Comments on: The Quandry: Building Web Apps in Africa

By: sokari

sokari — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 08:51:18 +0000

Thinking about the work of organisations like tactical tech in enhancing local NGOs and social movements use of technology particularly web 2.0 calls for web 2.0 applications adapted or built specifically for the continent. Many of the web 2.0 apps are embeded with Western needs, infrastructure and culture. We need apps that are appropriate to our infrastructure limitations and minimal access to technologies as a whole.

By: 3 Localized Ideas for African Web Developers | White African

3 Localized Ideas for African Web Developers | White African — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:14:28 +0000

[…] going off of my last post on what types of applications are you developing – which is really a foundational question that […]

By: afrotechie » Blog Archive » “I wouldn’t buy from me”

afrotechie » Blog Archive » “I wouldn’t buy from me” — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:23:23 +0000

[…] a post titled The Quandry: Building Web Apps in Africa, he said: While there is a need for region-specific applications, there is no reason why African […]

By: Tzaadi

Tzaadi — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:57:52 +0000

Neville and Hash, thanks for your comments.

I am interested in dialoguing with designers and developers in Africa. After 10 years of successful web engagements with virtual teams in India, Dubai and Sri Lanka, I decided to take a sabbatical for 2007. Now as my year of rest and contemplation nears an end, I am revving up a new venture. Among other things, Tzaadi will be a showcase of ‘qualified’ web talent from around the world with a particular focus on emerging economies. I hope Africans will participate.

David Lash
Tzaadi
Louisville Kentucky US

By: HASH

HASH — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 15:23:33 +0000

Tzaadi – most of the developers are loosely connected within their own countries – though South Africa and Kenya tend to lead in the areas of in-person interaction and sharing of ideas.

It might be interesting for someone to create a “developer/designer database” for African talent. I’d think that you might want to have certain qualifications to being part of it though, or at least levels that differentiate the experienced from the newbies.

Designers in Africa are a totally different lot – beyond my scope on this piece. There are more quality designers than developers, but they tend to have a very low profile online (the reason for this I can’t tell you – it doesn’t make much business sense to me).

By: Neville Newey

Neville Newey — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:39:29 +0000

Tzaadi:

I do not believe that getting in touch is the problem. While there may not be an “official” forum as such there are blogs such as this one, and other forums, and we do (mostly) all know each other.

Another problem we have is that almost everyone I know working in this space has a “day job” which is their primary source of income. This makes it even harder for those of us in Africa as we have to pretty much give up our free time to work on something that may or may not take off. I will also add that it takes a LOT of work. You cannot just throw up a prepackaged web forum for example and hope that it will be the next MySpace. In the US and other places developers often get “seed” money to support them during the initial phase. This is largely absent in Africa. (I am not saying that its absolutely necessary, just pointing out one of the many differences)

Regards

By: Tzaadi

Tzaadi — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:58:16 +0000

Hash, are the African developers you spoke of, in contact with one another? Is there a forum they use? A common set of resources? Posted resumes/portfolios?

And…what about the design community?

By: Tzaadi

Tzaadi — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:37:50 +0000

Build apps that solve local problems. If you choose well and your solution solves the problems of many, then build a community. Your user community will ultimately determine your succcess. But remember…apps aren’t the only way to online succcess. Tell stories, tell the news or teach…then monetize your content.

By: HASH

HASH — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 00:06:25 +0000

Imnakoya – That’s an interesting point you raise about the IT curriculum being taught in a lot of African universities. If universities in the West have problems keeping up with the changes in the IT sector, imagine the difficulties placed on an under-staffed, under-funded and under-resourced facility in Africa (minus S.A. of course).

Many of the top developers that I met were doing the learning on their own. Fortunately, they figured out a way to access that information through computer labs in schools or cyber cafes. The barriers to entry are high though – it’s not like any old kid in the US who can just jump on the internet and start finding interesting things to hack and play with.

However… (you knew this was coming) 🙂

Just among the African developers that I met from S.A., Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria – I can tell you that there is enough brains to come up with some revolutionary ideas and products.

How they go about solving problems and who they solve those problems for is what I’m interested in finding out.

By: Neville Newey

Neville Newey — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 23:28:24 +0000

I had been wanting to comment here and had this chat this afternoon with Erik that incoporated much of what I wanted to say. I hope people dont mind me pasting it here verbatim:

thakadu:
one thing I wanted to add tho…
was that as web devs we shouldnt really be burdoned with trying to solve africas problems 15:58
and we are definitely not going to solve those with web apps

Erik Hersman
That’s true.
But, in the creation of your apps, you should be trying to solve a problem for someone.

thakadu
so it may seem cruel that we concentrate on stuff that is basically “entertainment” or fluff

Erik Hersman
Are you solving it for Africans, or the global user?

thakadu
not sure I agree with that 🙂
why should I have to solve any problem at all?

Erik Hersman
But it’s true. even with Muti, you’re solving a problem for someone

thakadu
what problem does myspace solve?

Erik Hersman
Most web apps come from this desire to solve a problem. It’s what they’re all founded on.

thakadu
yeah I guess what I am trying to say is that the “problems” that muti and so on “solve” are so hugely insignificant in the greater scheme of things

Erik Hersman
Whether it’s organizing information, connecting people, communicating better, etc…
Oh, right. They can’t be compared to things like dealing with the problems in Zimbabwe

thakadu
that its a misnomer to think that they contribute to solving any of africas problems
yeah and also inevitably we will be judged like that

Erik Hersman
Well, you can create the platforms that others use. Whether they choose to use them to change Africa for the better is up to them. You’re the tool creator.

thakadu
I guess it brings up the question: “why are us devs creating these apps in africa?”
its not to solve afica’s problems, its not gonna make us money, so why why why?

Erik Hersman
Well, put that question to the people. 🙂
I’d love to hear what they have to say too.

thakadu
yeah will do
can I paste our discussion verbatim in as a comment? 🙂

Erik Hersman
Take a look at mobile phones. The reasoning behind the carriers was not to solve Africa’s business and communications problems. They wanted to make money. However, they did just that.
lol. go for it.