Why ?, all because there are no tools, terminologies and so on to aid in writing in an African language. If you take a language like Ga, it has certain characters( Ɛ,Ɔ,Ŋ ) which isn’t available with most keyboards. How are you expected to write in Ga?

This is where ANLoc is focusing on to improve. ANLoc is a group made up of serveral organizations that have partnered to address the issue with localization by creating locales and also building tools, terminologies, standards,  etc, to aid in localization.

Please help spread the word about ANLoc. They are doing a fantastic work yet they are in the darkness. Much people don’t know about their work and efforts. Feel free to blog or mention them in your articles or blog post to spread the word.

Not

Picasaweb is a photo sharing service provided by Google with so many features, like tagging, unlimited albums, photo manager, location tagging, commenting, public API, just to mention a few. Flickr on the other hand is also a photo sharing service provided by Yahoo. It has similar features just like Picasaweb, just that, it’s free account is not friendly like that of Picasaweb that offers unlimited albums and upload times with upgradable space of 1GB. Flickr’s free account restricts to showing only the most recent 200 photos, it is limited to only 3 sets ( its called album in Picasaweb lingo ), uploads are limited to 100MB per mont and other unfriendly nature of it.

With all these friendliness Picasaweb provide, I wonder why people tend to you use Flickr more than Picasaweb especially when it comes to free account of both services.

I’m asking a little favour from my readers, why do you use Flickr over Picasaweb, share by posting a comment.

Adventurous and funny I can be sometimes, I do play along with them and its amazing the extent they can go when you show a little interest. One even called me on my personal phone line. I remember in one  of the email exchange I had with one of them, she asked me for my address and phone number and I desisted. After a week, not hearing from me, she called me with an unknown number, asking if I have read her recent emails. Anyway, Im going to publish some of the messages here so people get to know the nature of such messages, so they don’t fall a victim.

1.

Hello Henry Addo,

I will like to use this privilege to introduce myself as a Ghanaian Citizen But living in UK , I have a Friend who is coming to Ghana for some resources product that is founded most especially in Africa , so I contact you for some assistance.

Willing to hear from you soon,

Best Regards

Attn: Mr. Henry Addo

Thanks for your reply, actually I live in Milltown St Radcliff Manchester M2 1WE UK and the attachment file are my pictures. I also want to you’re your pictures including your home address to enable me know whom I am working with.

I have a friend called Dr. Gerhard; he travels to South Africa to buy some products called SAGE SEED that he uses in manufacturing drugs ( medicine ) for curing some Chronic Sickness, and after he has been duped in South Africa that was two years ago. Last year I connected him with a Ghanaian friend from Ashanti Region who stood as an agent, buying the seeds from the main dealer in Ghana and sells it to Dr. Gerhard with different price, I put my trust in him, but after Dr. Gerhard has purchased the goods from him which the profit was one hundred and seventy two thousand US Dollars ($172.000.00) he made away with all the money without sending my own share as we agreed.

That is why I stopped the transaction with him, Dr. Gerhard always need this seeds every year according to him and this time he want to come over there in Ghana for this year purchasing, so that is why I have contact you as my new agent because I don’t want my old agent to know that he is coming to Ghana.

I will like you to stand as a distributor / Supplier Agent in Ghana which you will be the point of Contact to Dr. Gerhard, I will as well give you the Contact Number of the main dealer in Ghana who deals in the seed for you to Confirm the present Price and the Quantity they have at the moment, so that we can add our Commissions before I will inform Dr. Gerhard.

I have talked to Dr. Gerhard on your behalf to give you some of the money after he has conform the seed to be what he want, to enable you supply the goods for him so you shouldn’t worry about using you money.

Best regards

FROM ABIDJAN IVOIRY COAST
WEST  AFRICA.

Complement of the season dearest one,
I am sorry to come to you in this way,i come across your profile and my spirit lead me to chose you,well i realy needed some one honest, truthfull to share my feelings with and to share burden with and will lead me to introduce my self to you, I am Miss Frola Williams, 21 years old the only daugther to late Mr and Mrs Bonna William. a Native of Ivory Coast in West Africa.

My father was a highly reputable business man (a cocoa merchant) who operated in Abidjan the capital city of lvory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his business trips abroad on 12th.August 2006.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been master minded by one of his family member who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth!

My mother died when I was just 6 years old . Since then my father took me so special. Before the death of my father on August 12 2006  in a private hospital here in Abidjan, he secretly called me on his bedside and told me that he has a sum (US$ 5,500,000 ,FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) which was deposited at the suspence account in a local bank here in Abidjan,that he used my name as his only Daughter and the person who will inherit the deposit fund incase if he is no more.

