THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEVELOPING A PROGRAM FOR A PC AND MOBILE PHONE APP

 

The success of mobile programming means that there are many developers who would like to make the leap from being a software developer for desktop/tablet applications to being a developer for mobile phone applications. The differences however are in:

1.    Compatibility
For a mobile phone app to be a success it must be compatible with many different operating systems and given the wide variety, a mobile programmer has to ensure that their application is operable on all otherwise they miss out on a significant portion of the market share. The most popular operating systems are Android from Google, iOS from Apple, Blackberry 10, Symbian from Nokia and Windows Phone. As an independent programmer one must make their application compatible with all these OS and more. For a PC developer, compatibility is almost never an issue due to the complexity level of PC operating systems. Most open source software is easily compatible with all operating systems however once a developer’s applications can operate on Windows and OS X by Mac they can safely distribute their work.

2.    Network consistency
When making a computer application the developer can safely assume that there is constant network connectivity and at times large downloads of information can be facilitated. When developing a mobile application however one must be aware that there will be constant network fluctuation even if the user is in an area with a strong network. With mobile applications particularly in Africa the developer must always be aware that downloading content costs money and not all users of the app might be high spenders and so when developing the app must limit the content that requires downloading. Mobile applications are also used when one is travelling in which case the network will not be consistent.

3.    Customization
Mobile phones are generally private items and therefore the applications developed for it are assumed to be used by a single individual. Mobile applications therefore have a high level of customization and personalization as the assumption is that no one else will access the application on a daily basis. PC applications however must assume that the computer is for the office and even if for home use many people will access it for this reason most PC applications have a log in prompt as the first step to starting operation unlike with mobile applications.

Domain Registration Kenya

Types of Domain Names

 

We have very many types of domain names, while .com domains make up for 46.5% of all global registered domain names, it still leaves plenty of room for other domain name types like .org and .net. Overall, the most common types of domain names include:

TLD: Top Level Domains
A top level domain is exactly what it sounds like: a type of domain name which is at the top level of the internet’s domain name system. There are over a thousand TLDs available but the most common include .com, .org, .net, and .edu.

The official list of TLDs is maintained by an organization called the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and can be viewed here. IANA notes that the list of TLDs also includes ccTLDs and gTLDs, which we’ll talk about next.

ccTLD: Country Code Top Level Domains
ccTLDs use just two letters and are based upon international country codes, such as .ke for Kenya and .jp for Japan. They’re often used by companies that are building dedicated sites for specific regions and can be a good way of signaling to users that they’ve arrived at the right place.

gTLD: Generic Top Level Domain
A gTLD is essentially a top-level domain that doesn’t rely on a country code. Many gTLDs are intended for a specific use-case, such as .edu which is aimed at educational institutions. That said, you don’t have to meet any specific criteria to register a gTLD, which is why a .com domain might not necessarily be used for commercial purposes.

Other examples of gTLDs include .mil (military), .gov (government), .org (for non-profits and organizations), and .net, which was originally designed for internet service providers (ISPs) but is now used more widely.

Other Domain Name Types
While the above-mentioned domain name categories are the most frequent, there are other variations that you can run into.

Second-Level Domains
You’ve probably seen these domain names before. We’re talking about a domain that sits directly below a top-level domain name. We’re not going to get too technical here because it’s easier to show with examples, particularly when it comes to country codes.

For example, Kenya companies occasionally use .co.ke instead of .com, and it’s a perfect example of a second-level domain. Another second-level domain is .go.ke, which is often used by governmental institutions, and .ac.ke, which is used by academic institutions and universities.

Subdomains
Subdomains are useful because they don’t require webmasters to purchase an additional domain name to create divisions within their site. Instead, they’re able to create a subdomain that effectively points to a specific directory on the server. This can be super useful for campaign sites, micro sites and other types of web content that should be kept separate from the main site.

For example, Facebook uses developers.facebook.com to provide specific information for web and app developers who want to use the Facebook API. Another great example is support.google.com

How Do Domain Names Work?

 A domain name works by acting as a link or alternative name to the server that hosts your website.

Without a domain name, anyone who wanted to visit your website would have to enter the full IP address whichs is usually 12 to 15 digit number. But the problem is that an IP address is difficult for people to memorize or to include on advertising materials.
For example, www.softlinkoptions.co.ke is our domain name. Let’s say it points to the IP address 162.241.159.80.70. The IP address points to a server, but it doesn’t lead to the website if visitors try to use it. That’s because for an IP address to lead a website, the remote server needs to be using port 80 with a default page (i.e. index.html) stored in its public accessible directory.

