Introduction
OK! We have Python installed, now what? Well, we program!

And it is that simple (at least for now!). Python makes it easy to run single lines of code—one-liner programs. Let's give it a go.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A_Beginner's_Python_Tutorial/Very_Simple_Programs

I thought the same.

https://blog.pythonanywhere.com/67/

We've been talking to some people recently who really wanted to know what the potential market size was for PythonAnywhere, our Python Platform-as-a-Service and cloud-based IDE.

There are a bunch of different ways to look at that, but the most obvious starting point is, "how many people are coding Python?" This blog post is an attempt to get some kind of order-of-magnitude number for that.

First things first: Wikipedia has an estimate of 10 million Java developers (though I couldn't find the numbers to back that up on the cited pages) but nothing for Python -- or, indeed, any of the other languages I checked. So nothing there.

A bit of Googling around gets one interesting hit; in this Stack Overflow answer, "Tall Jeff" says that the 2007 version of Learning Python estimated that there were 1 million Python programmers in the world. Using Amazon's "Look inside" feature on the current edition, they still have the same number for the present day, but let's assume that they were right originally and the number has grown since then. Now, according to the Python wiki, there were 586 people at the 2007 PyCon. According to the front page at PyCon.org, there were 2,500 people at PyCon 2013. So if we take that as a proxy for the growth of the language, we get one guess of the number of Python developers: 4.3 million.

Let's try another metric. Python.org's web statistics are public. Looking at the first five months of this year, and adding up the total downloads, we get:

Jan: 2,584,754
Feb: 2,539,177
Mar: 3,182,946
Apr: 3,199,012
May: 2,855,033
Averaging that over a year gives us 34,466,213 downloads per year. It's worth noting that these are overwhelmingly Windows downloads -- most Linux users are going to be using the versions packaged as part of their distro, and (I think, but correct me if I'm wrong) the same is largely going to be the case on the Mac.

So, 34.5 million downloads. There were ten versions of Python released over the last year, so for let's assume that each developer downloaded each version once and once only; that gives us 3.5 million Python programmers on Windows.

What other data points are there? This job site aggregator's blog post suggests using searches for resumes/CVs as a way of getting numbers. Their suggested search for Python would be

(intitle:resume OR inurl:resume) Python -intitle:jobs -resumes -apply

Being in the UK, where we use "CV" more than we use "resume", I tried this:

(intitle:resume OR inurl:resume OR intitle:cv OR inurl:cv) Python -intitle:jobs -resumes -apply

The results were unfortunately completely useless. 338,000 hits but the only actual CV/resume on the first page was Guido van Rossum's -- everything else was about the OpenCV computer vision library, or about resuming things.

So let's scrap that. What else can we do? Well, taking inspiration (and some raw data) from this excellent blog post about estimating the number of Java programmers in the world, we can do this calculation:

Programmers in the world: 43,000,000 (see the link above for the calculation)
Python developers as per the latest TIOBE ranking: 4.183%, which gives 1,798,690
Python developers as per the latest LangPop.com ranking: 7% (taken by an approximate ratio of the Python score to the sum of the scores of all languages), which gives 2,841,410
OK, so there I'm multiplying one very approximate number of programmers by a "percentage" rating that doesn't claim to be a percentage of programmers using a given language. But this ain't rocket science, I can mix and match units if I want.

The good news is, we're in the same order of magnitude; we've got numbers of 1.8 million, 2.8 million, 3.5 million, and 4.3 million. So, based on some super-unscientific guesswork, I think we can happily say that the number of Python programmers in the world is in the low millions.

What do you think? Are there other ways of working this out that I've missed? Does anyone have (gasp!) hard numbers?

Zarama7: If I have an idea which I'm developing and I don't want a cheap replica in no time is there anyway to apply for patent in Nigeria?

Trademarks & Patents In Nigeria ~> http://www.iponigeria.com/
- http://www.iponigeria.com/site/182?main=145&sidemenu=145

Patents & Design Acts In Nigeria ~> http://www.nigeria-law.org/Patents%20and%20Designs%20Act.htm

Some Basic Facts About Patents In Nigeria ~> http://www.nlipw.com/some-basic-facts-about-patents-in-nigeria/

Two years ago, I didn’t know anything about computer programming. But I decided to quit my full-time job and dedicate myself to learning. I’ll spare you my reasons for taking the plunge (if you’re interested, here are my thoughts), but if you have any technology-related entrepreneurial aspirations, the arguments for jumping into software development are clear.
Here are the ten rules I followed to teach myself to code.
“My number one piece of advice is: you should learn to program.” – Mark Zuckerberg

If you’re intimidated, I was too. If you have no idea where to start, I didn’t either. The bottom line is you can do this. Just stay focused, dedicated, and don’t give up!

