Monthly Archive for January, 2006

Google using Ubuntu Linux internally

Published on January 31, 2006 in Info Tech. 0 Comments

Google, one of the best implementers (see Google Labs) of Information Technology on the planet, actually uses Ubuntu Linux internally. This is a huge endorsement – regardless of what anyone thinks of the Linux vs Windows debate.

I discovered this in an article which was to counteract The Register’s assertion on their website yesterday: Google at work on desktop Linux. However, according to Google’s technology spokeswoman, Sonya Borälv, “we use Ubuntu internally but have no plans to distribute it outside of the company.”

One other thing…Ubuntu is based on Debian, which is also considered a rock-solid and reliable platform. I also posted a blog entry on Xandros – another excellent desktop Linux distribution with a Debian heritage.

To conclude, Google is too busy at the moment with Google Video, GMail, Google Talk, Google Earth, and other projects to be focused on supplanting Microsoft’s stranglehold on the desktop. But if any one could do it, I’d give them the torch since everything they touch apparently turns to gold. Most importantly, they have an aura of goodwill that would be the envy of any Microsoft executive. Heck, all of its competitors!

All in all, this is great news for Linux though.

Happy computing!

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FREE Online Storage Websites – 25 Gb??

Published on January 29, 2006 in Info Tech. 2 Comments

List of online storage providers
Do you need a place in cyber space to store lots and lots of files?
Well, take a look at MindlessMj’s blog entry on iBlog.

I was quite impressed with the quality of his finds as I’m sure you’ll soon see for yourself.
For example, Streamload gives you a whopping 25 Gigabytes of storage for any type of file.
Quite frankly, I haven’t a clue how they’re making money, but who am I to ignore such a free offering? :-)

If you know of other similar online storage websites, please post a comment here so that we can all share in the find.

Enjoy!

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Free Software to Aid Poor Doctors

Published on January 15, 2006 in Info Tech. 1 Comment

Run a hospital on Open Source
I remember reading this BBC article (Free Software to Aid Poor Doctors) back in 2003 and still believe that it’s relavant today – especially now that I’m still in Africa trying to spread the FOSS (Free/Open Source Software) gospel.

To be brief and to the point, medical software that runs an entire hospital or a doctor’s office is extremely expensive. We’ve all heard horror stories about patients getting wrong drug prescriptions, etc. Or that a particular hospital is very inefficient due to the lack of a proper Hospital Information System (HIS).

Everybody’s doing it
Well, thanks once again to the spirit of the open source software movement (ie. Linux, Apache, OpenOffice, Compiere, TinyERP, SQL Ledger, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Firebird RDBMS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD and much, much more) that’s taking the planet by storm, hospital IT managers can now breathe easily knowing that top-notch medical software exists – for FREE. And this isn’t the crappy software that your grandmother probably used 10 or 20 years ago.

Instead, you’ll find doctors, medical researchers and serious software engineers who take part in these very well funded projects. The beauty of this movement is that key elements such as sharing and community take center stage over profits. Yes, it’s still important to make a profit, but I don’t believe software should be so damn expensive. It’s as though some of these software executives are trying to pay cash for a new, red Ferrari. LOL. :-)

Take Care
Although the article mentions VistA (Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture), which was commissioned by the US Department of Veterans Affairs, I still believe that Care2X (see HIS screenshots) is a better alternative since it is completely web-based and has a modern architecture incorporating some very nice wireless features. VistA, I’m told, was written in MUMPS (more info) – an outdated computer language – back in the late 70s. However, interfaces to modern computer languages have been created.

To conclude, if you are a health care practitioner, I strongly reccomend giving a look at VistA or Care2X. Why re-invent the wheel and pay a fortune when your medical buget is probably shrinking faster than our beautiful endangered tiger population?

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My NEW Video Game Idea

Published on January 13, 2006 in Info Tech and Opinions. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

Teen gamer
I remember how much of a video game junkie I was in my teen years. Me and my best friend (Steven) – at the time in grade 8 – promised our parents that we’d always stay at home, and be “good kids” (er, stay out of trouble) if they purchased video games for us. This was successful for a short period. By the way, I have to thank my very cool uncle, Conrad, for giving me my very first video game console made by Atari. He’d always bring me cool presents whenever he was able to get some free time off from the US Navy cruising around the world on the USS Saipan. I presume defending “liberty.” :-)

Kids will be kids
Well, I quickly got bored after a while since my childhood involved playing lots of basketball, floor hockey, and ping pong after school in Ottawa – mostly at the Bayshore Country Club. Or if I was in Barbados, I’d stay after school until dark playing marbles with my classmates. If that wasn’t the case, I’d be destroying the competition on my road tennis (invented on the island in the 1930s) court that I built on the “road” next to my dad’s house in Black Rock (St. Michael). Aaah, the good ole days. You sort of know it’s the end of the line when your “friends” come over to your house and beat you – badly – on your own damn video game. How embarrassing!

