₦airaland Forum

Also make people know that the free offer does not include basic website address listing.

wetinbe.com sure does look nice but for me to list my business on your website including the website address I guess I need to pay, right?

What I am talking about is completely free, not a paid service that is masked with free offers.

So, what's the price for me to pay if my business listing will appear on wetinbe.com including my website address which is even the most important part of the listing?

Hello,

In trying to make available a real and functional business directory in Nigeria I came up with this idea of having directory listings for both regular businesses (without websites) and online business (with websites) all on the same website.

Business listings are submitted to the relevant category and based on where a website exists for the business or not, it is displayed on the correct section with the regular business having all contact information including brief description, address, phone number, email address, fax etc while the online business will only display business name, brief description and the website address.

My hope is that it will offer Nigerians a single source of directory listing without forcing one to look for or search for online businesses or regular businesses after all the number of businesses without websites far outweight their counterparts with websites.

The website is currently sitting at http://www.justwebservices.com/jsearch but will be moved to a dedicated webhost very soon but everything is functional on the website as at this moment.

Hope it delivers on the promises made.

Domain names can be gotten from any domain registration company irrespective of their hosting reliability.

From stats verifiable online, if GoDaddy registers more domain name than any other DNR then one cannot take it away from them.

I still believe GoDaddy offers cheap domain names just as Hostway (which I use for all domain name registrations anyway).

Orikinla,

Thanks for the kind words and I hope they were refering to directory project which isn't finished yet.

I took time off (2 days) to setup one that I believe will serve Nigeria businesses whether online or offline as in regular business directory and online business directory on the same site.

You may see www.justwebservices.com/jsearch and feel free to critic the site but remember it's just 48hrs work so don't be too harsh.

Enjoy!

Cactus,

I would say your post became more precise and straight to the point with subsequent replies.

Your points are valid but it remains a fact that many are very good even without mentors or need for training of any kind.

With a lot of emphasis on online web directory these days, it is becoming harder to search for and locate businesses that are not yet online and yet the number of businesses that are not online far outweight their counterparts that are.

This got me thinking about 2 days ago, about the possibility of setting up a single site where a business can be listed in a particular category just once and that business is sorted accordingly based on where the business is online on not.

Well, after 2 days of raw programming and basic design I came up with the following

http://www.justwebservices.com/jsearch

Please, take a look at the site and comment on it, all constructive criticisms are welcome but please remember that this is just 48hrs work so do not rbbish the effort based on look and feel.

Cactus,

It is cool to have a wide range of knowledge in the IT field so as to leverage ones potential. Well, for those who have a formal education in IT good job, for those who are self taught and are excelling good job, and for those who are self taught but screwing everything up stop making the good ones look bad. Definitely we can all be IT pros, web devs in our own rights. However, the knowledge to apply standards/protocols is what differentiates a professional, a wannabe and a newbie. In my opinion it will be great to have some sort of regulations and standards in the IT industry in nigeria.

Do you have specific standards/protocols you want to see on web projects done by Nigeria? Please state them.

I do not think it will be easy to regulate the industry because the entry level is very low and easy for anyone that cares.

While I agree with you that some people have done havoc in the industry, regulation may work in other sectors but I don't see it working in this regard.

It is the duty of a business owner to seek for good developers when looking for people to handle web projects. Unfortunately, some will look for the cheapest while others will translate expensive quotes into being the best quotes.

Being self taught certainly isn't a weakness but rather a strenght. One can be taught by the best programmer, in the best school with the best environment yet still come out bad.

Maybe the time you upload to the server is when the server is unavaillable or you may have entered the necessary credentials wrongly.

If your username and passwords are correct then the chief culprit in this type of issue is the ftp address, it is a common mistake for one to enter the ftp address as www.somedomainname.com instead of ftp.somedomainname.com

Basically all FTP clients I have seen don't have design issues as they are all based on a very mature an open protocol.

Hope this helps.

Kimba,

We do not build and stock inverters so you won't be seeing a lot of them on display.

You will see in my office the one I have been using since Februray last year and you will also see that while I cannot work without Nepa abi na Phcn that we do not have any standby generator in the office because as long as Phcn perform for up to 4 - 6 hours in a day, we have all that is required to charge the battery bank that the office depends on.

We build inverters according to orders which usually takes between 5 days to 10 days.

I will send the office address to you as requested to your box.

Enjoy!

On how wi-fi works, do a simple search online and you will get loads of info.