1. PICK A LANGUAGE
There are too many languages, platforms, and frameworks to manage. Particularly when you’re just starting out. Don’t let this stress you out or slow you down. Ask mentors where they recommend you start. Talk to people who you’d like to work for about which languages they use. The key is to get to it and eliminate distractions. The worst thing would be to spin your wheels trying to keep up with all the possible ways one can tell a computer what to do.
In my opinion, the easiest way to choose is to decide if (1) you’re learning primarily to build prototypes and start business ideas or (2) you have a specific industry or area of focus for furthering your career.
If you’re learning primarily to build products and start business ideas, I highly recommend you start with JavaScript. This will allow you to leverage one language to build both the client-side and server-side (using Node.js) components of any web application. And with services like PhoneGap, you can compile your JavaScript apps into iOS or Android apps fairly easily. I think JavaScript is the most efficient and logical starting point.
However, if you know you want to build native mobile apps or there’s a specific industry or career opportunity that you’re focused on, then do the research to know which language is most prevalent for that particular area. Developing in iOS requires you learn Objective-C and Android requires you learn Java. Some companies are heavily entrenched in specific languages. If you want to work there, figure out what language they use to engineer their products and learn that.

2. START WITH THE BASICS
Awesome, you’ve decided on a language and you’re ready to build the next Twitter. Sorry, it’s not time for that yet. You’ll get there, but first focus on mastering some basics.
This will be frustrating and you’ll constantly be asking yourself if software development could possibly be this boring, but it’s a critical step and where most people throw in the towel. The more comfortable you are with the basic building blocks of your language of choice — things like variables, objects and functions — the better you’ll be and the faster you’ll achieve your goals.
Remember, the point of all this is to actually learn how to code, build things from scratch, or get hired. There are no shortcuts in software development. The sooner you accept this and internalize it, the better.
I focused on JavaScript to begin my learning journey and the following three books were instrumental for me. Hopefully they will help you as well:
Eloquent JavaScript
JavaScript: The Good Parts
The Principles of Object Oriented JavaScript

3. CODE EVERY DAY
This is pretty straight forward. We all get busy and worn out. I totally understand and struggle with this too. But in learning to code, momentum is your friend. The more days in a row you’re reading or writing code, the easier it is to continue reading, writing, and making progress on your code. The reverse is also true, and to an even larger degree. A single day off very easily leads to two days off, then three days, then you’re back to building up the guts to start all over again.
A single day off very easily leads to two days off, then three days, then you’re back to building up the guts to start all over again.

By the way, the rule doesn’t say code for X amount of time every day. Create a rhythm and schedule that makes sense for you. Set aside one day a week to review your notes and take some of the pressure off. The key is, wrap your head around code every day and don’t stop.

4. READ BOOKS
There are tons of awesome blog posts, videos, learning platforms, meetups, and classes that will be incredible resources for you. Treat these as supplemental tools and don’t let them distract you too much. Your primary learning resource should be books. Books help you focus on the good stuff. They force you to concentrate and comprehend. When you can’t figure something out, they help you ask the right questions (see rule #5 below).
Use the Internet to help you answer specific questions or reinforce ideas. The Internet is not the place to make significant progress on big topics or milestones. It’s too chaotic, scattered, and opinionated. There are too many conflicting signals.

The monster hiding behind each corner of this adventure is “unnecessary complexity.” Great books are great because the authors have done the hard work of organizing technical concepts into manageable, focused direction. There is no shortage of phenomenal programming books to help you master any topic you may be struggling with. On top of that, they are usually written by the most experienced, knowledgeable programmers on the planet — people who have spent their careers figuring out the best way to do things. Leverage their experience.
Use StackOverflow, YouTube, MeetUp events, and blog posts to fill in the gaps in your understanding. Use the Internet to help you answer specific questions or reinforce ideas. The Internet is not the place to make significant progress on big topics or milestones. It’s too chaotic, scattered, and opinionated. There are too many conflicting signals.
It sounds old-school, but seriously — read books.
Here are a few that helped me with important topics:
What Every Web Developer Should Know About HTTP
RESTful Web Services
Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship
Node.js In Action

5. WRITE DOWN YOUR QUESTIONS
You’re embarking down an inherently windy road, so it’s helpful to leave breadcrumbs along the way. Keep track of where you’ve been and where you’re going with a journal. Take notes. Most importantly, write down all of your questions. This will not only help you keep track of what you’re learning, but it makes it easier for you to get help from friends, colleagues, or people you run into at an event.
I’ve found that people have always been willing to help me, many times sit down and walk me through something in extensive detail, and even pair program with me. This always happened when I took the time to explain what I was struggling with and what my specific questions were. When people see that you care enough to write down your questions, they see that you’re serious about learning and probably remember the time when they struggled understanding the same thing. Most people are willing to help at that point — and it will be invaluable guidance for you at those scary, troll-infested trail heads. This leads us right into the next rule.

