Cross Roads

As part of my search for the E-mail Client, i came across this Jewel . If you have worked with E-mail clients before and tried to get your Google Mail accounts, Hotmail Accounts or any others, you probably noticed that there is a lot of information available on how to configure various accounts. Spicebird helps you by finding this information and filling it in for you. Questions about port numbers , incoming addresses and outgoing address are all taken care of by this handy program. Even though there were some problems with the initial install, i would still recommend this software especially the older more stable versions.

There are some pretty neat tools for accessing PDF documents. If you have the space go ahead and invest in some of the heavy duty stuff. Foxit works for me because it is very small and enables be to do everything that i need. I admit having had some frustrations with some of the bigger programs but this one saves me some precious space on the HD and also gives me the speed that i need without wearing out the processor. Have used this software now for about three years after a recommendation from Maximum Magazine. Give it a try!

There is a list of must have software for the Windows user as well as an equivalent list for the Linux user. The challenge is that for the Linux user, you have to be very specific which vendor your are making reference to. Much of what i present is created for users that are running dual boot systems. Graphics people will appreciate gimp which allows you to create some pretty cool stuff and is designed to run on both platforms. GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is designed primarily for tasks such as " photo retouching, image composition and image authoring ". Try it out i think you will like it.

If you are like me, there are certain things that you expect a good browser to do. If that browser disappoints you the chances are you will head straight for google and find the most recent and reliable link to a new download that fulfills your expectations (even though this download is for a completely different product). Do you want to have a central place where your e-mails can be sent especially if they are part of an e-mail client ? Then SeaMonkey is the tool for you. Do you want to establish a link to your favorite chat platform? You guessed it! SeaMonkey is the tool for you. There are hurdles that are still to be overcome such as the problem that arises out of having all your proverbial eggs in one basket but these can be overcome.

There are times when you need to get documents that you have worked on in one format into another more usable format especially for others to view . There are plug-ins that are created to work with some of the newer versions of Office. Open Office comes has a built in PDF (portable document format) converter which works great. Do PDF is another option that works great for me. Once it is installed, all you need to do is go to file > print > and then select > Do PDF. This neat software then takes the document that you have chosen to print, and converts it to PDF and places it in a folder of your choice.

A great idea....We are yet to see if she can deliver a fatal blow to Explorer to help avenge the death of a distant relative- Netscape . Was rather cross that after a while Netscape was no longer providing support for their browser. For a while, what i did was run the browser anyway which in my view, was probably one of the best browsers on the market (with some very well designed security features). Creating a browser that makes room for all major social networking sites and and is built with similar functionality is good. I use flock to subscribe to several feeds which are displayed on the side bar. The e-mails i visit most are also close by for quick access. Even though i do not exchange photos too often on the Internet, i do recommend flock because it has access to all the major photo and video exchanging sites on the web. Thumbs up to the Flock Browser.

I do admit a certain soft spot for Mozilla products. This is one of them, i suppose that there are advantages to having a whole suite of products under one name much like Microsoft does has done with Outlook or Evolution in the Linux environment. Sunbird allows me to make my plans and then port them in either the Linux side or the Windows side. Most of the features that are available with the standard calendering software are found here with tasks and planners for the day, the week or the month. The other great thing about it is its size . The user can also get additional features online.

In an effort to establish a tradition, we would like to recommend some products for users to try. It is very difficult to find a service (especially software) that fulfills your every need. After a while of working with computers and interacting with others on the Internet, it will not be long before you realize the need for an e-mail client. It is generally used to access your e-mail services on the Internet either through POP3 accounts or through IMAP . There are several on the market but i will make reference to Thunderbird. I appreciate the simplicity of the new Thunderbird which does most of the work for you so that all you have to do is key in your login name and your password. The wizard then uses its extensive database to figure out the rest of your mail server details. Currently Gmail and Hotmail give their users access to the above services so that e-mail clients can get access to their messages. This could prove to be advantageous in the future. Yahoo offers these servic

This week after quite a while, I received an Ubuntu CD in the mail. I had officially become a member of the Ubuntu Fraternity . I have some history with Ubuntu Software and am no stranger to the process of getting this software to work through the rigorous process of back and forth trips to a restaurant/cafe with a wireless link. Anyway I am in and have managed to install Ubuntu Desktop as a dual boot with Windows XP. Even though there are still some struggles with some devices, it sure feels good to have Linux back on the Laptop.