As you can see, messing around with server defaults and IP addresses can be both confusing and time-consuming. That’s why the vast majority of website owners opt to utilize a service like Softlink Options which offers domain name registration services with annual web hosting packages.

Domain names can also use redirects, which essentially allow you to specify that if people visit your domain, they’re automatically forwarded to another. This can be useful for campaigns and microsites or for forwarding people to dedicated landing pages on your main site. 

LIST OF DOMAIN EXTENSIONS

Domain extensions are categorized into various categories depending on location, type of business and generic model.Domain extensions which are categorized based on location usually depend on the country location e.g. .ke is a domain which targets the Kenyan market while .ug is a domain used by Uganda citizens &businesses targeting Uganda.

List of Domain Extensions:

.ke, .com, .cc, .us, .army, .org, .music, .co.ke, .or.ke, .edu, .church, .mobi, .me, info, .go.ke, .biz, .net, .news, .wine, .club, .apartments, .app, .army, .associates

The .ke domain is divided into various domain levels. The domain levels can be used for different functions. They include:

.me.ke – for Personal Names

.or.ke –  for Non-Governmental Organisations

.co.ke – for Companies

.ne.ke – for Network Devices

.ac.ke – for Institutions of Higher Education (Requires supporting documents)

.sc.ke – for Secondary and Primary schools (Requires supporting documents)

.go.ke – for Goverment entities (Requires supporting documents)

.info.ke – for Information

.mobi.ke – for Mobile content

Some .ke Domain levels requires Supporting Documents inorder to be registered

.go.ke

This domain requires supporting documents from the Department of Government IT Services (GITS) at the Ministry of Finance. GITS should give an Authority Letter to show that the Entity is a valid Government institution or Agency and authorized to register the domain name

.sc.ke

Softlink Options will require a copy of the Certificate of Registration from the Ministry of Education. The document MUST also bear the name of the Entity. The document should classify the Entity as a Kindergaten, Primary or Secondary School.

All domains that require supporting documents will generate a ticket that will only be closed by the KENIC Registry Services once the Supporting Documents have been received. Only when the Ticket is closed will the domain be published.

.ac.ke

Softlink Options will require either a copy of the Certificate of Registration from the relevant Ministry, a copy of the College Charter or a copy of the Act of Parliament that was passed to establish the Institute. The documents MUST bear the name of the Entity. The document should classify the Entity as a Tertiary Institution: Polytechnic, Technical Institute, College or University.

Check various domain extensions offerred by Softlink Options Ltd.

 

What to Look for in a Payroll Service

 Not all payroll providers offer the same level of service. Here are some specific things businesses should look for from a payroll provider, including:

Features. Besides payroll processing and the handling of all tax obligations, you should also consider whether the service offers multiple pay options, like direct deposit, paper check or prepaid debit card. You’ll also want to see if the provider offers multiple wage rates,  paid-time-off management, workers’ compensation administration, Batch Payment posting,Batch Transaction Editor and detailed payroll reports.

User Friendly. The payroll service should not be too complex to understand. It should have a clean and easy-to-use interface that allows you to run your payroll and add employees into the system in a matter of minutes.

Cost. Businesses want to find a service that they can afford. In addition to cost, you also need to determine if a contract is required. Many services operate on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts, while others require yearly commitments.

Reputation. Find a provider with an established track record, so you can feel secure knowing the company has dealt with the payroll issues you may face.

Integrations. Whether they are built in or able to be created via an open API, you want a payroll service that integrates with the programs you are already using, like leave management, time and attendance systems and accounting software.

Support. Look for a payroll service that provides help when you need it. You should inquire about whether you will have a dedicated support representative who will always be your main point of contact.

Outages. Online payroll services are cloud-based, which puts businesses at the mercy of the payroll provider to keep it up and running. Be sure to ask whether the provider has many outages and how often it is down for maintenance.

Employee self-service. Your payroll service should allow employees to log in on their own to view digital pay stubs and year-end tax forms.

Software flexibility. Some payroll providers offer a variety of additional services, such as benefits and retirement plan administration.

Data Backup: Safety of data is a very important element when choosing a a payroll software.You should the provider whether there is a backup option and whether it is reliable.

