[kictanet] The role of the "open" in innovation in Africa

Wed May 18 14:16:03 EAT 2016

Hi ,

It goes without saying that Piracy has worked against the use of Free
and Open Source Software. Unfortunately this may also have resulted in
negative uptake of local software since it is meant to be more
affordable but cannot compete against the Pirated Copies. Same old
story.

Best Regards

On 5/18/16, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet
<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
> I would say partly for 2 reasons but I would love to hear from the rest:
>
>    1. Not only development but also adoption of open systems is very low
>    locally.
>    2. In terms of Awareness I think in general how people are aware of
>    their pear initiatives is also something that needs to be greatly worked
>    on. The innovation scene needs to move beyond the confines of WhatsApp
>    groups and mailing lists and find ways to get pro bono / value add (at
> no
>    cost implications) mass media engagement with target demographic (Break
> the
>    silos).
>
> Ahmed
>
> On Wed, May 18, 2016 at 1:10 PM, WANGARI KABIRU <wangarikabiru at yahoo.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>> Warm Greetings,
>>
>> With all the concurrence that there is something here, then why do we
>> have
>> low visibility on whatever is happening locally.
>>
>> I recall mention of Microsoft BaaS as being popular; since others may
>> work
>> "on-top of it".
>> Does this help the local Tech to dip their fingers into this work or
>> there
>> is much more?
>>
>> Be blessed.
>>
>> Regards/Wangari
>>
>> ---
>> Pray God Bless. 2013Wangari circa - "Being of the Light, We are Restored
>> Through Faith in Mind, Body and Spirit; We Manifest The Kingdom of God on
>> Earth".
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------
>> On Wed, 18/5/16, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke> wrote:
>>
>>  Subject: Re: [kictanet] The role of the "open" in innovation in Africa
>>  To: wangarikabiru at yahoo.co.uk
>>  Cc: "Ahmed Mohamed Maawy" <ultimateprogramer at gmail.com>, "Evans Ikua" <
>> ikua at lpakenya.org>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <
>> kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>  Date: Wednesday, 18 May, 2016, 10:16
>>
>>  Totally...
>>  Evans any word? :)
>>
>>  On Wed, May 18, 2016 at
>>  10:12 AM, Barrack Otieno <otieno.barrack at gmail.com>
>>  wrote:
>>  Hi
>>  Ahmed,
>>
>>
>>
>>  We actually have an open source advocacy forum though it has
>>  not been
>>
>>  very active of late. The Linux Professional Association of
>>  Kenya. The
>>
>>  Chair is Evans Ikua. Maybe its time  to reinvigorate it.
>>
>>
>>
>>  Best Regards
>>
>>
>>
>>  On 5/18/16, Ahmed Mohamed Maawy via kictanet
>>
>>  <kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>
>>  wrote:
>>
>>  > If we follow closely the topic of BlockChain we may
>>  stumble upon a blog
>>
>>  > post
>>
>>  > <
>> http://bithub.co.ke/2016/05/15/the-blockchain-opportunity-in-africa-ideas-concepts-implementation/
>> >
>>
>>  > by BitHub Africa with the
>>  following excerpt:
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > *Make no mistake Bitcoin and its underlying
>>  Blockchain technology will
>>
>>  > disrupt the current
>>  financial order that currently has Banking institutions
>>
>>  > sitting at the top of the food chain. Incumbents who
>>  fail to understand and
>>
>>  > implement strategies risk being rendered irrelevant
>>  akin to the manner in
>>
>>  > which Kodak was rendered irrelevant by the advent of
>>  Digital Cameras.
>>
>>  > Indeed Kenyan Banks have already had a taste of this
>>  with the arrival in
>>
>>  > 2004 of M-Pesa the Mobile Money platform that
>>  revolutionized the way
>>
>>  > Kenyans transfer money and pay for services within the
>>  country. Already it
>>
>>  > is estimated that 40% of Kenya’s Gross Domestic
>>  Platform is transacted on
>>
>>  > this platform. Banks and other financial institutions
>>  will need to evolve
>>
>>  > once again to keep up with this global
>>  trend.*
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > A good discussion to have is how can Open Technologies
>>  boost the adoption
>>
>>  > of technology and even enhance innovation in the
>>  eco-system? I think
>>
>>  > Microsoft also adopting Openness (Open Source
>>  Technology Development) is a
>>
>>  > huge statement on the potential open technology has to
>>  the future of
>>
>>  > innovation.
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > This topic is broad. And BlockChain is just one small
>>  player in the
>>
>>  > eco-system of open services and open source
>>  products.
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > The question we may ask is how do we as an African
>>  demographic and the
>>
>>  > leaders of the Technology eco-system educate and
>>  promote the potential open
>>
>>  > technologies (be they open source applications, or open
>>  services, etc) to
>>
>>  > boost the next generation of technology innovators?
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > I would love to see this lead to the setup of an Open
>>  Source Advocacy Forum
>>
>>  > / Group or something. :)
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > --
>>
>>  > *Ahmed Maawy*
>>
>>  > Executive Director -
>>  SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
>>
>>  > Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>
>>  > Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>
>>  > Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>
>>  > (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>
>>  > Skype: ultimateprogramer
>>
>>  >
>>
>>  > swahilibox.co.ke
>>
>>  > www.okfn.org <http://okfn.org/>
>>
>>  > startupgrind.com
>>
>>  > ajplus.net
>>
>>  > www.everylayer.com
>>
>>  >
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  --
>>
>>  Barrack O. Otieno
>>
>>  +254721325277
>>
>>  +254733206359
>>
>>  Skype: barrack.otieno
>>
>>  PGP ID: 0x2611D86A
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>  --
>>  Ahmed
>>  Maawy
>>  Executive Director - SwahiliBox /
>>  M-Power (CBO)
>>  Ambassador - Open Knowledge
>>  Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
>>  Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
>>  (KE) +254 714 960 627
>>  Skype:
>>  ultimateprogramer
>>
>>  swahilibox.co.ke
>>  www.okfn.org
>>  startupgrind.com
>>  ajplus.net
>>  www.everylayer.com
>>
>>
>>  -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> *Ahmed Maawy*
> Executive Director - SwahiliBox / M-Power (CBO)
> Ambassador - Open Knowledge
> Director - Startup Grind Mombasa
> Software Developer - AJ+ / EveryLayer
> (KE) +254 714 960 627
> Skype: ultimateprogramer
>
> swahilibox.co.ke
> www.okfn.org <http://okfn.org/>
> startupgrind.com
> ajplus.net
> www.everylayer.com
>

-- 
Barrack O. Otieno
+254721325277
+254733206359
Skype: barrack.otieno
PGP ID: 0x2611D86A