If your laptop is wireless enabled, it is not enough for the seller to tell you so, look under the laptop you will see the wifi logo and a sticker stating the supported protocol and serial number.

Once you have this it means that your machine has inbuilt wireless capability, so you do not need to buy any.

To access any wireless network around you all you need do is toggle the switch (look for it somewhere on the laptop, it is usually designated with an antenna like sign).

However, you will be able to pick only unsecured wireless networks around you because those that have taken the time to change the default configurations of the wireless access points will certainly lock you out.

So, to access unsecured wireless networks on a wireless enabled laptop, all that is required is to toggle that switch but keep in mind that someone may deliberately setup an unsecured wireless access point to steal information from your own machine or to monitor or track your internet history or get some valauble information like logon credentials.

You may see the article http://www.justwebservices.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=88&Itemid=104
I wrote some months ago on the rise and rise of unsecure wireless networks in Nigeria.

my2cents,

Thanks for the piece. This is basically the first time I am allowing a client get that far with me.

I never have patience with them especially when they insist of doing things that you know aren't the best for them.

The ratio of my No to Yes should be around 9:1 and I am happy that it is that way because just 10 happy clients are far better than 100 clients with say 2 or 3 giving you wahala.

For someone that works from 8.00am to 4.00pm Mondays through Fridays, I do not need such stress.

That said, there was quite a sizeable scope growth in the project and I only agreed to finish it because I wanted him to know that what he wanted was doable in terms of functionality anyway.

Thanks for your time. Simplicity for me is key in any good web project. Sites like yahoo, google etc are doing very well because they try to allow you complete any task you may want to complete on their website in the shortest possible time and with very clear and logical navigation the user experience is first class.

Seun,

I guess the type of returns or profit sought by Nigerians is too high

For this to make sense, the profit sought by Nigerians must be higher than that sought by, say, Americans.

The key word is too in the statement, I never implied Nigerians should charge the same when compared to Americans.


even when the market is there to guarantee steady growth with reduced pricing structure.

I do not understand this either. Did you use a technobabble generator here?

Your not being able to understand the statement does not make it invalid, think harder. No, I did not use a technobabble generator.

The statement is common sense and easy to understand, maybe using words like turnover and high volume transactiosn will make sense.

Put differently, coca cola makes more money selling to more people even when the profit margin may be less than N4.00 per bottle when compared to say Toyota.

Kheme,

You seem not to get me.

Your sites are php based no doubt but I have not seen a single thing to demonstrate actionable experience in PHP as per using raw codes to achieve anything.

For starters, I will not write a custom code to get an image gallery on a website, neither will I do same for articles or opinion polls as that will mean trying to re-invent the wheel.

Like I stated earlier I had to see jobs done by the Indian before I asked him to send a quote, I have been in this business long enough to decipher a custom application from a general purpose one and places like hotscripts and sourceforge are there for anyone to pick up general purpose scripts.

Take care and please do not get me wrong. Your sites are cool but none has demanding features or functionailies that require custom coding.

The admin user interface I setup makes it possible for the admin to manage everything on the website from assiging new signup usernames and access codes, activating/approving business listings, tracking payment info and generating necessary reports, adding, editing, deleting users, content, business listings, categories and subcategories to knowing when someone signs up.

These are his requirements and they have been fulfilled to the letter.

Enjoy!

1) I would either get rid of the sub-navigation rollover or make it look better

I don't believe in the sub-navigation rollover either but the client insisted on having it. As a matter of fact he insisted on having that as well as the two search forms on the left hand side which I have objected to and decided on my own to have the search forms on top.

2) I would use a prettier font

Thanks for pointing that out, however, I am not done with the formating, basically a css would sort that out.

3) I would integrate the header links ("about us" et al) with the rest of the page. Right now, looks odd.

Guess it's the background colour for the cell, everything on top including the search forms are are included in a single file and remains constant across all the pages.

4) get rid of what seems like a clip art "advertise here" red star you have at the top. Use a custom one.

The client supplied the logo and insisted on using it including the random images.


I really do appreciate your comments. They are all valid and I have raised them (save for the fonts issue) with the client but I guess he has a different idea as to what looks good on a website.

My website is basiclly free from all unnecessary distractions like animations and all that.

I believe interswitch is way too expensive for those that need the service the most.

I will setup an online payment system that will work just like the regular debit card but usage will be strictly for online transactions.

I will see if I can tidy it up in 3 months. Used to have one but never deployed it for general use. Hope it will help.