He also explained to me that it was because of this wealth that he was poisoned by one of his family members who travelled with him at that time,he told me that incase if he is no more that i should  seek for a foreign patner in a country of my choice who will help me to receive the fund into his/her account and i will travell to the country and use the fund for investment purpose and also further my education there.

The document which I have in my possession now carries my late father’s name as the depositor, while I’m the next of kin on the same document. I am just 21 years old and a university undergraduate and really don’t know what to do now. The death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life.Sir, I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.

Now permit me to ask these few questions:-

1. Can you honestly help me as your Sister/Daughter?
2. Can I completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question will be good for you for all your assistance to me after the succesfull transfer of this fund to your account?
4. Can you promise me that you will not betray me when this money will get to your possition?
Please, Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.

please do not fail to respond with this information.

1, your full name and adress.
2, your telephone number.
3, small about your self.i mean what you do in life.
Immidiately i receve your mail with all this informationgs.I will forword to you all the neccessary  documents concerning this deposit with the bank contact.

Thanks and GOD bless you as you bring out your mind willingly to help me out from this situation,

My best regards to you.
yours lovely one

Dear Sir,

lam 26years old girl and single, it may interest you to know that lam a girl of PEACE and l dont want problem,l only hope you can assist me.

lt is my greatest pleasure to write you, how is your family,hope fine?lf so doxology.
l got your contact by missionary l met brefly in Accra who assure me you will help me. My name is. MISS.ANGELA.HUGS.daughter of the late marketing chairman of sierra leone marketing board,mr Sigitmund Begki who died in accidents .

Before the death of my father, he revealed to my late mother and me, he had deposited in ESCROW ACCOUNT a huge amount of $2 million dollars in INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE BANK GHANA.

Being the only one left, l have decided to transfer this money out of this country to a trust worthy beneficiary who will invest the money and send me back to school .

l need your help to invest this family inheritance into a profitable investment in your country . l have decided to part away %10 as your comission. Due to my present condition now in Accra Ghana which is a terrible oreal, l demand an urgent responds. Please confirm your interest .

May God bless you,

Yours faithful,

Greetings,

As you read this, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Mr. Campbell William, from New-Zealand base in London, I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer, which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in carrying for my health. It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.

I have since lost my power of speech and can only manage to write now, as that has been the only way I am able to communicate. I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focus on my business as that is the only thing I cared for.

But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to
this world I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it. Now that I know my time is near, I have willed and given most of my properties and assets to my immediate and extended family members and as well as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul and so, I have decided to give alms to charity organizations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I did on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organizations in UK, Brazil and Ireland. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self any more. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and donate the money, which I have there to charity organization in Bulgaria, they refused and kept the money to themselves.

Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contented with what I have left for them. The last of my money which only few of them knows of is the huge cash deposit that I have with my Bank in London. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and
dispatched it to charity organizations.

Regards,

BarCampGhana

I’m using this medium to inform readers of my blog that, BarCampGhana is happening live on the 22nd of December 2008 at AITI-KACE premesis. To confirm your participation, you have to register on the event’s website.

Its a free event. All we need is your participation and contribution in any other form you may offer. Do remember to bring a friend along and keep spreading the word about BarCampGhana.

Wondering what a Barcamp is all about?

BarCamp is simply an ‘unconference’ - an ad-hoc gathering of people with the simple desire to share and learn in an open environment. Unlike a conference, at a BarCamp everyone is both a speaker and a participant. The content is provided by all attendees based on their interests.

So with that cleared, catch you there at 22nd.

This is so cool. I stumbled upon this website when I was reading an article in a forum post about a pastor being mad at people because he had an issue with a fetish priest.

I’m so impressed about this man-Kwaku Bonsam the fetish preist, taking his job a step further by getting a website to promote his services and make himself globally known. In fact how many of his such will embrace technology, either they reject it outright or condemn it blatantly.

Indeed this should really make more people change their mind when it comes to accepting or adopting technology. Now if you own a business or provide a service in what so ever legal form and you don’t have a website, you should feel lagging behind in the digital world and the global reach. Even the traditional men are going digital. :-)

Oh you can take a peek of his website at http://www.kwakubonsam.com

The current hype on the media now is the e-zwich payment system. Quoting from their website,

e-zwich is the brand name for the common platform (the National Switch) that links the payment systems of all banks, savings and loans companies and rural banks in Ghana.It is an electronic platform that enables LOADING and SPENDING of e-cash and also allows the SETTLEMENT of inter-bank claims in addition to online transactions. Customers are able to effect transactions “offline” in underdeveloped areas where power and communication infrastructure maybe lacking. All transactions occur between a customer card and another card in a POS or ATM.

