individuals and groups who appear on every next competition with an idea/app and actually take home a runners up prize if not win it. Seems we/you created a career for presenters at the expense of innovators. Now let me be honest, most of the applications that don't win in competitions make most business sense or at least could be changed a little to work? And this means that they are sustainable solutions to the existing problems. That to me would be innovation

Let's come to my main point.

They are doing it. Innovation is acted on.

Innovation needs no Incubation. The successful ones did not need it; neither will the successful future ones need it. Innovation should be sustainable. I/We know of PesaPal & Cheki. See what they're doing? Compare that to KamataKab or even Mfarm. I'll not mention the detailed weaknesses but you know M-farm has kind of changed their model severally.

As for KamataKab, the last tweet they ever had that would be relevant to implementing it was on january 5th and it was to wish it's audience a happy new year.

Happy new year people

— kamatakab (@kamatakab) January 5, 2012

These apps/ideas who won an iPad, money or just something else never go far beyond the publicity they get from winning. No pun intended but by now you get what I meant to put across

Here's a link i'd suggest you go read and understand more on this.

http://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/are-social-impact-innovations-distracting-kenya-from-real-business/15968/

Call this my lucky google day

2012-04-21T00:17:00.003+03:00

I've waited for this day for quite sometime. A day when I'm able to advertise on my blog. Not that it's something big, but your Technical team thinks it is. In fact, I already have another ad sense account but trying to use it on this blog always results to closing it. Reason... unacceptable content. I must say anyway that I'm glad to finally be able to advertise after all that struggle. I know I won't probably make lots of mullah(read money) from that (apart from my clicks) but at least my friends will believe and see I'm making something :). Point Home.

Secondly I must say I'm liking the new google. I honestly did not read the terms of use for it but I'm liking it so far so it's okay regardless of the last statement 'we reserve the right to change the terms at any time with no prior notification'. I like the sidebar on the right that gives easy access to simple publishing tools such as scheduling and labels(tags in wp)

Blogger, i must say has been such a hard blogging platform to navigate. The overall simplicity of blogger on this day makes it such a lucky one for my. I do believe at this rate I'll be at peace with less FAQ's (oops wrong link).

It's pretty late here so i'm out.. enjoy the rest of your day

@PataSQ's mention on DN

2012-04-16T23:01:00.003+03:00

I'd post this on SQ Blog but due to the un suitability of the truth in here I'd

rather 'hide' it here. On Sunday My project(PataSQ) and I was mentioned in the newspaper(BUZZ pg. 5) on how we're innovating to touch lives and make better use of technology within colleges & universities. For once I'd found myself running in town looking for a newspaper to see what was said about me. I must say it felt nice to get texts and calls of congratulations after having pushed the idea for half a year now. Having been mentioned in the newspaper has a way of massaging one's ego in such a way you'd buy two newspapers and keep them and on top of that scan it so that you keep it in digital. Well that is Good.

For me however that meant something else . That I have to gear up and do much more to keep touching lives with what I can. PataSQ is an app that is fairly young and at a very initial stage. It's not something that will be making money in the near future. I however hope to pair with like minds and make the best out of the outcome. More so the publicity arising from that will make more people willing to come on board and offer help on the same or other projects I'm working on- Good.

As an important milestone, PataSQ will head forward unto greater heights but I'll continue targeting students and the like.

app nomenclature - a dull pattern

2012-04-11T11:43:00.004+03:00

This post has been long overdue. Over time I have followed the trend in naming apps and it's clearly a pattern. Have a look at a list I came up with from various sites. These are 'upcoming' apps or recent start-ups based on apps.

mCollector
mPermit
M-Tafiti
MyBusiness App
SMS Offline and Online virtual Market place
Andromaid
FarmPal
mpoultry
MPrep
Crowdpesa
I travel
mTracker
m-verified
Cloudmatatu
cloud governor
[the list is endless... not really but it is long]

And now my point, Over the last few years of what I think of as 'the mobile revolution' in eastafrica (more specifically in Kenya) There has been many apps and app competitions.

Don't you think that these apps have names that are techie? saying m-something or crowd-something or cloud-something does not relate to a basic user.