One of the most challenging design projects. Put together for three young entreprenuers. There was a good supply of material for most of the pages. Most of the design work is split into very distinct phases so that aspects that belong in design do not end up being handled in maintenance. This is significant especially when there is a limit in the financial out flows.

This page is designed using Drupal 7. There was some trouble getting some of the changes in color to register. The choice of Drupal was based on the ease of use . We wanted to make sure that the client had as much control over the content and that in future, the client could use the page and the management system to communicate with clients as well as to collaborate with other writers. We like the 'blog-like' feel of the page as well as the ease with which nodes can be integrated into the content of the page.

Another project perhaps a little more recent. Designed with Dream Weaver. The graphics redone with Xara 5. The heart of this design is the use of Cascading Style Sheets. This is one of three pages for one project. We are yet to see if all the pages will be done using Dream Weaver of if other design packages will be used.

We wanted to present some of the projects that fall under the banner of Hope First Media. There are some pages which are still up. Others are no longer running. For those that are no longer running, the preference has always been to create JPEG images of these pages. For this blog we will present images of some of the pages that are still available. The two images you see were done for an NGO which works with children all over Uganda. Of all the pages that i have desinged this is one of the few that is still running (this could be due to the size of the organization). The page was designed in Dream Weaver and Xara (for the graphics). The flash was outsourced. This was also the first group with which i signed a contract which is useful for small businesses. We hope you appreciate what we are trying to do. Nick

A few weeks ago i introduced Hope First. What we would like to do now, is introduce the new Logo. I hope you like it. The idea behind the image is still the same. The upside down traffic light as a symbol of a life turned upside down and the words HOPE FIRST (For the Intersecting Streets).

Scenario Two You worked hard at the office. The day was a little rough. Working at the bank tends to be. You need to wind down after all the stress. You can remember the face of the guy at the counter who showed up and complained that you had given them the wrong amount of money. You settle down with your colleagues for a some ice cream and some office gossip. After a while the game is on. Being an ardent Fun of the Premier League you have the opportunity to watch the game live.

We mentioned a while back the desire to put together a project that would serve am as guide to various places in the city with useful services. The First Scenario Its one of those days at the office. The boos needs to make a presentation and you have been hand picked to ensure that this happens. You woke up late after a rough night (a party). What do you do? If you are driving close to Garden City, you can stop over at Cafe Pap . You can have a snack and sample some well brewed Coffee or some flavored tea. Then when your nerves are calm, you could pull out your laptop and connect to the internet either using the wireless connection (coming soon) or a USB GPRS (available from UTL, MTN, ZAIN or Orange). Now you are connected. After some struggle you make some changes on the document save it as a PDF and as a presentation just in case and then send it to your boss. You settle for a cold drink of your choice and then make your way back to the office. You saved the day....

We are searching for submission towards the creation of a better logo. We were initially trying to focus more on students in the Country...and this City so that it is much simpler to distribute rewards. The focus group for this competition might change and if it does the change will be communicated. The competition is directed towards three groups of people. The first group is to art students in high school. Those who have seen the first logo are aware of what it aims to communicate. What can we do to bring out the three main facets of the Hope First Group? Either by incorporating new elements into the design or by creating a completely new design that reflects the heart of the Hope First Group. -Finance -Training -Media The second group is directed towards the same high school students that are taking creative writing . Describe an event in your life that has had an impact and which has left you with an image or lasting impression. The third is to students of business or commerce .

When we started Hope First right after coming back to Africa, the logo we used is what you see on the left. The idea was rather simple. The Words Hope and First to symbolize the intersecting streets and the the upside down traffic light. It has served me well and has been used for the Hope First Group, Hope First Media and Hope First Training and Hope First Finance . There is still a drive to make the logo better and to create modifications for individual branches of the Hope First Group. I hope you guys like it....