How it operates:
An e-zwich POS device is issued by a bank or savings and loan company with a retail merchant card registered to the owner of the e-zwich POS and linked to the owner’s traditional bank account. During payment, the owner’s customer’s e-zwich card is slotted into the card reader on the POS and debited by the amount of the transaction using the device’s keypad. The customer authenticates the payment with their finger print. Their card is then debited by the amount plus any other fees and credited to the merchant card of the owner of the POS. At the close of the day, all transactions are settled on the POS electronically through e-zwich to the owner’s bank account linked to the merchant card. All funds can be drawn from the bank.

To transfer money to the bank, the device is coupled with a settlement feature. When the settlement feature is selected, the device goes online using either an inserted SIM card from any of the major telecom service providers ( Onetouch, MTN, Tigo, Kasapa ) and a telephone line socket or an internet connection. The POS is pre-configured with the required e-zwich system host destination numbers. So no need to worry about numbers.

Other services offered by the device includes: money transfers, online and offline funds load, payments of bills, enquiries about the card, etc…

With this system coming to play, I foresee a leverage of our problem of online transactions. We can have our own online payment system without necessarily needing any of the international payment system out there ( paypal and the credit card systems, etc… ). Developers can now build solutions for online transactions specifically targeted towards the Ghanaian market. Well this will really work if e-zwich could provide a public APIs where third parties can write applications that support the system.

No need to be carrying huge money around. All is loaded into the card which is secure since using the card requires a finger print for authentication. Now the money snatchers will be out of business :).

One problem that hit us was pixelated images because I was forcing all the images to a particular fixed size[ i can be dumb sometimes ] which quiet didn’t fit well with the size I gave. To fix the problem, I needed to figure out a way to resize the image proportionally. At this juncture, I’m going to share how to resize an image and maintian it proportionality.

To achieve that, you need to know the aspect ratio  of the image, muliply it by the width you want to resize the image to and that gives you the height you need to resize the image to. The algorithm below explains everything.

1. Get the original width and height of the image.
2. Set new width if original width is not going to be used.
3. Divide orignal height by the new width or the original width [ if new width wasn't set ] to get the aspect ratio.
4. Multiply  aspect ratio by the  new width or original width [ if new width wasn't set ] to get the new height needed to resize the image to.
5. Now set the image size to the new width or original width [ if new width wasn't set ] and the new height.

Simple huh!. Yes few research got me this.

A smart way of fighting these automated scripts is to implement CAPTCHA on your forms that way you can detect humans from scripts.

Implementing CAPCHTA on your forms can be a little bit complex especially when you use the distorted image approach like this one.
.

This type of CAPTCHA is not only complex to implement but actually, technologies have been developed that reads these type of CAPTCHA thus making it ineffective to use.

A better, easy and effective way of implementing a CAPTCHA is to ask a very basic random question on the form. Could be a math challenge or just any quiz you think almost every human on this earth can answer. With that said, I implemented a script that does that. Feel free to download it. Note: There is a file embedded within this post, please visit this post to download the file. Got this concept from Drupal’s captcha module. That is what they actually use and is effective.

Another quick, better, smarter, easy and effective way of implementing that same feature( CAPTHCA ) is to use CSS. How?. You design a form with all the necessary fields you need from the user. Add another field to determine if its human or automated scripts that is filling the form. Use CSS to hide that particular field from humans. If its humans that is filling up the form, he/she will not fill that field because its not visible. So when validating, check if that field has been filled up. If it has, then it is surely a script that filled up the form so you don’t process otherwise its human. Go ahead and process the form. Check codes below to see how you can achieve the hiding of the form field with CSS.

 1 <html>
 2     <head>
 3         <title>Captcha With CSS</title>
 4         <style type="text/css">
 5             .captcha {
 6                 display : none;
 7                 background: #FFF;
 8             }
 9
10             #content {
11                 width : 300px;
12             }
13         </style>
14     </head>
15     <body>
16         <div id="content">
17             <input type="text" size="30" name="first_name" />
18             <input type="text" size="30" name="last_name" />
19             <input type="text" name="captcha" class="captcha" />
20             <input type="submit" name="send" value="Send" />
21         </div>
22     </body>
23 </html>
24