[UPDATE] – July 10, 2016
This is in response to the article recently published by Forbes, yet again, this time round, tagging Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg, Raindolf Owusu, now as “Larry Page of Ghana”.
Before you go like, ‘Seriously’, let’s consider who authored the article first, which I believe might shed some light on why such naively-authored articles keep gushing out of the writing factories of Forbes.
The Author
Who writes a piece of article matters, at least in the world of web development. Jake Archibald writes about Javascript Promises, that at least is enough to heighten your zeal and wish to learn. When people who know their ‘shit’, write about certain topics, hands go down!
The “Larry Page of Ghana” article was written by one with a bio as:
As assistant editor of eBooks, I work on the ideation, editing and publishing of one to two eBooks each month. Previously, I interned with Forbes web producers for Opinion and Leadership. I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Texas Christian University (TCU) in 2015.
In general, it is easy to conclude the writer above has no knowledge whatsoever about actual tech. The author absolutely has no idea what makes a browser, and it’ll be way easier showing the Firefox logo, with the footer name changed to Edge, and this writer will be more than happy, going around praising how great Windows Edge is.
The point is if any of these writers could even ask around to figure out what the so-called African browser was, I don’t think this nonsense will be entertained.
So, as much as such articles are nothing close to the truth, the writers are not to be blamed that much, because they write about what they know not!
Where they fail miserably is the fact that, well, they don’t check their facts, and if they do, not from the right guys. So on that note, how good is a journalist who couldn’t differentiate a sample browser example that comes with a programming tool from actual ones built by Google, Firefox or Microsoft? If you couldn’t, how about ask? How poor their research team might be, considering after a couple of years, they still blow this bad out loud.
Shall We?
Let us consider the “Larry Page of Ghana” article closely, and spill the truth and lies in there.
Now, two decades later and half a world away, Ghanaian entrepreneur Raindolf Owusu, 25, is applying his own troubleshooting mojo to help his continent’s frustrated Web users.
I’m sorry, you’re ignorant! Africa’s web users are NOT frustrated. From that statement, everyone, including fishes and even a Sloth, with a slow reading ability, will conclude all the close to 1 billion web users in Africa are frustrated, which is entirely false.
For example, people pay less than 10$ each month for some 20 Gig of data bundle on our 3.75G+ networks, with some great broadband options too available for individuals and business. You call that frustrated web users, then well, it is up to you.
And how did “Larry Page of Ghana” solve the issue?
In Africa, standard browsers lose users plagued by costly, sub-par Internet service. Owusu therefore created the first browser designed specifically to retain users through periods of slow connection speeds: Anansi, named for a spider in African folklore. It entertains users during sluggish connectivity with a built-in game and webcam.
Pure bad! “Retain users through periods of slow connection”, “entertains users during sluggish connectivity with a built-in game and webcam”? Seriously, webcam to entertain users?
If you’re in your right mind, used the so-called African First Browser before, you know how …. the above statement is! Such pieces indicate the level of ignorance of these writers, who start ‘journalising’ on topics they are out of their depths about.
An African Proverb says, “Woatwa poma ma n’asen wo tenten”, which transliterates as ‘You cut a walking stick taller than you are’. Don’t take on what you don’t know, and if you do, grow up, before republishing such bad again and again.
Anansi was the first product developed by Owusu’s five-year-old startup, Oasis Websoft. From his headquarters in Accra, he has now—mimicking the Google founders’ trajectory—shifted focus to other promising, if unproven new businesses. Among them are two medical apps: Dr. Diabetes, an information clearinghouse about the condition; and Bisa, designed for patient-to-doctor messaging.
Oh gosh!
“Mimicking the Google founders’ trajectory”, what? Okay, what apps or products are on the mimicking spree from Larry Page of Ghana?
A wise good journalist fact-checks their pieces before giving them out there for readers to consume. There’s no app called Dr. Diabetes on the app store by this Larry Page of Ghana. If there ever was an app called that, it doesn’t exist anymore. See how empty your claim is?
Okay, Bisa App. As much as the idea sounds cute, let’s wake up from our dreams and face reality. I know the app called HealthTap, and Bisa is nowhere close. I have used HealthTap, it is professional, many doctors, more than the 7 or 8 enlisted by Larry Page of Ghana.
I love the idea of promoting locally built apps, but not when there aren’t anything legal relating to it. Health isn’t one of the web coding platforms where all you share is your piece of code or your piece of mind. This is my health, my private health.
HealthTap allows me to read on similar cases to mine. Their about pages says:
(1) Get immediate, trustworthy, personalized free answers from the world’s largest library of doctor knowledge. Over 4.3 billion answers served to hundreds of millions of people!
(2) Send your own, unique question and get personalized doctor responses quickly from doctors in 141 specialties.