6. FIND MENTORS
This is a long adventure. You’ll be happy to know others have made the journey before and many of them will be willing to help you if you just ask.
When you find a mentor and they take time to work with you, make sure they know how much you appreciate it. Follow up with them and show them your progress. Find ways to go out of your way to add value in their lives as well. They will notice your efforts and be much more willing to make introductions and continue to work with you.
As mentioned above, bring your questions to your mentors and show them what concepts you’re struggling with. If they can see how important this is to you, they will be your best resource for filling in the knowledge gaps

7. LEARN THE RIGHT WAY
No one knows exactly how to build software. There are all kinds of philosophies and opinions on the “right” way to code. You’ll have to use your books, mentors, and own judgement to sort through all of these theories. The point is you should care about the quality and professionalism of your work. There’s a tendency to “do what works” and develop poor habits, especially if you don’t realize they are bad habits. Fight this tendency at all costs, even if you feel like it’s slowing you down.
The best developers and teams have a strategy and methodology to how they build applications. These strategies and methodologies are designed to minimize complexity and provide a logical structure upon which one can make sense of the chaos that is programming. It sounds like a cliche, but great developers treat programming as an art, not an occupation. Among these people, there are best practices they will expect you to adhere to. If you’re ignorant of this lingo, you won’t be learning things that the best developers do when they sit down to write code. Seems like information you don’t want to miss out on, right?
The best developers and teams have a strategy and methodology to how they build applications. These strategies and methodologies are designed to minimize complexity and provide a logical structure upon which one can make sense of the chaos that is programming.

Take the time to learn and use best practices in everything you build. Understand what it means to write Object Oriented code, get comfortable with identifying and avoiding Code Smells, learn how to refactor each block of code and practice making it clean. It’s hard to overestimate how much this will pay off for you in the long run.

8. BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO DO IT WRONG
Be smart with rule #7 above. We all need to break things and “do it the wrong way” before we can fully appreciate “the right way.” Hack stuff together at first, make things work, try any solution you think might implement your feature, and don’t ever be afraid to do so. It’s an important step in your learning.
I know #7 and #8 feel like conflicting rules, but they aren’t. In fact, one popular methodology or best practice is summarized with the saying, “red, green, refactor,” which refers to a design strategy called test-driven development or TDD. In TDD, you write an automated test that defines a new features (red, failing test), then the minimum code to make that test pass (green, working code that’s probably really ugly), and finally refactor your ugly code until it’s clean. Doing it “wrong” is actually built into the development flow, it’s considered completely normal, and it shouldn’t be something you’re afraid of.

9. STAY OPEN-MINDED
The world of software development is vocal and opinionated. No matter what path you start traveling down, someone is going to tell you it’s a bad one and list a bunch of reasons why you shouldn’t do what you’re doing. Don’t worry about it and try to avoid being dogmatic yourself.
Languages, the tools we have available, and the philosophies on how to build software are constantly changing. If you aren’t open minded about these changes and able to consider new ideas and opinions objectively, you’ll get left behind. Don’t let it hinder progress, but always remember to stay open minded to the changes that are happening in the industry.

10. BUILD PRODUCTS
At the end of the day, books, code exercises, and mentors only get us so far. We have to put our knowledge to practice. The only way to do this is to start building products. All those cool hacks or ideas you’ve had, start making them. The majority of your daily code should be towards building something. Not sure what to build? Try re-creating existing products or services from scratch.
The act of struggling to make something from nothing will push you forward, keep you motivated and excited, and always drive you in the direction you need to go.