Maybe a user would think that cloud- something is an app for meteorology.
The i and the m also are not exactly the best names for the apps from wanjiku's side but we seem to like them cause other techies clap for us and they don't need lot's of explaining to know what 'our' idea was.
Don't get shocked to hear two apps with the same name but none copied the other's; Reason- our app-naming follows an obvious style. I can guess the next matatu app that wins any competition will be called 'm-matatu' or 'm-nganya' and if not it's something close to that, or maybe it already exists. Then utapata domain yako imesha kuwa registered. Or worse you start saying somebody copied your idea. (see patahao & patasq).

So please as you name your next app, consider wanjiku. Won't you? it's also a good idea to have a name that can have a global effect.

PS: Don't mistake me for saying that they're bad apps. Some of these apps are doing well apart from winning competitions. A book shall not be judged by it's cover... but a better cover won't hurt.

The new Kenyan Dev

2012-04-01T21:46:00.002+03:00

Techies- members of the tech cult. You will see them, everywhere in town. A sign of one is a bag-pack on their back. That's a laptop they're carrying back there. Quite a healthy practice to walk with weights all over in town. Of these techies there is coders and non-coding techies. I'll blog about the coding ones and leave the rest for another day.

These are of two types

CODERS COPY & PASTE(C-ctrl+ctrlv): These are the fortunate ones to discover google. They somehow learnt that whenever you consult google, you will always get free code for whatever you want. They are bright and are propelled by a middle's man spirit (or brokers mindset - for lack of a worse word). They are genius and at the slightest eavesdrop of an idea, they are quick to look for the REAL coders to 'work with them' on the same <== not so cool. This is just the era of 'bus-stop entrepreneurs' who earn from 'filling a bus/mat'. The work done by the same is nil but they feel they deserve a pay for making people board a mat.smh! C&P coders are no better.

CODERS-from scratch(CFS): These appreciate that coding is a practice of creativity and the more you subject yourself to coding the better it feels to be called a coder. They are mostly pushed by obsession to learn and create stuff from what they've learnt. They understand what they're doing and are what everybody is looking for.

I'd thought of creating a company/group/movement called from-scratch ™ where only people who do stuff from scratch synergize (work together).

Interestingly, Coders from scratch are not many and everybody is looking for them. Among these few coders many don't have resources (The needed for them to get up and do stuff). On the other side the C&P geniuses are highly alert with all it takes to be in the know of an idea that could be floating in the hands of an ignorant genius. smh!

Seriously if you think we can start something ping me and let me know what.

PS: CFS can check out africacoders a real coders repository coming up soon. Let's build solutions that touch lives. I am btw ;)

Like us,me OR them

2012-03-28T17:02:00.003+03:00

Case1 : Somebody created a page on facebook. It's their personal fanpage. They are your friend and so they asked you to 'like' their page. You had to in order to maintain you relationship, sorry :-\ (you had to like)

Case 2 : Your other friend recently started a start-up and on the day they found you online (on chat) they requested you to do the same and like their page. Mind you you don't know why, how it helps you or worse, you may not even like the page in reality but cause of friendship you liked.

Case 3 : Your friend asked you to like a page so that their chances of winning something fore referring likes would increase. You wanted them to win the prize and so you joined their quest to winning the prize (and then congratulate them later)- not bad that's being a well wisher.

The word like-verb according to the dictionary on reference.com means to find agreeable of to take pleasure in. Recently there's been an increased craving of people wanting likes on Facebook pages.Don't mistake me for trying to tell you not to obey your 'friends' favor requests, they are your friends whom you choose.

My beef, if any, would be on the owners of the pages. I know you're happy counting likes and that translates to a wider audience and eventually you have a platform to influence others.

There are a few reasons why this won't work for the people who wanted likes from anybody

1. Interests: The people who end up in the sum of your 'likes' have no interests there. Don't market beef to vegetarians please.

2. Adverts: There are adverts and on Facebook they can be targeted to a people with a certain interest. Your adverts will always end up with the wrong kind of people who liked a page but in reality have not the slightest interests similar with the liked pages.

3. Growth: I like to think, "Rome was not built in a day". The part of this which i like is that there's the joy that is brought by growth; normal growth. Getting a thousand likes a week is enjoyable but the rate of growth won't last. It matters, it gives you a history, a story to tell. There's a normal growth curve which is observed by every growing entity/Org, yours is no exceptional.