Other questions to consider when choosing a payroll service include:

• How often are their tax tables updated for compliance?
• Do they have other clients in your industry?
• Can they integrate with your employee benefits offerings?
• How will they handle your business as your company grows?
• What type of security measures are in place to keep your company’s payroll data secure?

Domain Names Kenya

FOUR LESSONS – IT IS BY GIVING THAT YOU THEN CAN START RECEIVING; A MAJOR FACTOR IN GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

 One lesson that has taken almost a decade to learn is this one, especially from a business perspective. It is understandable when one puts a religious perspective and gives tithe or supports a needy person but in business it takes a whole new dimension that is difficult to apply. First and foremost is the constant watch on your budget each day so you only want to spend on what is absolutely necessary and where there is a low cost option you run for it, where you can do without an expense you do without it. In short it can be absolutely confusing trying to apply this concept in business. So how did I learn my four lessons.

One day decided not to look for the cheapest design agency to do our branding, I mean it bordered almost on extravagance considering the shoe string options I had used in the past but I did it. I needed to do it for the business, I needed to give it a fresh spark of something and I knew this company would nail the job. The outcome was everything, the new design stood out, it commanded respect on its own, it spoke for you before anything else. It exuded confidence on your behalf. With this new found confidence it was a lot easier to raise the profile of client we were targeting. The more I gave others business the more they gave back to me. The trick is start small where you are and widen the circle and increase the depth.

I have always believed in paying for licenses and taxes as demanded but at times you can let some of this things slide by and you are not as timely as before especially during a dip in cash-flow over a long period of time. I once let this slide by for several months. And with this our confidence took a dip as well. We shied away from pursuing work that demanded, statutory paper work, it is only when we got back on track again that I noticed this confidence dip because as soon as we were back on track we once again started the chasing the bigger accounts.

Treating people well from the gate man/woman to the person who serves you at the bank even when things are not going as you had planned, and by this I do not mean bribing to get work but keeping you cool, remembering everyone is human and they can also be having a bad day, and just being a blessing to everyone you encounter and just bringing some sunshine into their lives in the best what you know how. Some ways I bring sunshine into someone’s life is just remembering they have a family or children, calling them up and finding out how they are doing and many more. Even when times are hard one can learn to give their time in different ways.

Passing business opportunities to your customers and suppliers and looking out for them, until you are alive to this it is difficult to pass on opportunities for others. You always feel you must pursue every opportunity even those that are out of your scope and in the process of thinking how to deliver such the opportunity passes by and no one wins. Also there is also the other side of the coin where you never see opportunities for anyone but yourself. It is a habit you form, a frequency you tune to. Everyone you touch this way will in turn start looking out for you.

Start practicing little acts of giving your supplier and customers more and see how this will have a positive impact in your business. Remember it is so easy to feel incapable or so lacking to give. When this feeling comes, work on yourself till the point you are free to give more.

Domain Names Kenya

MOVING YOUR BUSINESS TO THE ONLINE SPACE

 Here are some factors that should be considered before starting your online business:

1. An appropriate domain name. It is by a domain name that we are identified on the Net. So, choose one that is short, easy to spell, and represents the business accurately.

2. An easy to navigate website. The design should be easy to navigate, with a good search function.
Choosing the right web host. A good host is what your business needs.

3. Reliable banking. Choose a prompt method to accept credit cards and take orders.
Complete database. It is used to find out what your customers are doing on the site and what more they would like to see.

4. Complete information. An online business should offer FAQs and other important information regarding the products, services, queries, shipping, etc.

6. Good marketing strategies. Find the best strategies to bring visitors on the website and ones that guarantee good customer responses.

 Domain Registration Kenya

While the barriers for starting such a business are low, the majority of people fail largely due to some obvious mistakes, such as overestimating profits and not listening the customers. Here are some of the biggest mistakes made when starting an online business:

1. Not starting at all. Don’t be one of those who talk about starting a business and never does anything about it. Every start is difficult, as it takes guts, time and money, but you will get better over time only if you decide to start.

2. Confusing “blog” with “business”. A blog is a platform for sharing your ideas, growing a big audience and connecting with people, but is not a business. The same is true for YouTubing, podcasting and any other place you are allowed to publish content for free. They can be tools for building influence. So make a more direct plan for earning an income if you want your blog or podcast to pay off.