Show me the money!
Now, fast forward to 2006 and you’ll realise that the video game industry is worth a whopping US $10 billion. I’m told that’s even bigger than the very superficial Hollywood movie industry. Now hold your breath for a moment. According to Hollywood Reporter, “new shifts in the distribution of entertainment through wireless and online global markets will propel the worldwide video game market to $55.6 billion in 2008, speeding ahead at an impressive 20.1% compound annual growth rate.” In all honesty, I’ve been racking my brains trying to come up with a concept that has mass appeal, yet is somehow completely original – more or less.

Eureka! I think I just may have found a very good video game plot. Thanks once again to visiting Africa (okay, Kenya!), my creative juices have been over-flowing as I see tons of opportunities over here. Heck, my DynaMIND (an adaptation of the Silva Method invented by Jose Silva) instructors – Johnathan Kramer & Janet MacDonald – would be tickled pink.

The plot’s the thing
So, what the heck does the game involve? Well, I can’t say much right now but it involves animals – especially those on the endangered list. Furthermore, it involves scenery from every wildlife sanctuary or national park in Africa along with footage from the world’s most famous zoos. This will give the player the ability to, well, change scenery so that he/she doesn’t get bored. But the best part of the game is the plot, and that’s what I can’t divulge right now. However, my close confidants really, really like the concept as the plot is original and filled with sheer irony.

Okay, time for me to zipper zee lips shut! :-)

Just do it!
One thing I’ve learnt from software development is that ideas are fine and dandy, but getting the final product out the door requires a healthy dose of discipline along with savvy programmers who can also visualize experiences from the user’s perspective. In all honesty, it makes little difference how great a programmer is at C++ or the newest computer language under the sun. A better question is “does he have people skills to go with that talent?”

Oh well, I’ll be looking more into this video game concept, but I’ll keep you posted once I can figure out a ton of things in order to get the wheels in motion. Also, I’m tied up at the moment with some other short term business pursuits (a huge eCommerce web portal for Africa), so stay tuned.

Do you have any cool ideas for a video game? If you do, post them in the comments below. I’m always curious to peek the minds others.

Update: Feb 15/2006
After reading Game Developers: Get It in Writing in BusinessWeek today, I realise just how important the plot is for a video game. It appears that gun-totting players want more out of their games. According to Gladiator screenplay writer, David Franzoni, “I am looking for the motivation rather than just shooting a bunch of human figures. I need something that will take it to the next level.”
The reason why I eagerly came back and edited this blog is simply because I truly believe that my new video game idea has that motivation that Franzoni is talking about. Now I’m getting excited!

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iBURST: The Future of Wireless Broadband in Africa?

Published on January 11, 2006 in Africa, Info Tech, Solutions and Technology. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

The future is wireless
Hi there!
How’s 2006 coming along for you so far?
Today, I have seen the future.

I have some very exciting news to share with you in the wireless broadband arena. I’m sure you’ve heard all the rage (or hoopla) about WiFi (define) and WiMAX (define). Right? Well, add iBURST to your vocabulary – courtesy of the savvy engineers at Japan’s Kyocera Group.

I’m convinced this technology would be perfect for many regions in Africa considering how costly it is to dig and install fibre for broadband Internet access. Furthermore, this is the correct solution for small islands like my homeland, Barbados, which is only 166 square miles and relatively flat. This is why I’m so excited!

iBurst draws first blood against WiMAX in Africa
In a nutshell, iBURST gives you fast wireless Internet access – anywhere, 24/7 – without any complicated requirements. Aaah, simplicity at work. :-)
Best of all, the technology uses the licensed 1.7 Ghz frequency, which means that your connections will never have any interference with other wireless technologies – unlike WiFi (also known as 802.11).

All I can say is “seeing is believing.” Thanks to a buddy (Gunnar Hillgartner) of mine who works at Africa Online, I was able to get a bird’s eye view of their new infiNet Broadband Wireless service offering. Again, I have to stress how simple it was to connect and start surfing on the Net.

