[kictanet] Why is KRA (Customs) Application is Hard-Wired Microsoft?

[S.M. Muraya]

First, to agree with Walu, the system needs to be updated....

Even Microsoft is trying to kill IE 6.0.,, http://www.ie6countdown.com/

That said, Agosta has noted my thoughts precisely.

An extranet is a system opened by the supplier / or authority (KRA in this
case) which licenses the vendors / custom agents to access its systems. It
is about affordable control (of licensed vendors) not about accessibility
by the general public.

http://www.kra.go.ke/pdf/publications/manifestmanual.pdf

If the "2005" in the Simba System, refers to the year it was released to
market, it explains why the system would be IE based.

Unlike in 2011 where IE (desktop browser) market share is about 50%, in
2005 it was over 80%...

Who does not know, DATA ENTRY / ACCESS in the typical customs / import /
export / pharma / miraa / piracy business, run by non technical people in
Kenya, uses Windows Desktops NOT Linux (Ubuntu) like some ISP /Telco or
Macs like some design or media shop / department?

So why not target the 85% or so who used IE or their desktops in 2005?


On Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 12:45 AM, Agosta Liko <agostal at gmail.com> wrote:

> Walu
>
> for code that sits behind a firewall or in an extranet ("closed"
> environment) it is common practice to write for one platform and version ...
>
> The logic is as follows - if you write and test on IE6 then all the
> browser compatibility tests are for only one platform ... a client will
> usually opt for this because they are getting billed for each man hour
> testing and maintaining
>
> So if each browser and version testing = 200 hours --- then you pick one
> browser and one version and standardize across the organisation
>
> So maybe the winning bidder only had 1 browser :)
>
>  On Mon, Nov 28, 2011 at 6:26 PM, Walubengo J <jwalu at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>  I was at JKIA cargo this morning trying to get in some cargo.  Ofcourse
>> it is still a nightmare operation but eventually I got some Agent to help
>> out and we sat down at his office to key the data into the Kenya Revenue
>> (Simba System).
>>
>> For some reason, his Microsoft-Explorer was giving him some trouble so I
>> told him to just try the Firefox instead. Believe it or not- the KRA system
>> screamed at him and said "YOU CAN ONLY USE MICROSOFT INTERNET EXPLORER ver
>> 6 AND ABOVE!!!!". What??
>>
>> Folks, if this is not intimidation, tell me what is. Who in the 21st
>> Century writes software ONLY for one platform?  Software today should be
>> read from your Windows/Linux/Android/Mac/etc/ Platforms.  It should be
>> accessible from your laptop, smart-phone, dump-phone,tv/etc. Now how comes
>> a critical public system is ONLY accessible through Microsoft platform?  I
>> am not against Microsoft - I still use alot of it at a corporate level;
>> HOWEVER, we cannot allow a Publicly Procured system to be tied to a single
>> platform.(review procurement rules).     I recall one Lister raising this
>> issue 3years ago and I thought it had been addressed!
>>
>> Either the PS Ndemo + eGovt Sec, Dr. Getao helps us out or we task Steve
>> Mutoro to open a file on this issue. Forcing clearing agents to BUY
>> Microsoft products (when they can use a free one)  to clear goods for
>> customers is not a proper way of developing a country.
>>
>> walu.
>>
>>
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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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