Category Archives: South Africa

UK broadband up — just shows how backward is SA!!!

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Over the last couple on months we heard here in SA how Telkom and other telecoms players in this country wants to increase the broadband penetration.  The figure of 2%-15% of Internet User gets bandied around — how pathetic when one looks at the following.

UK broadband usage is up! The latest National Statistics monthly update to the survey of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) has shown that in October of this year, broadband connections formed 58.9 per cent of all Internet connections. This is an increase up from 57.3 per cent in September 2005. Dial-up connections have continued to decline, and now make up 41.1 per cent of all Internet connections.

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ADSL Line

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I took the plunge and on Saturday (23 July) I ordered ADSL from my local Telkom office. Expecnot hear from them in ages, what a surprise when a lady phone me yesterday with my order number. Now I have the order number, so I will have to wait and see how long it takes for the Telkom techie to come knocking on my door.

FNB and their service

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Currently I do some of my banking with ABSA and over the last couple of weeks I became dissatisfied with their service and their costs. I decided to go and see what a bank like FNB can offer me and since I spend about 90% of my day on Internet related work, I wanted to do the whole process over the Internet.

I am already an FNB Internet Banking customer since I have a FNB Business Account and a Discovery CreditCard. They have an on-line real-time application for a FNB Checking Account. On 29 May 2005 I completed all the on-line forms and also requested an overdraft facility. Remember this is a real-time facility which meant that the application should have been completed to a certain extent in real-time.

Since I asked for an overdraft I expected not to have that granted in real-time since they probably had to have some human made some decisions. Well at the end of filling out the forms nothing was done in real-time. Not even the creation of a normal check account. All that was said is that the application was referred and they will get back to me in 2 business days.

I gave them time till 2 June which was 4 business days and then phoned them. The person on the other side of the phone said that he will escalate it and somebody should phone me within 24 hours. Guess what, 24 hours later and nobody contacted me so I phoned again and again the same promise. Well it is now a couple of days later and I have not heard a whisper out of First National yet.

I cannot understand how a company can operate a business like this. Absolutely no idea what service is all about. No interest what so ever in what is best for the customer.

Well I know where I will not do my banking and I will not recommend First National Bank to anybody and I am seriously considering moving my FNB Business Account to somebody else. Just one problem that the other banks in South Africa is just as bad if not worse.

Open Source and Business in South Africa

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During the last week I was asked the question whether Open Source is a viable solution for Business here in South Africa. My instinctive answer was yes but after thinking about it for a while I have my doubts.

Technically the answer is a yes … Open Source solutions is technically just as good if not better than most proprietary solution out there. I then asked myself the question why does Business then not use Open Source solutions and after talking to some businesses (both small and big) I came to the solution that it is all to do with professionalism and maturity in the Open Source community.

What do I mean by this? One big business told me straight that if you look at The Shuttleworth Foundation (TSF – which is suppose to be one of the biggest evangelists of the use of Open Source) and see the way they operate then I will understand. The impression is created that TSF promotes Open Source that is usable in schools and for the geek that wants to play around with it at home. They talk about things like Freedom Toasters and all the fun that can be had with Open Source. But when you ask them about how Open Source will help a business they do not seem to have the answers. Very few if any of the people at TSF knows or have any experience of what happens in the business world and how technology influence Business.

If this is true or not does not matter, it is the impression that is created that is important. As long as Open Source gets seen as the playground of youngsters/geeks and only usable in the education fields then business will not take it serious.

It is time that a forum/organization get established that has its aim and goal to further the use of Open Source in business. Even better is to add to an existing establishment like TSF to solely concentrate on the business world. But it must make sure that the people that is put to do that knows what the priorities and problems are in the business world and then come up with Open Source solutions that addresses that.

We have very credible and professional support companies in South Africa like Obsydian and products like Ubuntu but until we have a professional spokescompany to promote Open Source in the business world, it means nothing and proprietary software will be continued to be used.

Die Burger Pryslyn Kompetisie – hoe regverdig is dit?

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Ek neem al geryme tyd aan Die Burger Pryslyn Kompetisie deel — kyk hier om ‘n idee te kry van hoe lank al. Tot op hede was ek nog nie eens naby om iets te wen nie so die vraag het by my ontstaan van hoe regverdig is hierdie kompetisie?

Ek was altyd onder die indruk dat die nommers elke dag in Die Burger lukraak (randomly) gegenereer word sonder inagneming van in watter ry dit voorkom. Al wat geignoreer word is die nommers wat reeds in die verlede gepubliseer is en die nommers wat glad nie op ‘n kaart verskyn nie.

Ek het tot die besef gekom dat hierdie afleiding nie korrek is nie. Ek is seker dat elke dag voordat die nommers gepubliseer word daar gekyk word dat die nommers die minste wenners lewer en indien daar wenners is, dat dit baie lae pryswaarde het. Van julle mag sê dat dit nie moontlik is nie want hoe weet Die Burger hoe elke kaart lyk. Wel, Die Burger weet presies hoe elke kaart lyk en watter nommers in watter ry is. So al wat ‘n rekenaar hoef te doen wanneer die nommers gegenereer word, is om dit te vergelyk met al die kaarte in omloop en te kyk watse wenners word opgelewer. Indien daar te veel wenners is dan word ‘n nuwe stel nommers gegenereer.

As ek na al my kaarte van die verlede kyk is dit intressant om op te let hoe eweredig die nommers oor die hele kaart versprei is en dat daar altyd 1 of 2 oop nommers op ‘n ry is. Nooit 5 oop in ‘n bepaalde ry en 1 of 2 ander rye vol nie. In ‘n lukrake omgewing is dit net nie moontlik dat so iets sal gebeur oor so ‘n lang tyd nie. Wiskundig maak dit net nie sin nie.

Julle sal dink dat ek hierdie slegs sê omdat ek nog nie gewen het nie. Wel dan moet iemand my asseblief verkeerd bewys en ek hoor met graagte julle menings.

Recruitment Agents and ethics

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The 2 concepts in the title in my opinion is mutually exclusive. Over the last 2 years I have been job hunting and have not found 1 recruitment agent that has any ethics to speak off.

Some of them like Microstaff is just blatantly liars. They would not hesitate sending your details and CV to companies without your permission. Never ever even bother to ask any agent to get back to you via email or phone. They just do not bother. Most of them will give you some story when you confront them on why you was not selected for a certain position.

There is one or 2 exceptions that is slightly better. And I emphasis the word slightly.

I have learned that it is a waste of time using job sites like CareerJunction, PNET or Careerweb to find a job. You application will just go down a bottomless pit. Using Recruitment agencies is just as bad. How they make money and survive I do not understand.

I suppose it is just because I am an oldish white male. Does not matter that I have all the experience in the world.

Well if you want to talk to me regarding a job the please contact me via my details on the contact page.

I am giving up!

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After the debacle of the rugby game yesterday between the Stormers and the Crusaders I have decided to five up my support to the Stormers. Until such time they look like a team that deserves to be in the top 4 of the Super 12/14, I will keep my mouth shut and say or write nothing.

I think this will be a long time since this year they not going to get anywhere. And with the new Super 14 next year I have even less hope. Please comment if you disagree.

What is going on with SA rugby?

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No blog written by a South African is complete without some sport content. Luckily this weekend no South African team is playing but looking at the past 5 weeks, out of 20 games to have 2 wins and 1 draw is pathetic.

I am an avid supporter of the Stormers but even they are playing like a bunch of under thirteens. In fact most under thirteens play a lot better rugby than they do.