Start small and pace yourself. My first product was an application that allowed me to push a button on my computer screen and see a message. It didn’t win any innovation awards or make me any money, but it was incredibly empowering to see something I created from scratch actually work. It helped me start putting the pieces together.
I think this last rule is the most important, and all the others extend from it. I like to call this approach “product-driven learning.” The act of struggling to make something from nothing will push you forward, keep you motivated and excited, and always drive you in the direction you need to go.
***
It took me a year to learn enough to build my own products, get hired for exciting freelance projects and receive job offers. But learning to code was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Link - http://www.shakelaw.com/blog/10-rules-used-teach-code/

This is a tutorial on how to implement a programming language. If you ever wrote an interpreter or a compiler, then there is probably nothing new for you here. But, if you're using regexps to “parse” anything that looks like a programming language, then please read at least the section on parsing. Let's write less buggy code!

The ToC on the right is in “simple-to-advanced” order. I'd recommend you not to skip forward, unless you know the subject well. You can always refer back if you don't understand something. Also, questions and feedback are very much appreciated!

The target audience is the average JavaScript / NodeJS programmer.

Link - http://lisperator.net/pltut/

Africa’s emergence as a growth area is attracting interest from businesses all around the globe. South African businesses are showing particular interest as they are on the spot and might be supposed to have a built-in advantage. For that reason, in fact, many overseas companies are seeing South Africa and South African companies as natural launch pads into Africa.

However, says Pete Frielinghaus, a Senior Business Continuity Management Advisor for ContinuitySA, companies need to be aware that Africa is not a single market, and that its economies are extremely diverse. This heterogeneity must be taken into account, and South African companies in particular must make a concerted effort to understand a very different set of risks, and not assume they “know” Africa.

“Expanding into new markets is intrinsically a risky business and so has to form part of the business continuity management cycle,” he suggests. “As Africa’s leading Business Continuity Management company, ContinuitySA has a bird’s eye view of risks that are common to many African economies. These 10 should certainly be considered when putting a business plan together and when thinking about entering the African market.”

1. Infrastructure. Overall, reliable infrastructure remains a key risk in Africa and there are no uniform standards deployed to measure quality. Roads are poor and in some cases extremely congested, with inevitable impacts on supply chain operations and movement of personnel. In addition, theft and vandalism further undermine the infrastructure while natural disasters also take their toll—for example, flooding in some parts and earthquakes in the Rift Valley in particular.

2. Power. Africa’s energy grid is chronically underdeveloped, something that’s worsened by increasing demand. Companies should therefore prepare for power outages and spikes, with the constant drone of backup generators rumbling on through the day and the night. Ensuring a regular supply of clean diesel should also form part of the risk-mitigation strategy.

3. Communications. As with the power grid, the communications infrastructure is inadequate for the growing demands placed on it. Even when fibre and VSAT infrastructure is in place, performance is not consistent due to incorrect specifications and poor maintenance. “A good example of an African country making tremendous inroads into correcting and strengthening this vital Achilles heel is Rwanda which is right at the top of the list in terms of cheap and reliable communications infrastructure,” Frielinghaus comments.

4. Political issues. Overt conflict is ongoing in a number of African countries but often apparent political stability masks undercurrents of contention. The direct impact of political turmoil is obvious—what may be less so is the link between conflict and corruption, which in turn affects the business environment in many subtle ways. Staff evacuation plans should be in place with a reputable service provider.

5. Corporate governance. Standards of corporate governance remain variable from country to country—in many African countries, both political and business elites still do not buy into the link between corporate governance and prosperity. This in turn impacts companies who need to adhere to international codes like Basel III, King III and Sarbanes-Oxley. The recent formation of the African Corporate Governance Network is one initiative that shows that the move towards building a culture of corporate governance is growing.

“In the main, though, corruption and nepotism remain significant risks that must be factored into business continuity planning,” comments Frielinghaus.

6. Financial and economic issues. As noted above, Africa’s economies are extremely diverse, and include some of the world’s fastest-growing economies but also some of the poorest. These variances in gross domestic product create totally different business and living environments. Other factors to be considered here include complying with different tax regimes and the occasional need to receive payment in local currency via a local bank account.

Companies must also ensure they have adequate insurance cover in the light of local regulations. Some countries, and more particularly large local companies, require foreign companies to take out local cover for professional indemnity—often international cover alone does not suffice. In addition, cross-border medical cover can be both expensive and difficult to arrange.

7. HR issues. At the broadest level, finding skilled and experienced staff remains a challenge, which means that expatriates continue to play a large role in African business. HR issues such as this need to be factored into long-term business continuity planning, including succession planning.

In a similar vein, language and cultural issues are extremely complex and need to be handled with care. Although the majority of African countries use English, French or Portuguese as the business language, it should not be forgotten that the underlying social and business norms are quite different. For example, punctuality is not regarded as highly as it is in the West; nor is there a tradition of robust debate—African societies tend to be more hierarchical and deference towards authority is expected.