3. Waiting too long to launch a product/service. When you start your online business you can easily get stuck on the content for months without offering something new for sale. If you are building a business, you need to address the biggest risks you may face in near future. Plus, you need to practice at building and launching products – the first product is not always that good – but don’t give up. The sooner you get something valuable out there, the closer you get to revenue.

4. Going it alone. The only reason why the largest online businesses exist today is because other entrepreneur minds believed in those ideas and didn’t let the founders to quit. No one can survive alone. You need customers, suppliers and service providers. You also need the support from your family and friends, as well as from other entrepreneurs.

5. Starting with wrong expectations. If you are running a huge business, you probably won’t have much time for traveling. Overnight success doesn’t exist and you may have to re-write your original plan several times.
Spending too much time thinking and not enough doing. Entrepreneurs have two modes – worker-bee mode and CEO mode. If you want to be successful, you have to be both.

Domain Names Kenya

Cheapest domain hosting in Kenya

A TRADE MARK FOR YOUR DOMAIN NAME?

 When it comes to protecting your brand, a registered trade mark is a powerful option. Whether you need to register your trade mark and licence your domain name will depend on your circumstances.

A trade mark is used to differentiate your business from your competitors. The owner of a registered trade mark has the exclusive right to use the trade mark in relation to the goods and / or services for which the trade mark was registered.

This does not include use as a domain name. Licensing of domain names is carried out by companies on behalf of  KENIC on a first in, first served basis. Having a trade mark application or registration does not automatically entitle you to the domain name licence.

If someone has licensed a domain name the same as or similar to your trade mark, you need to lodge a complaint with KENIC This only applies to the .ke country code – it doesn’t extend to other countries, nor generic top-level domains such as .com or .org regulated by other bodies.

Trademarking Domain Names

WHY SHOULD I KEEP MY DOMAIN NAME REGISTERED?

 If you lose your domain name you can easily lose your whole online identity.

Because you can only register a domain name for a year or so, you will need to make sure that you renew it before the expiry date. Once your domain name expires, you will no longer own that domain name. Your Registrar will then own it and be able to sell your domain name to the highest bidder. To make sure you don’t lose your domain name you will need to make sure you renew your domain name at least two weeks before it expires.

Also make sure that your information is registered properly, especially if you didn’t register your domain name yourself. Ensure that your information is displayed as the registrant, administrative and billing contacts; most importantly make sure that the email addresses for these contacts are ACTIVE. When you receive any information about your domain name, such as renewals, price changes, an email will be sent to this email address. If you can’t receive any mail from the email addresses listed under the domain names contact then you are at risk of not receiving important notifications about your domain names, which could result in losing your domain name.

People often miss the importance of having their own unique domain name for their websites. A domain name represents you, your company and your online presence; as does a business card. If you don’t have your own domain name you won’t be able to promote your own online identity and website on the World Wide Web.

Kenya Domain Names

WHY ONLINE MARKETING WORKS FOR SOME BUSINESSES AND NOT OTHERS

Online marketing is simply the use of web technologies to achieve marketing goals. This is the part that we all need to understand. It is a means to achieving certain, laid down business goals. Different businesses have different goals and that’s because they have different products and different markets. This means that their typical customers will vary even between one business and their competitor. While it might be fairly easy to sell green groceries online to residents of an upmarket area, it might be difficult to do the same in a middle-class estate as consumer behavior and purchasing powers are different among other things.

At Softlink Options, we understand that there is no one-size-fits-all business thus we present you with a tailor-made and goal-oriented approach to your website, and all your online marketing campaigns. Online marketing is a wide field that is fast-changing, it is important to work with a leader who has expertise in running campaigns for e-commerce leaders. We can plan with you to grow your business gradually so that your customers experience growth and new milestones with you. Make the first step by registering your business online

Domain Registration Kenya

Cabro Companies

There are many Companies that provide paving blocks in Kenya here is a list of some of those companies in Kenya.
Capital Blocks is one such company. Since its inception in 2015, they have endeavored to create and build relationships with our customers through pricing, production and quality workmanship. We pride ourselves in our use of technology to provide our customers with a wide variety of standardized, quality products
Others:

1. Panda Blocks
2. Lafarge
3. Westcon Concrete Products
4. Wareng Ndovu Enterprises
5. Bamburi Concrete

This is by now way an exhaustive list but a snap shot of some of the Cabro Companies in Kenya

Author’s web hosting and webdesign packages

Most serious readers want to know more about the authors of the books they read. At times an author is well known and appears on Wikipedia, but when you are still growing in your career as an author, it is necessary to build your online presence by having a website and suitable hosting package. Select now your preferred web hosting package and tell your story to the world

An author needs a website for several reasons. I will highlight a few

For Professionalism

Having a website is not equivalent to having a fan page on social media. A website gives you full control of who you say you are regardless of what others say on social media.

