There are few things worse than showing up bright and early for work on a Monday morning ready to take on the world and suddenly you're faced with an obstacle even worse than an empty milk carton for your coffee fix...a slow internet connection.
Working in an online environment means that you depend on the speed of your connection to get the simplest of things done - here at Bizcommunity we suffer the same misfortune on random occasions that have people cursing, groaning and sighing and even crying - on the inside that is - while IT calmly ponders over what could have gone wrong.
It is the bane of online businesses; the nagging thorn in one's side when time after time the page you've been trying to open for the last five minutes "times out".
But, all things considered regarding the internet, we have many things to be grateful for; it has allowed the human right of access to information to shine bright,
enabling freedoms in many countries worldwide including that of expression, it allows us to connect with old friends and make new ones, it helps distant relatives stay in touch.
Communication is faster - you no longer have to wait for a hand-written letter to arrive telling you you're going to be a grandfather.
And here's my favourite - news is immediate. Those who work in an online environment probably get news delivered to their desktops as soon as it breaks, whether from an eager journo on Twitter, or an RSS feed from their news agency of choice.
There are many other things to be grateful for in the digital era that our great grandparents would never have thought possible. I love my internet, most of the time, and I hope you appreciate yours too.
Hears hoping your internet connection has been faster than mine of late!
*groan* *sigh* *cry*Cheers,
Sindy Peters, Africa editor
Responses to this column welcomed in our
online editor's column archive.
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africanews@bizcommunity.com.
Today's top stories
Special focus on media freedom
[Carole Kimutai] John Sergon, ICT director at the Directorate of e-Government Kenya in the Office of the President, has lauded Kenya for making efforts towards becoming an open country through promoting citizens' rights to access information provided for in Kenya's new Constitution that came to effect on 27 August 2010.
Read more >> CSI
The Football for Hope Centre in Kenya was officially opened early this month with a further six, as part of the 20 Centres for 2010 campaign, on the cards in the next four to five months for Namibia, Mali, Rwanda, Ghana, Lesotho and South Africa.
Read more >>Digital
[Dumisani Ndlela] Zimbabwean telecommunications firm, Telecontract (Telco) has launched Zimbabwe's first Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services after waiting for nearly 10 years for regulatory approvals.
Read more >> Eventing
[Walter Wafula] At least 100 experts in the global post communication industry are expected to gather in Kampala next week as Uganda hosts the 2010 Conference of Commonwealth Postal Administrations (CCPA) for the first time. The meeting, which is organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and Uganda Post Limited (UPL), is scheduled to take place between 17-20 September 2010 at the Commonwealth Speke Resort Hotel.
Read more >> Advertisement:
Media
[Gregory Gondwe] The Media Council of Malawi (MCM) has facilitated the formation of the Editorial Manager's Caucus (EMC) whose role is to promote and safeguard professional media standards and ethics in Malawi's media houses.
Read more >> Mobile
According to MTN there has been an overwhelming response to the MTN Zakhele public offer, which opened to the Black public on 30 August 2010. Transaction volumes have been unprecedented, with some investors lodging their applications within hours of the public offer going live.
Read more >>Advertisement:
[Carole Kimutai] The mobile payment phenomenon has led to the rapid growth of small enterprises in Kenya and seen large corporates embracing mobile payments. However, according to business analyst and publisher of Ratiomagazine.com Andrea Bohnstedt, the big challenge is setting up a back office for client service and developing a sustainable business concept.
Read more >> Newspapers
Three major themes emerged from the ninth International Newsroom Summit, organised by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA): experimenting with paid content, how integrated newsrooms engage better internally and externally, and making content count in the digital and mobile world. The summit took place 8-9 September in London, UK.
Read more >>Retail
Hifikepunye Lucas Pohamba, president of Namibia, was awarded the 2010 FANRPAN Food Security Policy Leadership Award earlier this month. The award was announced at the FANRPAN Annual Regional Policy Dialogue in Windhoek.
Read more >>[John Yarney] Key figures in Africa's seed business believe that a vibrant seed industry has a critical role to play in Africa's quest to revolutionise its agricultural sector.
Read more >> [Source: Mintel Oxygen Reports] CHICAGO, US: Many consumers continue to be wary of larger banks, citing fees and distrust. Not surprisingly, a recent Mintel report found only 36% of big bank customers trust their bank, compared to 57% of credit union customers. Despite that fact, 48% of those surveyed have their primary checking account at a large national institution.
Read more >> [Published by Ovum] LONDON, UK: The market for 'no frills' mobile operators such as Tesco will increase over the next five years as more and more people opt to select their service as they shop, according to Ovum.
Read more >> More International news...
Total South Africa service stations in the Soshanguve community north of Pretoria will be the first to experience a recently-launched initiative in which Quartz SHD40 oil is dispensed directly into motorists' vehicles.
Read more >>[Brian Berkman: contributing editor, travel] Ranger Nick is sitting and swinging on the wood-trimmed door of his game vehicle, legs akimbo. He has the enthusiasm of a child doing something he loves. He introduces the nine of us to Stranger - the tracker who will lead our safari into 15 000 hectares of private concession in the Kruger National Park, near the Malelane Gate and the Mozambique border.
Read more >> [Ruth Cooper] This is a charity gig review for the MyLifE Foundation, so let me try not to be too critical about the bands as the MyLifE Foundation works with homeless youths and children, and is a very worthy cause. I am pleased to say that it raised a commendable R46 000 on the night through an unusual auction (but more on that later). I was seriously blown away by some of the artists showcased, but I must admit that a few found me stifling yawns and wishing I had matchsticks to keep my eyes open.
Read more >>