“Never forget that you are operating in a very different cultural setting, and that it needs to be respected—you are not here to change things,” warns Frielinghaus. “Find local mentors andlisten to them, or you will not be successful.”

8. Health and safety. The current outbreak of Ebola in West Africa is just the latest example of the potential dangers of doing business in foreign countries. In general, the prevalence of diseases like malaria and yellow fever in Africa can place huge strain on the immune systems of foreigners. Companies need to ensure their staff are fully briefed on, and equipped with, preventative medicine and precautions—and that evacuation plans cover medical emergencies as well as conflict.

At a more mundane level, finding food that is familiar and palatable can be both difficult and expensive. Adapting to the local cuisine makes good sense.

9. Foreign suppliers. Over-reliance on foreign suppliers across Africa translates into poor service, slow response times and thus inefficient support of systems and services. All of this translates into impaired performance both of the company itself and its customers or partners.

10. Visa and work permits. Visa and work permit requirements are far from harmonized across Africa, and seem to change constantly. Aside from the expense, which can be considerable, this area of government bureaucracy is a constant barrier to proper planning and scheduling, and thus constitutes a business risk.

“Africa offers many opportunities but realising them requires insight and staying power—but the same is true when a company expands into any new markets,” Frielinghaus concludes. “Perhaps the first and most important misconception one needs to get rid of is thinking of Africa as a single place. As in any business venture, understanding your market is the first thing to get right!”

Link ~> http://www.biztechafrica.com/article/top-10-risks-worth-considering-when-expanding-afri/8677/#.VAi2dlRdU8o

From the largest technology companies to early stage investors, American high tech companies and venture capitalists are increasingly supporting startups across the African continent.

Whether it’s the 16 mobile apps in Botswana that Jim Goetz mentioned in his take on Facebook’s acquisition of WhatsApp; the launch of IBM’s new innovation centers in Lagos and Casablanca; Microsoft’s partnership with three incubators in Africa, or the African Development Bank’s recent summit on how to engage the private sector more effectively, African entrepreneurship is on investors minds.

In fact, 2013 was the most active year for technology investment on the continent, according to data from CrunchBase.

Link ~> http://techcrunch.com/2014/02/23/u-s-investments-surge-for-african-tech-entrepreneurs/

Low bandwidth and expensive access limit a lot what you can do with Internet in Africa. Therefore, if you want to build a successful web solution for African audience it should be lightweight using mostly text and a little bit of images. It’s advised to avoid using voice or video.

Unfortunately, even if you are successful building this kind of lightweight website you’ll fail, because there is a hidden trap.

A text based Internet works very well in the western or eastern world because of 99% literacy rate. People can read and write. In Africa, there is no such thing. In many countries the illiterates made the majority of the population. They don’t know how to write and read. A text based website is of no use for them.

There is an additional group of people who are literate or semi-literate but don’t like to write or read. Like Steve Jobs said it “People don’t read anymore”, and when it comes to Africa the situation is even worse. My estimate is that these 2 groups of illiterates and people who don’t like to read would amount to more than 70% of African population.

That’s the trap. To reach a profitable audience in Africa you need to use voice and video. Unarguably, voice and video are the only certain ways to reach people in Africa. But, because of low bandwidth and expensive Internet access, you can’t use them. On the other hand if you build a text based solution, your audience is very limited (to city hipsters, and the African diaspora).

There is no audience for online business in Africa. The very people who will make you millionaire are not online.

Many African Internet entrepreneurs discover this sad truth only after spending lots of money and time building their online solutions.

There are numerous possible solutions to that trap, and it’s possible to work around them. However, we have to keep in mind that even a widespread, free, and unlimited access to Internet is not a solution, because it won’t solve the illiteracy issue.

There is a big market for literacy neutral platforms where people can communicate with each other using online images, icons, illustrations and voices, contrary to text-based social networks like Facebook or Twitter.

Entrepreneurs who will take on this challenge and execute it well will be rewarded with a highly scalable profitable business. As an example, my grandfather would listen to a voice commercial, and call me to go to the market to check out the product. It won’t happen with a text ad or a display copy!

European culture is based on the written word, while African culture is more oral and visual. African entrepreneurs who will avoid importing blindly European model to Africa, but leverage their unique knowledge of the African market will be rewarded with much more profitable business. Investing in voice and image enabled search are one of the several ways to go.