It is wholesome

Your website will incorporate everything you wish to include about yourself. It does not limit you to 160 characters to say what you want to say. Instead, it gives you an enormous space to write a blog.

It protects your message

Having a website allows you to say it as it is. If your book sells at $11 there is no confusion about it on the website. This is unlike social media where many may discuss how much it is retailing at different stores. Users of social media may also share their opinions about your book, but this is not a true reflection of the author’s notes. So, get yourself an author’s website and progressive hosting packages. As you increase your web content so shall we advise on the best package for you.

It is always there

This is your 24hrs a day of fame. You get to control your online marketing and can improve your Google ranking every so often. When you register your domain and secure your web hosting plan you are assured that this is the place where your audience will find all the relevant content about you.

It is cheaper than you think

There you go. I just said it. Websites are not costly compared to having a physical shop. Once you design your website you may not need to make changes for several months. However, every year you will need to renew your web hosting plan. You can now select a suitable package below.

It helps you sell

Always remember that your annual web hosting package is a planned cost while the money you make from your website can vary greatly. Your website becomes your online store for awareness creation and where people can buy your publication or simply place orders to make their purchase.
Since books and other publications are read all over the world, it is necessary for any writer to have an online presence and tell the world what their publications are about and even go further to enable readers to buy online. We provide authors with unique web hosting packages that include favorable features to bring out the best in their art. We encourage upcoming writers to step out and talk to the world.
Find a website design only package here
Set your self for success and get a digital marketing plan here
Get your website secured through SSL

Cabro Blocks

Cabro blocks also known as paving blocks is a commonly used decorative method of creating a pavement or hardstanding. The main benefit of Cabro blocks over other materials is that individual cabro blocks can later be lifted up and replaced. This allows for remedial work to be carried out under the surface of the cabro block without leaving a lasting mark once the paving bricks have been replaced. Typical areas of use of Cabro blocks would be for driveways, pavement, patios, town centres, pedestrian precincts and more commonly in road surfacing. Cabro blocks are typically made of concrete or clay, though other composite materials are also used. Each has its own means of construction. The biggest difference is the way they set hard ready for use. A clay brick has to be fired in a kiln to bake the brick hard. A concrete cabro block has to be allowed to set. The concrete paving bricks are a porous form of brick formed by mixing small stone hardcore, dyes, cement and sand and other materials in various amounts. Many cabro block manufacturing methods are now allowing the use of recycled materials in the construction of the cabro blocks such as crushed glass and crushed old building rubble.
Cabro Blocks

Cabro Blocks

Cabro Kitengela:

Cabro Kitengela:
Kitengela is a plain in Kenya, located south of capital Nairobi.[2] Kitengela begun as The Kitengela group ranch, made up of 18,292 ha and 214 registered members which was subdivided in 1988 in efforts by the Government to encourage private land ownership in pastoral systems, with the aim of intensifying and commercializing livestock production. After subdivision of the group ranch, land fragmentation and sales have continued at a steady and escalating pace. The human population within the Kitengela area has more than doubled in the last 10 years, from 6548 in 1989 to 17,347 in 1999 to 58,167 in 2009. There is also a town named Kitengela in the area.
Capital Blocks chose this location to set up it's Cabro Factory, so that the residents of Ketengela can benefit from employment, provision of raw material especially from the cement factories and also the developers of housing and office blocks would not need to go too far to get paving blocks
Cabro Kitengela

Paving Blocks Nairobi
Pavement, in construction, is an outdoor floor or superficial surface covering. Paving materials include asphalt, concrete, stones such as flagstone, cobblestone, and setts, artificial stone, bricks, tiles, and sometimes wood. In landscape architecture, pavements are part of the hardscape and are used on sidewalks, road surfaces, patios, courtyards, etc.
We at a Capital Blocks make a variety of paving blocks that come in a number of colours and sizes