A perfect example of pushing a product users is G+, they literally registered people physically while people register themselves on twitter and continue to grow the network by word of mouth. Look at pinterest, It's become so popular yet no much effort was used to sign up users (I presume) Facebook itself grew as it's usage spread among friends.

Or simply chema chajiuza kibaya chajitembeza

So to my point, create a product or service that touches lives and the people will like it. Naturally. I will, be all ears,

JavaScript issues, care to help?

2012-03-26T15:18:00.003+03:00

This Javascript is giving me a headache,It's due in an hours time but can't seem to finish.

somebody help me out by either debugging or sharing with a friend who might be in the light of js (javascript)

I know it's a minor thing that's refusing to work but i'm drained out kabisa for now..... comment on the post anything you think can help me. thanks

here is my code

------------------------------------------------------------------

//function start is called when the start button is clicked on the page

function start(){

document.write("

Course grades ");

document.write("
course " + " grade " + " hours " );

subjects = prompt ("How many subjects?");

var i = 0;

while (i

var input=prompt("Enter Course Name, Grade and credit hours as shown in the text field below of click okay with no data to terminate.","Course/Grade/Credit hours");

if (input!=null && input!=" "){

var mySplitResult = input.split("/"); // splits the input using by the '/' positions

//assigning slit elements to variables

var course = mySplitResult[0];

var grade = mySplitResult[1];

var hours = mySplitResult[2];

document.write("
" + course + " " + grade + " " + hours );

//new variables to help calculate totals

var totalhours= +hours;

var gradepoints;

var sumpoints=0;

// conditions for calculating points according to the grade

var multiplier;

if (grade=='A' || grade =='a'){ multiplier=4;}

if (grade=='B+'|| grade =='b+'){ multiplier=3.5;}

if (grade=='B' || grade =='b'){ multiplier=3;}

if (grade=='C+'|| grade =='c+'){ multiplier=2.5;}

if (grade=='C' || grade =='c'){ multiplier=2;}

if (grade=='D' || grade =='d'){multiplier=1;}

if (grade=='F' || grade=='AF' ||grade=='WF' ||grade=='f' || grade=='af' ||grade=='wf' ){

multiplier=0;}

gradepoints= hours*multiplier;

}

var sumpoints= sumpoints+gradepoints;

i++;

}

var avpoints = sumpoints/hours;

var credithours= +hours;

var sumpoints_courses;

var GPA=sumpoints/credithours;

// outputs the course grades, gpa, total points

document.write("

total points are " + sumpoints);

document.write("
" + "number of hours = " + totalhours );

document.write("
and your GPA = " + avpoints);

document.write("");

}// end of function start

The Problem

After clicking the start button, you're asked to say the number of subjects you should input- good

It prompts you for the 5 subjects to be entered in the format 'Course/Grade/Credit hours'- good

after doing that It's supposed to compute the totals of all the subjects you entered, unfortunately it only does the computation of the last subject, care to help?

Here is an extract of the que,

Once the course grades have been stored, the page should compute the student's overall GPA. According to the XYZ University Bulletin, grade point averages are computed as follows:

1. Grade points (a.k.a. quality points) are assigned to each course based on the grade and number of credit hours:

A yields 4 points for each hour
B+ yields 3.5 points for each hour
B yields 3 points for each hour
C+ yields 2.5 points for each hour
C yields 2 points for each hour
D yields 1 point for each hour
F, AF, and WF yield 0 points for each hour

2. The grade point average (a.k.a. quality point average) is computed by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours.

For example, suppose a student entered the following course information (with each line entered in a different dialog box):

THL100 B+ 3

PHL107 A 3

ENG120 C+ 3

MTH245 A 4

CSC221 A 3

The total number of grade points earned by this student is

(3.5 * 3) + (4 * 3) + (2.5 * 3) + (4 * 4) + (4 * 3) =

10.5 + 12 + 7.5 + 16 + 12 =

58

Dividing this total by the number of credit hours completed yields a GPA of 58/16 = 3.625.

Your page should display the total number of grade points, number or hours, and GPA, as well as all of the course information in a readable form. This information should not be displayed in the page until all user input has been processed. For example,

COURSE GRADE HOURS

THL100 B+ 3

PHL107 A 3

ENG120 C+ 3

MTH245 A 4

CSC221 A 3

Total grade points = 58

Number of hours = 16

GPA = 3.625