Software Freedom 2009.
Date: Saturday 19 September 2009
Place: Department of Science and Technology, Pretoria
Time: 09:00 - 15:00
Go learn about open source software.
There will be tons of helpfull people around doing all sorts of interesting things to demonstrate the full capabilities of open source software.If you have ever had any questions about open source software then this will be the place to find the answers.
Lots of fun to be had!
Click if you need a map.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Open Source
I have recently joined the open source community in SA. I have also started another blog on the
this is where you can read about my blunderings into open source.
This is a great thing to get involved in. Most of the users I have had dealings with use open source operating systems but there are people who also use propriety systems who have other open source software, anybody is welcome, so come on over, and do not be shy. Interact and broaden your horizons.
Maybe by the time you have spent sometime there you will chuck the old OS in favor of FOSS software.
Till later then.
this is where you can read about my blunderings into open source.
This is a great thing to get involved in. Most of the users I have had dealings with use open source operating systems but there are people who also use propriety systems who have other open source software, anybody is welcome, so come on over, and do not be shy. Interact and broaden your horizons.
Maybe by the time you have spent sometime there you will chuck the old OS in favor of FOSS software.
Till later then.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Late night musings.
Good day.
A post with no purpose at all really.
Looking over the way South Africa is working now a days, I start to realize that the topics that are of such importance to the politicians, usually are their topics because they think that the people who they want to vote for them think they are important.
Now read that ten times fast, and don't expect it to make any more sense when you are finished than it did the first time around. If that first paragraph does not warn against the dangers of late night blogging when tired then maybe the rest will.
I am watching Road House, will I am writing this. Hmmm nothing like 80s foreplay. Back then the sex was dirty and everything else was clean. Maybe I should be tweeting this so that all of those people out there who missed such a classical part of movie history can catch up. Looks like I was only just right about saying 80's.
Harmless fun really. The bad guys in the movie like this seem like slightly disobedient boy scouts.
Moving on.
Well that has just about exhausted my writing for tonight. At least the creative part.
Besides the movie is just getting to the good parts. Good old fights.
Perhaps I will ad something a little more significant tomorrow.
A post with no purpose at all really.
Looking over the way South Africa is working now a days, I start to realize that the topics that are of such importance to the politicians, usually are their topics because they think that the people who they want to vote for them think they are important.
Now read that ten times fast, and don't expect it to make any more sense when you are finished than it did the first time around. If that first paragraph does not warn against the dangers of late night blogging when tired then maybe the rest will.
I am watching Road House, will I am writing this. Hmmm nothing like 80s foreplay. Back then the sex was dirty and everything else was clean. Maybe I should be tweeting this so that all of those people out there who missed such a classical part of movie history can catch up. Looks like I was only just right about saying 80's.
Harmless fun really. The bad guys in the movie like this seem like slightly disobedient boy scouts.
Moving on.
Well that has just about exhausted my writing for tonight. At least the creative part.
Besides the movie is just getting to the good parts. Good old fights.
Perhaps I will ad something a little more significant tomorrow.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Google and the cloud.
Cloud computing is the "in" thing to be talking about at the moment, so here goes.
For those who do not know what it is you can go find out here.A lot of the tech orientated people seem to think that this is going to replace traditional computing methods. While this may be true for those of our friends in the developed world, especially with companies trying to save as much money as possible. There are several reasons why it will not work in the developing country.Chief among those reasons in the undependable nature of the internet connection.
Second, and by no means less, most developing countries and certainly the one the author lives in, still charge by the amount of data. And also cap their users.
Go figure.
These are the two main barriers to using the cloud for everyday work.
I have to use it and the frustration that come from not being to access the information immediately has led me to keeping duplicate records on my hard drive, defeating the object.
I have recently started using a lot more of the services on the net, in particularly Google. I like the ease of use that cloud computing offers. No license, no installation. The computer management is also very simple. Only a few programs to maintain and so far no conflicts with outdated systems or software.
Some of the articles that I have read raise the issue of security. If the company who is offering the service cannot give some guarantee of security, I assume that people will just not use them.
While everybody has security issues, users especially corporates, will want to be reassured that the information is relatively safe.
The cloud is a very good place to store non-sensitive information, and/or information that needs to be available to lots of people on various geographic locations.
I suppose like most things we will have to wait and see how things develop. I do know one thing for sure, I will be making a lot more use of the "greatest invention" ever.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
The Day After the Elections
So here we are. The day after the elections. No official results yet, but it looks like the ANC will once again have their 2 thirds majority.
Jacob Zuma said in one of his pre-election speeches that there was nothing in the constitution that says a party with majority is bad for the country. There is also nothing that says that it is good either.
I happen to be one of those people that belives absolute power corruptes absolutely. While there should still be checks against people doing whatever they like, it always seems like those in power can find away. When one party has the two thirds majority it means they can vote through the government whatever law their party wants to pass.
The ANC has had a a majority in the South African government for what seems like a very long time. I was hoping that this time they would lose their majority, to enable the resulting government to create some balance.