I guess the type of returns or profit sought by Nigerians is too high even when the market is there to guarantee steady growth with reduced pricing structure.

Thanks Bimbayo,

I am a huge fan of sourceforge and have used and tweaked a lot of scripts from there. The problem is that it becomes a bit diffucult to change anything if the foundation doesn't support what you want to do.

I setup www.portharcourtservices.com over 2 years ago and the guy is happy with the site, it comes with logo listing as well but for the specific instructions from the present client, it does not make any economical sense to see how to tweak a general purpose script.

The way the directory listings are presented now are the clien't express instruction and he also wanted specific admin features which I have coded to the exact specs anyway.

Thank for your advice and time.

Kheme,

Thanks for the list but going through all the websites listed I have not seen any one of them that required custom coding even though they are PHP based.

The sites are more of design work than programming as php could also be used to design static pages afterall all that is rendered to the client is the html.

While I agree that the sites are PHP based, none of the site has demonstrated raw coding or specific functionality for me to use to compare with what I have on the table.

Put differently, all the sites could easiy be setup using frontpage without any problems.

My point is this, I require previous work on PHP with specific functionality, not general one.

As you can see or already know none of the websites listed even has a search functionality which is a basic dynamic feature of the database driven websites.

Thanks for your time. I wrote raw codes for atleast 4 days to get the site up and running while I spent over 1 week trying to customize both fee and free directory scripts until I gave up since it would be more difficult to tweak them than to write one from scratch even if it seems like re-inventing the wheel.

The color combinations on www.justwebservices.com/dapo are the client's preferences, the presentation style are also his but for the two search menus I move to the top as against the side because the width will take up a lot of unnecessary space if displayed on the side.

I still appreciate your comments though.

The following seems to be a write up tilted towards making people avoid mysql which is clearly the most popular database technology today and it's open source too.

Following are some specific technical differences in MySQL and SQL Server when it comes down to the ANSI SQL standard:

MySQL does not support Triggers, SQL Server does.
MySQL does not support User Defined Functions, SQL Server does.
MySQL does not have Cursor Support, SQL Server does.
MySQL does not support Stored Procedures, SQL Server does.
MySQL does not have FULL JOIN capabilities, SQL Server does.
MySQL has limited Import/Export capabilities, SQL Server has full support for Import/Export.
MySQL has limited Transaction Support while SQL Server offers full Transaction Support.

Times have changed and basically all the features listed above are now being supported by the current release.

Layi,

Thanks for the info. Do you have a copy of the project so you post it on a server where I can see it?

If it meets the requirement stated I may pay you the N150,000.00 and customize the one I have setup to do other nice things online.

I do not think it's good practice to work for clients that do not show a reasonable level of commitment by way of pay at least 50% of the cost of the project.

Even though it's not easy to turn down projects sometimes, it's the best for you.

So, if you can upload it to a server and it cool, I will have it.

You may also check the website on your project, it keeps giving errors.

Thanks for your time.

Kheme,

www.phpng.org.ng won't load. Is the website functional or no?

Kheme,

Thanks for the comments.

What will you bring into the project? Design or programming?

It's not enough to say the design is poor without going specifics.

The functionality is more important than design anyway and its the functionality that counts.

To avoid long grammar, let me have a project that you have done (especially programming) so I can get a feel of what you can do.

I don't gamble with client's projects, I contacted the Indian because I have seen his previous works.

So, where are yours? Money is not an issue but first you must demonstrate that you are capable of doing whatever you promise as I have come across a lot of people that claim to know a lot but when put to task will perform very badly.

I do have my sentiments on web design though. I am for functionality.

Thanks for your time.

Sky walker,

The same way Guniess will not let you into their secret and Coca cola won't do the same, is the same way no one will really teach you want you need to know to become very good in web design.

To begin with, rather than spend your money going to a computer school, why don't you get a computer and get Microsoft frontage and Macromedia Dreamweaver loaded and learn at your own pace?

If all the computer usage and experience you will get are those spent during the training with nothing to try your hands on then just know its money down the drain.

I am not trying to discourage you as I do not have a reason to, it's just candid and workable advice.

Those that claim to teach web design, why aren't they making all the money designing websites for people?

These guys simply sell information and if you look very well online you will get these information for free online (well, save for the money spent in a cyber cafe or so).

Good luck. If you ever want to start programming just learn PHP and mysql.

I agree with Seun on this, the need for web presence is increasing by the day and once the impact is felt, companies start looking for websites that do automagical things not just static or flash animations.