Link - http://www.siliconafrica.com/the-trap-that-kill-african-internet-entrepreneurs/

Here They Are:


1. CONNECT FINANCE allows companies to manage their finances, create invoices, quotations, sales orders, payments etc. Tope Olutola Nigeria

2. ASiM is an integrated tool with Quickbooks and SAP Business One to produce rich, real-time business intelligence. Mark Migue Mwaura Kenya

3. Chura allows interoperability betwen different mobile networks in a multi-SIM environment. Stephanie Gaku Kenya

4. Cribpark is a catalogue of home designs, a web shop, and projects management tool. Oladapo Ayodeji Nigeria

5. Cube enables anyone (whether individual or business entity) to accept card payments in person with their phone. Titi Obala Nigeria

6. Feedbackplus lets customers give feedback to different organizations online or through a mobile app. Omoniyi Falodun Nigeria

7. Foodstantly an online marketplace which provides customers with fresh and cooked food + home delivery services. Uchay Ariolu Nigeria

8. Hutbay is a platform that helps real estate consumers find and share vital information about real estate, mortgages, and agents. Olatunji Owolabi Nigeria

9. InstaCare enables real-time verification & authentication of beneficiary’s health insurance. Michael Ike Nigeria

10. Integrated Medics a web based application package to computerize any large scale hospital. Oladapo Gbenle Nigeria

11. IroFit the only mobile card payment system that allows merchants to accept card payments without an internet connection. Omoniyi A. Olawale Nigeria

12. Jifunza provides everyone equal access to the learning, loving and LOLing that digital content offers. Derek Blair Rwanda

13. Kitiwa helps ordinary Africans send and receive money using the bitcoin technology. Nikunj Handa Ghana Nigeria

14. LocName is an application that gives a short, unique name for your address, which you can share easily in just 2 seconds. Zeinab Alashry Egypt

15. Matibabu is a phone application for early, non-invasive malaria diagnosis with a custom piece of hardware (Matiscope). Gitta Brian Uganda

16. Mergims is an online platform that will enable African immigrants to pay tuition fees, airtime and utility bills for their loves ones back home. Muhire Louis-Antoine Rwanda

17. MobileJobs (mjobs) powered by SOMTEC is a web and mobile job alert and recruitment services. Solomon Bleay Ethiopia

18. MuZik is a virtual assistant for feature phones. Patrick Mveng Cameroon

19. MyeCompus.net is an online teaching and learning platform. Cecil Nukator Ghana

20. Nerve delivers cost-effective, higher quality and mobile convergent smart devices and services. Silas Okwocha Nigeria

21. Nikweli is a mobile-to-web job matching platform that connects employers and job seekers for lower skill, “blue collar” type positions. Tiffany Tong Tanzania

22. Online Hisab is a cloud based accounting package for Ethiopian SMEs who are looking for an affordable and easy to use solution. Asmeret Gebre Ethiopia

23. Oradian is a cloud based core banking system for microfinance. Antonio Separovic Nigeria

24. Paysail is a simple way for busniesses and accountants to better manage payroll. Osborn Kwarteng Ghana

25. PieRide is a ridesharing technology platform offering monthly subscription transportation service for daily commuters. Karim El Mansi Egypt

26. Pliby online platform for the African music lovers. Prudence Ogatcha Benin

27. Prepclass is an education technology company focused on local content for digital devices. Ogunlana Olomide Nigeria

28. Saisai is a wireless mesh network distributing free access to wireless hotspots in public areas and public transportation. Christopher Alexander Manzero Zimbabwe

29. Shamba Technologies renewable technology company that designs domestic power products for families in Africa without power. Oliver Kynaston Tanzania UK

30. SmartPesa allows merchants to accept credit card payments using a mobile phone. Comprising a low cost card reader, app and server-side processing. Barry Levett South Africa

31. SokoNect an agribusiness solution designed to shorten the distribution channels of agricultural produce while facilitating fast trade between farmers and their prospective buyers. Mbuvi Nyamai Kenya

32. SpacePointe is an e-commerce marketplace which focuses on the African retailer. Sayu Abend Nigeria

33. SpellAfrica Initiative is a set of proprietary apps for all smartphone operating systems. It is a softphone running on your current smartphone. Elvis Austins Nigeria

34. Telecosys delivers innovative software solutions for Tech-based service providers including Telecom operators, Internet Service Providers, Cloud-based service providers, and pay TV. Mohamed Esmat Egypt