Onto other things concerning the election.
I was surprised at the amoung of people that did not vote. Not the statistics that they show on TV. Those stats belong to the nameless and faceless hoard that you always hear about. Today I saw at least three people who did not have the voting ink on their thumbs. I always wonder why people did not vote. I wonder if they are not interested in doing what they can for themselves in their own party.
Now of course, some of the channels here are showing nothing but non interesting stuff about the elections. Going over things about which parties might form what coalitions in what provinces.
Only a little bit longer now and then we will know for sure which way things are going. And there is nothing that we can do about the result now anyway.
Jacob Zuma said in one of his pre-election speeches that there was nothing in the constitution that says a party with majority is bad for the country. There is also nothing that says that it is good either.
I happen to be one of those people that belives absolute power corruptes absolutely. While there should still be checks against people doing whatever they like, it always seems like those in power can find away. When one party has the two thirds majority it means they can vote through the government whatever law their party wants to pass.
The ANC has had a a majority in the South African government for what seems like a very long time. I was hoping that this time they would lose their majority, to enable the resulting government to create some balance.
Onto other things concerning the election.
I was surprised at the amoung of people that did not vote. Not the statistics that they show on TV. Those stats belong to the nameless and faceless hoard that you always hear about. Today I saw at least three people who did not have the voting ink on their thumbs. I always wonder why people did not vote. I wonder if they are not interested in doing what they can for themselves in their own party.
Now of course, some of the channels here are showing nothing but non interesting stuff about the elections. Going over things about which parties might form what coalitions in what provinces.
Only a little bit longer now and then we will know for sure which way things are going. And there is nothing that we can do about the result now anyway.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
National Elections
We are heading towards another step in our democracy. Next week on the 22nd of April 2009 South Africans will once again be making their X for a better future.
Most of the main parties have stayed the same, with on major new addition. Perhaps this will make a big difference for the country but I doubt it. We will all make our mark and hope that our party wins, and maybe this time things will work out a little differently.
One of the major parties had a crisis of identity a little while ago, and while I think that their split away party has taken some of their supporter base with them to the new party, I do not see it weakening the major party to any great degree. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, let history be the judge of that.
Some things in this country have changed and some of them for the better.
I do not trust the people who are true politicians i.e. the ones who are in it just for themselves, for the money and the prestige.
I have read some articles lately on the best way to influence people. The singularly most important tool that stands out amongst all the others is public speaking. The ability to get your ideas across clearly and with purpose. There are only two figures that are currently involved in politics in any major way that have the ability or the skill, because it can be learned, to speak very well to their followers. The other players would do well to take notice of their example, and emulate it. Please do not copy their style or their speeches, for while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it only makes the imitator look worse than before.
Most of the current leaders are people who do not understand the importance of good communication. If you look back over the history of the world all of the great leaders that we have documentation for have been great speakers, either though talent or hard work or both.
So my message to those "leaders" out there is this: Learn how to speak effectively. Take lessons or personal coaching, get an image consultant. Whatever it takes.
Most of the main parties have stayed the same, with on major new addition. Perhaps this will make a big difference for the country but I doubt it. We will all make our mark and hope that our party wins, and maybe this time things will work out a little differently.
One of the major parties had a crisis of identity a little while ago, and while I think that their split away party has taken some of their supporter base with them to the new party, I do not see it weakening the major party to any great degree. Perhaps I will be proven wrong, let history be the judge of that.
Some things in this country have changed and some of them for the better.
I do not trust the people who are true politicians i.e. the ones who are in it just for themselves, for the money and the prestige.
I have read some articles lately on the best way to influence people. The singularly most important tool that stands out amongst all the others is public speaking. The ability to get your ideas across clearly and with purpose. There are only two figures that are currently involved in politics in any major way that have the ability or the skill, because it can be learned, to speak very well to their followers. The other players would do well to take notice of their example, and emulate it. Please do not copy their style or their speeches, for while imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, it only makes the imitator look worse than before.
Most of the current leaders are people who do not understand the importance of good communication. If you look back over the history of the world all of the great leaders that we have documentation for have been great speakers, either though talent or hard work or both.
So my message to those "leaders" out there is this: Learn how to speak effectively. Take lessons or personal coaching, get an image consultant. Whatever it takes.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Hluhluwe
Some thoughts from the middle of nowhere. This particular middle of nowhere being Hluhluwe, and not even in the town. Northern Kwa-Zulu Natal in the Republic of South Africa, for those of you who would like to know.
The wonderful thing about the world of the internet is that all sorts of people get to pass on their information and experiences. This is something that until recently was reserved for those people who could convince a publisher that they has something worth writing, and more importantly from the publishers point of view, something that other people would be willing to pay for.
So, my dear reader, you get the singular privilege of reading my rambling thoughts that would in another time and place be consigned to a written diary forgotten in some dusty attic. Probable to be taken out and sold by some distant relative or used to start a fire.
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