Was introduced to this OS way back in 2000. back then i was just starting to cultivate an interest in certifications and was readng widely about RHCE and other certifications such as CCNA. Thanks to Barnes and Noble and Borders...access to volumes of useful Information Technology books very easy. After some interaction with family in NC, they gave me my first copy of linux caldera which is still safely tucked away in NC. Fastforward a few years and some...and some interaction at the university with Red Hat linux takes place. Next two DVDs are received from a linux enthusiast and the first one I try is Fedora Core 8. Thrilled at the prospect of some new options in the OS world. Introduction to Tomboy which is a great note taking software that allows you to link all your text documents and then port them into web documents (in html). Unfortunately did not have enough skill to get online (either wirelessly or via lan) with fedora. Next Open Suse 10.3-this worked well and was useful in the

This is the second time that i have run Vista on my Dell Latitude C640. There is a little sign on the laptop that clerly states that the laptop is built or designed for XP. The first time the software was installed as an upgrade. This time around though the challenge (and we like some once in a while!) was to run a dual boot of XP and Vista. This i did after partitioning the hard disk with euseus partition manager (free advertising a la blog). Most of what i wanted to do worked well and i was able to run a host of programs that i have been itching to try out. The downside...unable to connect to the internet because of a lack of drivers. The consequence of all of this...inability to proceed with vista home edition(limited). The feel is great...also noticed that the sound was better on my vista installation than with the other partition carrying the xp installation. Next might try to install virtual pc to test the functions of vista within the xp environment...maybe the drivers will f

Today like millions of others, I just visited my facebook page. Here i made contact with people that i forgot about and attempted to catch up where i left off. There were some with whom contact was no longer possible...others were too ashamed to reject the requests for friendship. Others stood there and began to think through the implications of the word friendship.There were attempts to catch up with some and attempts to forget others. On this vast canvas enemies were made and friends created. I hope that you had a good day today and that you were transparent enough for others to appreciate.

It will be helpful to remember that no matter where you go, you always take yourself there. It makes more sense to attempt to set a standard or plant a flag right there. Even as some attempts are made to repair what i view as damage especially in terms of relationships, it is clear that there still remains the possibility that the errors of the past are going to be repeated. What evidence have you left behind to show that you were there?

Today i would like you to look into your heart and celebrate yourself for being incredible and worthy of so much praise. There are things that you have gone through and survived without an ounce of bitterness and anger. There are burdens that you have had on your back for a long time without complaining. Thank you for carrying all that stuff. Thank you for being so strong and for helping those of us who knew no better. Thank you for placing your dreams on the shelf in order to help us fulfill ours.

Someone was talking about how it is not very hard to receive forgiveness ...but that it is harder to deal with the consequences that will arise out of bad things that we have done. We are wired differently and some of us will remember bad things that are long gone when we get a whiff or a hear a song that reminds us of something we said or something we did. This is what it is like for me when out of the blue someone will remind me of what i said or what i did while i was homeless or without full control of my faculties . I guess we have to determine what the intentions of these people are and then we have to make the decision whether we let them into our circle of friends or whether we let them go. It is not nice though if they make deliberate attempts to impede our progress by using key words or images to remind us of what we have once suffered or lived. The other thing you cannot quite control is what people do with the data (good or bad) that they have about you. Maybe people

The company is doing well. It seems that much of what i try to do is better done than advertised. Trying to get people into the training but that is not proving too simple. There is a sense of exhaustion and the routine of life. Am sure though that none of you are new to all of this. It seems to me that more business are going to be built around individuals especially because there are so many tools available and a great number of people that have very specific competencies. What i normally do for the business, is to generate projects and then create material for those projects. The next step of this process is to use this material with the little literature that i have to link it to some of the text books and technical materials that are available. Recently installed orange hrm which has helped me gain a better knowledge of business structure and human resource management . Have also started using Drupal which has helped me design better pages. Am yet to test other server platforms

This is the first in many to come. The primary concern is to find people that are in transition and serve as a guide to help them discern a better future.