35. The Pearl Dream Inc is a digital collection of African stories for kids and eCommerce retail site for animation inspired items. Brian Asingia Kenya

36. TrafficBytes is a solution which allows mobile operators and telecom vendors to leverage existing big data and provide realtime accurate roads traffic information. Mohamed Hussein Egypt

37. Valuraha Trader is a platform that simulates the African Financial Markets, enabling one to interact with various investment instruments under actual market conditions using virtual money. Betty Mutimba Kenya

38. VIGO is a fully responsive website building tool allowing African entrepreneurs and business owners to create their own websites from any device, including a feature phone. Carl Wallace South Africa

39. VOTO Mobile is a mobile phone notification and survey platform. Kevin Schuster Ghana

40. What’sIn™ mobile application platform service allows consumers with chemical allergies to instantly find the correct information when they scan a product UPC. Wassim Zoghlami Tunisia

What about:

1. Abeokuta?
2. Abuja?
3. Ibadan?
4. Onitsha?
5. Port Harcourt?
6. Warri?
7. Maiduguri?

asalimpo:

Acidic/toxic soils (countries/environments/homes)
kill/stunt even d best seeds (people= carriers of potentials/ideas/dreams).
Success is rarely a solo act. Though 1 man usually takes all d credit.
Sometimes relocation is d smartest thing to do.

Yeah we need to fix all these things.

boomtube:
Did you see how my post on the api vanished eh? I think you should check this out - https://github.com/Elvis10ten/Nairaland-API

Thank you so much boomtube. I will definitely check out. I appreciate it.

asalimpo:
$1b wudnt b possible without the $8m fundg.
Which wudnt b possible if som1 ddnt blv in him.
Back 2 9ja,
aspiring-programmer:
"daddy/mummy, giv me money to buy som books(online) and a laptop etc".
Daddy/Mummy/uncle/brother : "To do wat? Tht your 'computer programming' , you'd better find somthg better 2 do with your life .... I dnt hav money to waste ".
Naija-encouragement:
"you spend all your time starring at d computer.."
naija-programmer sharg software idea with nonProgrammer friend/colleague.
:"i have this software idea i'm thinkg about<explains idea excitedly>..."
<response: friend not excited
or interested. Changes the subject>
u.s/u.k/isreali shares software idea with friend
<friend encourages programmer to drop out of school to implement idea!>.

Faith is the beginning.

lordZOUGA: https://www.nairaland.com/feed

Thank you so much LordZOUGA. I really appreciate it. Have A Good Monday & A Great Evening.

Behind almost every successful web application, there is an easy-to-use & feature-rich API as they simply help the main application to spread into others & reached by more users.

Also, an API-enabled application can be easily developed further using the API itself.

In order to create an API for your web application, here are 10 tutorials to get you started.

How To Create An API In 10 Tutorials ~> http://www.webresourcesdepot.com/how-to-create-an-api-10-tutorials/
40 Tutorials On How To Create An API ~> http://blog.mashape.com/list-of-40-tutorials-on-how-to-create-an-api/

Anybody working on them or anything we can work with?

Link ~> http://www.cnbcafrica.com/video/?bctid=3596550424001

Apple has acquired Chinedu Echeruo’s HopStop.com, The Wall Street Journal’s publication, AllThingsDigital reports. Founded in 2005, HopStop.com makes mobile applications for both iOS and Android that covers over 300 cities and that helps people get directions or find nearby subway stations and bus stops. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed as at the time of this publication.

HopStop has oft been compared to Israel’s Waze which was recently acquired by Google for $1 billion. The move is seen as Apple’s plan to bolster its map offering especially given Google’s recent acquisition of Waze.

A serial entrepreneur, Chinedu Echeruo grew up in Eastern Nigeria and attended Kings College, Lagos. He attended Syracuse University and the Harvard Business School in the United States and founded HopStop.com after working for several years in the Mergers & Acquisitions and Leveraged Finance groups of J.P Morgan Chase where he was involved in a broad range of M&A, Financing and Private Equity transactions. He also worked at AM Investment Partners, a $500 million volatility-driven convertible bond arbitrage hedge fund.

He founded and raised nearly $8 million for his two U.S based internet companies; Hopstop.com and Tripology.com. Tripology.com was acquired in 2010 by American travel and navigation information company, Rand McNally. He was named Black Enterprise Magazine’s Small Business Innovator of the year and listed in the magazine’s Top 40 under 40 and is currently a partner and head of the Principal Investing group at Constant Capital, a West Africa based investment bank.

