[kictanet] Fwd: Open Data - Where does it sit?

Thu Jul 14 11:22:32 EAT 2011

Americans always say "there is no good deed that goes unpunished".

Ndemo.

> I still think that we are still seeing the trees and not the forest.
>
> In the larger scheme of things the fact that the data is not hosted here
> and
> running on kenyan infrastructure and systems *RIGHT NOW* is not an issue.
> True, at some point it would be nice if it did, but I don't think in the
> light of developments this is an urgently pressing requirement.
>
> The important thing is that the data is being availed.
>
> To spur innovation and creativity I would encourage the ICT board to put
> in
> place some sort of competition to encourage creative and innovative use of
> the data itself. This is what we need *right now*. It doesn't require
> infrastructure of capital investment or anything along those lines. It
> just
> requires innovation, focus and a laptop. Is within the reach of literally
> millions of Kenyans and not a few dozen.
>
> To borrow from the Bible before attending to logs in eyes, let us deal
> with
> specks.
>
> I would suggest some sort of competition with prizes that encourage
> developers to come up with innovative ways to use the OpenData content -
> mashups, visualization, models, maps etc in various sectors
>
>    - Health
>    - Government
>    - Education
>    - Finance
>    - etc
>
> Let developers run wild with ideas and in a couple of months award the
> best
> and add an Applications section to the OpenData website where shortlisted
> applications and eventual winners can have their apps hosted.
>
> This is what Kenya needs right now.
>
> Breaking our necks to host the data locally right now in the larger scheme
> of things is hardly a priority.
>
> Suppose hypothetically speaking we did this by next week. So what? What is
> the point of hosting it locally and nothing is done with the data? To
> prove
> a point?
>
> Good people, let us solve immediate priorities first.
>
> On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 10:47 PM, aki <aki275 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Dear Paul, Thank you for the response.
>>
>> Kindly find some comments inline for some further discussion. :-)
>>
>> On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 8:12 PM, Paul Kukubo <pkukubo at ict.go.ke> wrote:
>>
>>> I would like to shift the discussion if I may to what people can do
>>> with the data? What data is missing? how citizens are using it. What
>>> possible value additions we can have?
>>>
>>
>> I hope you've added my request for the debt datasets.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Socrata.com is an online hosted service that enables data to be
>>> visualized to enable graphs and charts and data comparisons with ease.
>>> This visualization is what gives meaning to the data in a way that the
>>> common citizens can view it. The benefits of doing this quickly for
>>> launch and citizen access far outweigh the cost of waiting for the
>>> time it would have taken for us to develop a similar online
>>> application locally. One the same website we have published the same
>>> lists of data in their original formats.
>>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Indeed we have spoken to many software developers who have suggested
>>> that they can replicate this The data is there for anyone to replicate
>>> it on any website. What we have indicated to software developers is to
>>> take the plunge into imagining solutions that are based on have access
>>> to that data.  This is where the greatest value is.
>>>
>>> The issue of local hosting has our attention and we will resolve it,
>>> not just with a local data centre, that is not the limitation, but the
>>> replication of a similar online tool to visualize the data.
>>>
>>> This campaign has to be about the benefits of open data. Knowledge,
>>> empowerment, commerce entrepreneurship, citizen participation. By
>>> crusading for, lobbying and obtaining data that was previously only in
>>> thick books, PS Dr Ndemo has broken ground for us. By launching this
>>> HE President Kibaki has demonstrated Kenya's commitment to citizen
>>> access.
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Once the entrepreneurs developers have a system that can replicate or
>>> even improve or add value to Socrata, or even improve on Socrata and
>>> Google's public data tools, the hosting decisions will be easy. As an
>>> implementing agency, we are committed to working with all to make this
>>> happen. There is much to be done.
>>>
>>
>> This is the whole problem right here with a wrong approach by developing
>> countries governments. Please stop burying your heads in the sand.. How
>> can
>> Kenyan developers or companies compare developments level to match that
>> of
>> Socrata ( Most likely VC funded, development investments probably
>> running
>> into millions of dollars  )  or Google ( a multi-million dollar
>> global industry leader on its own ). How are you expecting kenyan
>> developers/companies to put literally millions of shillings into a
>> system
>> over night that there is no base foundation to build upon? The VC system
>> works in developed countries, it will not work here in the technology
>> sector, that is why there is not much happening in the software
>> development
>> sectors.  It is imperative for the Govt to be the critical catalyst in
>> early
>> stages of such projects and also provide the financial rewards for
>> creativity. When is the Govt going to announce a developer challenge for
>> the
>> creation and hosting of the replacement of the Socrata system with our
>> own
>> definitions of requirements and rollout for local companies to
>> participate
>> in the creation of the ultimate core system?
>>
>> Let this be a beginning of what the future of Kenya holds for local
>> development, which will compliment the Open Data Initiative.
>>
>>
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> The Kenya ICT Action Network (KICTANet) is a multi-stakeholder platform
> for people and institutions interested and involved in ICT policy and
> regulation. The network aims to act as a catalyst for reform in the ICT
> sector in support of the national aim of ICT enabled growth and
> development.
>
> KICTANetiquette : Adhere to the same standards of acceptable behaviors
> online that you follow in real life: respect people's times and bandwidth,
> share knowledge, don't flame or abuse or personalize, respect privacy, do
> not spam, do not market your wares or qualifications.

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