All Gunnar did was insert a tiny PCMCIA (define) card into his Sony Vaio laptop, start up the Access Manager application, and he was surfing the Net at around 128 Kb/s (Note: other foreign ISPs provide 256K, 512K, and 1 Mb iBURST access). Then he proceeded to lauch Skype – my favourite VoIP (define) application – and had a crystal clear conversation with his parents in Puerto Rico.

No complications, no silly configuration headaches…nada. This is the way wireless broadband technology ought to work. Most importantly, customers will always beat a path to the doors of companies like Africa Online who can provide such an easy path to high speed wireless Internet access.

Advantage: You, the customer
If I were part of the management team at Telkom Kenya, I’d be looking over my back because the competition just got a little stiffer, and much more competitive. Chalk one up for the little guy! :-)

Another reason I’m so keen on iBURST (and WiMAX technologies) is because there are lots of rural areas in Canada that would benefit from it. Most of the time, the telcos and cable TV operators don’t bother to service these areas that are 30 minutes travel outside the big markets. And don’t forget, Canada is the 2nd largest country in the world with a population hovering around 30 million people. It just isn’t cost effective to wire most of these rural areas. I understand that.

Well, I’ll be meeting with some other folks at Africa Online to delve in more about the technology and what is required to implement it in other parts of the globe. I’m told that it’s in their best interest to see iBURST installed and used around the world so that it’d be easy for customers from similar wireless ISPs to “roam” since the hardware is the same.

An interesting WiMAX meeting
By the way, I was invited to a presentation last month by Italy’s Selex Communications to find out more information about their upcoming WiMAX product offerings. Although it was only a PowerPoint presentation given by Annamaria Raviola (Senior VP and resident Mathematician), the implications of the company’s robust, military-grade wireless technology are huge. Having the ability to transmit any where between 30-70 Mb/s over a distance of 30-50 Km will get any one’s attention.

Once again, the customer is ultimately the winner as all of these remarkable wireless technologies compete with each other further applying pressure on incumbents like Telkom Kenya to shape up or ship out.

Stay tuned as 2006 is shaping up to be an exciting year in the wireless broadband market.

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Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya!

Published on January 9, 2006 in Africa, Info Tech, Opinions and Travel. 2 Comments Tags: , .

Home sweet home
Well, I’ve finally made it to the continent of my ancestors – even though I was born in Barbados (also see Barbados Wikepedia ) and grew up in Canada (with 3 years living in New England). Wow, talk about feeling nostalgic!

I arrived here on Nov 26/2005 – on short notice – at the request of a friend from AITEC Africa (short for Advancing ICT knowledge in Africa). My task – if I chose to accept it – was to observe the IT climate in the region as we met with representatives in the business and government sectors whom are both progressive, and seeking Canadain solutions (ERP, eBusiness, eGovernment, etc.) to their many IT needs.

In addition, I was the technical member of the team meaning that I was mandated to use my diverse IT background (and experiences) as a point of reference when looking for potential opportunities that others would not recognize, or when simply conversing with any one willing to listen.

Africa is open for business
Suffice to say, I was blown away!
There are, literally, tons of business opportunities (wireless broadband, networking, IT security, content management, eBusiness/eGovernment, web/intranet portals, application development, SMS/WAP mobile solutions, and much more) in East Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda) that my counterparts in Canada are not even aware of.

Where’s Canada?
I truly believe that a big part of the lack in Canadian business identity over here is due to the 800 pound gorilla South of our border. In other words, Canadian companies are too focused on the American market, which can create serious problems when our neighbor sneezes (ie. billions of dollars lost in sales due to Mad Cow and unfair tarrifs on Canadian lumber). Furthermore, we’re also competing with other foreign companies looking to get a bigger slice of America pie (pun intended).

Meet the Professor
The highlight of my trip so far has got to be meeting Professor Tom Vassos (University of Toronto MBA program; author: Strategic Internet Marketing) who made a huge impact on everyone with his lively eBusiness/eGovernment presentations. Let’s just say that some very powerful and influential people over here were all ears. Thank god he was part of the team. ;-) )

Goodbye winter!
Now, we’re fully into 2006 and I’m still here. Like I said, there’s lots to do, and I encourage more visionaries from Canada to come down and share their IT knowledge with people and companies eager to move into the IT mainstream.

I’ll keep you posted on any new developments – if the great sunny weather and beautiful scenery doesn’t permit me from doing so. :-)

Happy belated New Year BTW! :-)

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