[kictanet] Got talent? Matiang'i is looking for you

Sat Mar 22 14:47:59 EAT 2014

Ngigi I agree with you.
On 22 Mar 2014 14:21, "Ngigi Waithaka" <ngigi at at.co.ke> wrote:

> There are few global pure-play mobile firms that are profitable and/or
> cash flow positive. Its really really hard to get the Internet to pay for
> something and without resorting to the old-age game of advertising and in
> which case you will need numbers north of 100M Users to be taken seriously.
>
> In order to get to those level of users, you would need to invest in a few
> billion shillings to get things moving in terms of advertising as well as
> the hosting these applications.
>
> So, while we hear of Twitter, WhatsApp and other successful mobile firms,
> it would be wise to know that without a solid funding background to these
> non-profit making companies, they wouldn't be there.
>
> Now, where does that money to invest in these firms come from? It comes
> from those American firms such as IBM, HP, Intel, CISCO, Google, Symantec,
> Amazon; solid companies that are making products that users actually get
> their hard earned cash to pay for.
>
> So, if you would ask me, we would need first to create our own industry
> first, with applications that the market is actually paying for (e.g The
> Ksh 15B GoK Enterprise Service Market) before we get to investing in
> applications that are built first then someone figures out how to make cash
> later.
>
> The problem as I have seen in the local market is the tendency to just
> build applications for the sake of it and that ultimately no one will pay
> anything for.
>
> And finally, enterprise applications (what you maybe be call server side)
> are those applications that actually help someone in their work. Their
> delivery modes are vast (desktops, tablets, phones etc) They are basically
> applications that a user would pay for.
>
> So while MPesa rans on mobile phones its actually an enterprise
> application if you just think what goes on behind the scenes and as you
> look for the revenue model.
>
> So before we get to start yet another competition to review the best
> dating app, let look at the fact that there are companies in this country
> that are already paying billions for certain applications, and if there are
> good local options, they wouldn't mind buying local.
>
> My point is, lets invest first-and-foremost in applications that have a
> ready market, that the market is already paying for, before we start
> applications that even the market hasn't figured out yet how to make them
> commercially viable.
>
> Regards
> Waithaka Ngigi
>
>
> On Sat, Mar 22, 2014 at 1:30 PM, Phares Kariuki <pkariuki at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> John,
>>
>> You forget that mobile focuses on delivery. No real computing happens on
>> mobile. Facebook runs massive data centers to compliment it's mobile
>> offering. So does Google, to complement android. M-Pesa had to get capacity
>> in rack space. Mobile is but a delivery tool. The argument that we should
>> focus on mobile is akin to saying that we should scrap universities
>> (knowledge 'producers') and focus on printing presses, because people read
>> books.
>>
>> Most mobile applications are hollow at best without infrastructure.
>>
>> Think about it all the leaders in mobile Instagram, Amazon, Apple,
>> Facebook, Safaricom have massive compute capacity (Instagram leases from
>> amazon). We on the other hand only want to focus on delivery.
>>
>>
>> Sent from my mobile device, excuse brevity
>>
>> On 22 Mar 2014, at 13:22, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Hi Kieti,
>> How comes none of these thousands of software developers are supplying
>> even a single solution to government. How comes government services are
>> barely available to the millions of Kenyans via mobile?
>>
>> See our drift, government should be removing barriers and improving
>> service delivery for all.
>>
>> Also, what was the role of governments in the likes of Angry Birds, King
>> (Candy Crush Saga) and Facebook, beyond providing an enabling environment -
>> which we don't do here.
>>
>> On Saturday, 22 March 2014, John Kieti <jkieti at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Phares, Ngigi, Conrad
>>>
>>> Your focus and preference for server side and enterprise desktop mode
>>> solutions is very much appreciated.
>>>
>>> However the thousands of local software developers getting into the
>>> system will not fit into just that pie of the value chain you are in for
>>> now. More so, 30m+ mobile subscribers is no small market place for software
>>> entrepreneurs. And nowadays the computer does not have to be on your desk
>>> or lap, in fact most computers among Kenyans are mobile phones. It is not
>>> bad for policy to at least direct the youth towards the opportunity in
>>> mobile.
>>>
>>> You'll recall that its a global market place and some of the kids we
>>> deride for writing the so called "mVitus" are earning thee figure dollar
>>> checks monthly from downloads and ads in india, brazil etc. They just wont
>>> shout that aloud. More importantly though M-Pesa is seven years old. Many
>>> mobile solutions targeting local/regional problems will not mature as soon
>>> as we impatiently expect. We're only 3-4 years into the "mobile craze" and
>>> most serious attempts are not over 3 years old. There's no short cuts to
>>> developing competitive advantages - even in mobile, give it time. If you
>>> are not convinced yet, try the ringtone market and premium SMS services.
>>> Its a whole big economy out there, with big money changing hands, and its
>>> all mobile!
>>>
>>> That said, what would you rather the CS did about local enterprise
>>> desktop based solutions and server side services?
>>>
>>> Have a nice weekend.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sat, Mar 22, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Rad! <conradakunga at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm mystified as well at this obsession with mobile apps.
>>>>
>>>> Not that we should not to them, but there is so much opportunity in
>>>> other sectors - infrastructure, cloud computing, enterprise applications,
>>>> content management that Kenya can not only benefit from, but we can be
>>>> competitive globally.
>>>>
>>>> Looks like mobile apps will be this regime's Pashas & BPOs
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Mar 22, 2014 at 12:14 PM, Phares Kariuki <pkariuki at gmail.com>wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> A fairly narrow view of the technology sector. It's not all mobile.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my mobile device, excuse brevity
>>>>>
>>>>> On 22 Mar 2014, at 04:56, Grace Githaiga <ggithaiga at hotmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/m/story.php?articleID=2000107530&story_title=Got-talent-Matiangi-is-looking-for-you
>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
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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
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> My Blog - www.gmeltdown.com
>>> '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
>>> The ordinary just won't do
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> with Regards:
>>
>> blog.denniskioko.com <http://www.denniskioko.com/>
>>
>>
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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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>>
>> 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.
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *Regards,*
>
> *Wait**haka Ngigi*
> Chief Executive Officer | Alliance Technologies | MCK Nairobi Synod
> Building
> T + 254 (0) 20 2333 471 |Office Mobile: +254 786 28 28 28 | M + 254 737
> 811 000
> www.at.co.ke
>
>
>
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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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