True to form, Echeruo is working on yet another venture but this time, focused on small businesses in Africa. Check out a video of Chinedu Echeruo below at 2012’s TedxIkoyi where he talks about his latest project for small businesses in Africa; “crowd sourced business in a box.”

According to him:
“There is no reason why every entrepreneur should have to reinvent the wheel every single time in all the countries in Africa. My idea is to essentially to have one place where a budding entrepreneur can access a template for starting a business, and then customize it to suit their own situation. Essentially a business-in-a-box.”

Link ~> http://www.dailybuzz.ch/2014/07/apple-buys-hopstopcom-from-nigerian.html

Open source software is booming: here we round up over 480 open source applications for you to use or build upon.

Link ~> http://mashable.com/2007/09/23/open-source/

Learn Python As You Make Apps

Top 400 Python Projects ~> http://pythonhackers.com/open-source/

It can be tough to learn how to develop, especially when it comes to finding complete examples. That’s why I put this list together. Each of these open source iPhone apps is not just open source, but has been in the app store, and all but one are in there right now. So if you’re looking for an example of some real apps here they are.

107 Open Source iPhone Apps ~> http://maniacdev.com/2010/06/35-open-source-iphone-app-store-apps-updated-with-10-new-apps
50+ iPhone Apps With Source Code ~> http://projectswithlove.com/projects/index.html

Here’s my latest DIY project, a smartphone based on a Raspberry Pi. It’s called – wait for it – the PiPhone. It makes use an Adafruit touchscreen interface and a Sim900 GSM/GPRS module to make phone calls. It’s more of a proof of concept to see what could be done with a relatively small form factor with off-the-shelf (cheap) components. I don’t expect everyone to be rushing out to build this one, but I had great fun in doing it, as it builds quite nicely on my previous projects, especially the Lapse Pi, a touchscreen time-lapse controller, and uses most of the same hardware.


What makes this different from the Timelapse controller is the addition of a a SIM900 GSM module, which is connected via UART to the Raspberry Pi. Also, I got myself a LiPo battery that would fit nicely between the TFT screen and the Raspberry Pi, so it could be used standalone, without any wires hanging off it whatsoever. Here’s the finished PiPhone.

Link ~> http://www.davidhunt.ie/piphone-a-raspberry-pi-based-smartphone/

Location: Ibadan
Languages: HTML, CSS & JS.

Why buy a retail notebook when you can build a faster, cheaper portable system from scratch?

By Denny Atkin
Building a desktop PC is like dining at one of those huge buffet restaurants: You have dozens of choices for every dish, the variety ranging from hot dogs to filet mignon and everything else in between. Building a laptop reminds us more of a prix fixe menu: You can make a few decisions here and there, but you don't have much opportunity to customize your meal.

Indeed, building your own laptop is chock-full of challenges. Parts are harder to find, choices are fewer, and you need a steady hand to deal with small screws and the tight confines of a portable case. What's more, there's not nearly as much information available in books and on the Web about assembling portable systems from the case up.

Look past these limitations, however, and your DIY laptop dream can become a reality. With a thirst for challenge and a $1,400 budget, you can assemble a speedy, well-equipped mobile machine that performs better and costs less than many comparable pre-built systems. As for the difficulty in putting it all together, that's where we come in: We'll walk you through all the steps it takes to build a high-performance laptop from as close to scratch as you can get.

Part 1 ~> http://www.computershopper.com/feature/build-your-own-laptop-200804-2
Part 2 ~> http://www.computershopper.com/feature/build-your-own-laptop-200804-3
Part 3 ~> http://www.computershopper.com/feature/build-your-own-laptop-200804-4
Part 4 ~> http://computershopper.com/slideshow/build-your-own/build-your-own-laptop/step-1

egopersonified: The joy of nairaland is being able to pokenose in wetin nor consign u. But everyone is on facebook, even people in their 60s and 70s, younger siblings or children open facebook accounts for their older siblings or parents. Some even have fb acc for their newborn baby.

So Facebook is more personal while Nairaland is more social. What if Nairaland became more of a social network than an internet forum?

Cherez: I believe Nairaland was created for a good course but some people turned it into a messy dungeon. With the kind of diatribe against each other here, how many responsible Nigerians would love to join or even contribute.
We just show the world from here that we are a bunch of ill-mannered losers.
Let's portray a scintillating atmosphere here then watch people flock in here.

But thats everywhere Cherez. No matter how much good you have intended on making a product, some people will always use it for their negative means.

http://www.quora.com/Computer-Programming/What-are-the-best-programming-blogs

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