It gets to a stage where a business entity will want to simply web enable almost every part of the business process and that's where the programmer comes in and again that's why the real money is.

If you can get up to speed with PHP and say MySql, then you have all it takes to do almost anything on the web.

How many of you have either read the book or seen the movie?

They say religion demands faith while science demands proof.

I have seen the movie and if what the movie was telling is true based on reproducing certain parts of Israel in France and Netherlands to almost exact dimensions with churhces located at exact replicas then there is more to what we have in the bible.

That said, even if christianity is suspect, I will live and die a christian.

But it does not make sense for us to avoid learning or researching on anything as things may not be what they really are.

You stop learning the day you die. Or do I call this intellectual stubbornness, believing that what you already know is the correct thing and there is no room to learn more.

Sorry about the somehow vague title, an email correspondence prompted me to ask this question.

I had a job to do, requires custom coding and as I became very busy I needed someone to do it due to time constraint but the reply was he would do the job for $9000.00 - $14000.00. The guy is a very experienced programmer anyway, an Indian.

Now, the job requires a directory listing with categories and subcategories, a user management system where users can logon and manage their subscriptions including payment system, admin section where every single part of the website can be managed without any need for the admin understanding php (hence a common API forms were used a lot), searchable business listings based on business category and country.

What would you charge for such a job?

Do you think the $9000.00 - $14000.00 is too much?

The link to the site is www.justwebservices.com/dapo (not yet finished anyway but the project is over 90% done)

Just random thoughts anyway but felt like sharing this with other people.

Many thanks for your time.

Could some please take a look at this directory script and comment accordingly?

www.justwebservices.com/dapo (use ako as user name and 1234 as access code to login)

Try to even list business if you have the time.

www.justwebservices.com/dapo/admin

The site has not been finished and I am basically looking for people to see how it works.

In terms of ease of navigation and being task focused, what do you think?

It's a job done by hard coding as against getting and modifying a script.

Thanks for your time.

Well, Nigerians are lazy, rather than do an honest research and write or speak authoritatively they prefer to copy and paste someone else's work without even referencing the originator.

Eve accolades were thrown at the writer yet he/she could not point out he lifted the stuff from somewhere.

Just like cram work, we have a lot of educated Nigerians that know next to nothing about what they were taught in school.

Danielorde,

Sorry about the late response.

To be frank no one knows for sure how long a battery will last irrespective of what the manufacturer claims or what the seller tells you because there are a lot of dynamics that determine the reliability.

Most importers approach battery manufacturers and ask them to reduce the quality so as to maximise profit just like the issue of substandard drugs.

Currently, the prices of acid (electrolyte) and batteries have gone up because Standards Organisation of Nigeria had to step in to checkmate the menace as the country is flooded with a lot of substandard batteries.

Now, I have decided to get batteries with 3 years full warranty on maintenance free batteries from a reputable battery manufacturer in the US and believe me the price is a bit high but again reliable products don't come cheap.

Many people will pay for backup solutions if they are sure the system will work because a lot of people have had terrible experiences with inverters especially imported ones.

We do not sell imported inverters, infact we do not maintain an inventory, we build according to order (say 5 days from the day of payment).

Doksng,

In reality, all the promises are simply promises because when these batteries fail it usually does not make economic sense to even pursue the warranty claims considering the disctance and considering the fact that you may even be the 3rd or 4th person in the supply chain.

Put differently, unless you know the source of the batteries and have negotiated for a particular quality, all the promises remain promises.

Have you wondered why the battery sellers won't give you more than 3 months warranty? Why would a battery seller not be able to offer atleast 2 years no story warranty if he was sure the batteries would last 5 years?

Hi LoverBwoy,

Thanks for pointing that out but they are not mistakes.

The prices

save 10% N48,000.00 - N43,000.00

save 10% N58,000.00 - N52,200.00

save 10% N40,000.00 - N36,000.00 etc

The site is not a static website, all the calculations are done automatically.

Thanks once again for your time.

Hi Seun,

Still trying to reduce the prices of all the inverters as our main objective is to make it possible for every home to at least afford one instead of getting generators.

I will let you know when reseller prices are available but for now, we are hell bent on crashing the prices while maintaining the quality and fanatical after sales support.

Hi Tochi,

You are welcome. I think the problem most service providers have is that they assume everyone knows the details of services they provide forgetting that the average user won't buy what he/she does not understand and the onus lies on the service provider to get the information out in a manner that is devoid of unnecessary technical jargons.