(3) Video or text chat with a primary care doctor for advice, treatment, prescriptions, referrals, lab tests or a second opinion
If I am a doctor, and ready to make an impact far and wide, I might rather strive to join the global network of professional doctors like myself making an impact using a platform like HealthTap. Then I’ll channel people from my jurisdiction to access my content or get in touch for help. That’ll be worth my time and reputation. Just a thought!
Download HealthTap today, on Google Play Store
In all, I say, Forbes is known for the comparing people to others on their platform, for absolutely no reasons. Like the Mark Zuckerberg of Russia etc.
After today’s read, I realized Forbes is more concerned about click bait than saying something that will improve Africa especially when it comes to articles relating to work being done by some Africans.
I can’t wait to hear the “The Chackie Chan of Accra”, and eventually, “The Flash of Suhum”. How cool will that be!
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Disclaimer: I am a web developer. I love what I do, so are many developers from Ghana, including Raindolf, who’s the subject matter of this and subsequent articles. As developers, we support each other, and join hands when possible, to work for a common goal. And that’s what we always did, do, and continue to do, except… well, this article covers the exception!
Mark Zuckerberg! You’ve heard this name over and over again. Unfortunately, if you’ve never, you, without a doubt, have heard of Facebook. Well, Facebook equals Mark Zuckerberg, thus you’re pardoned for your ignorance if any.
The ‘original’ Mark, namely, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and Internet entrepreneur. Don’t expect me to lecture you about the ‘original’ Mark. I’m here for the ‘cloned’ Mark. Who’s he? We’ll find out soon!
Let’s come to Africa
However, did you know, there’s an African Mark Zuckerberg? Don’t go, ‘Whaat?!’ yet, for more follows. The African Mark Zuckerberg has created (at least, claims to) an African Operating System called Anansi OS (the first from Africa, unless Ubuntu’s Founder is from Jupiter, oh that’s why he went to space!), ‘Africa’s First Browser’ called Anansi OS, and the Bisa App, ‘sloganed’ as ‘Saving Money and Time’.
About the Anansi OS, Modern Ghana once said its a “simple unique GNOME clone OS developed on top of the Linux kernel which re-defines the Linux desktop user experience. It is embedded with all the basic softwares and system wares that will enhance connectivity an example is the wine-devel package
Any developer reading the above extract will spit out whatever wine he/she was drinking at the time of reading that. Are you drinking Amarula now? Gulp before you scream! (Gulp reminds developers of something awesome too!) The OS will be covered in a subsequent blog post, but rest assured, the OS will be covered in a subsequent blog post, but rest assured, the source code repository of Africa’s hailed OS was last updated kinda 2 years ago.
If Ubuntu followed similar progress pattern, then Ubuntu 15.10 would have been released perhaps 25 years after the version 6.06.
Those aren’t names or expressions or products I’ve conjured and or coined just for the sake of this article. Yet, how does it sound? Now you’re allowed to go, ‘Whaat!’. And when you do, it is for a legit reason. In this article, after years of following Africa’s Mark Zuck, I believe it’s time to add my voice. My voice on what? My voice on how undue,
My voice on what? My voice on how undue, unfounded claims about certain so-called African developers/entrepreneurs in a huge way, insult the many other legit developers out there, who are doing great work, and have developed great apps, plus are making a positive and useful impact on their countries’ and Africa as a whole. A closer look at Africa’s Mark
A closer look at Africa’s Mark work will reveal a strange pattern, that indirectly might affect the goodwill of the awesome developers out there.
Who’s this, Mark?
If you are a software/web developer, you by now know and have heard of this African Mark Zuckerberg. As to how the name came up, and who gave him that name (it’s likely he gave himself that title, perhaps in a short intro email to the publishers), I have no idea. It’ll probably take a Quantum Supercomputer more time deciphering or deducing the origin of that title than trying to solve even the hardest mathematical problems of today!
It’ll probably take a Quantum Supercomputer more time deciphering or deducing the origin of that title than trying to solve even the hardest mathematical problems of today!
Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg is Randolf Owusu, a Web Developer, Software developer, Kernel Developer (likely hacks the Linux kernel more than Linus, who made the Kernel itself), Browser Developer, Android Developer, and he is…. Oooh wait, I don’t have to go into details who he is all just yet since that is covered in this article. He is everywhere online, thus finding the Mark of Africa (adding another title to his almost endless list of accolades) online is not going to be of any difficulty.
He is everywhere online, thus finding the Mark of Africa (adding another title to his almost endless list of accolades) online is not going to be of any difficulty.
In the introduction of this article, I mentioned 3 products that define the Mark of Africa. I will try to cover these products, and why I think Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg has so far, built a deceptive software Empire.
The Full Story of Raindolf’s empire is bigger and perhaps wider than the Mongolian Empire, but to break things down, let’s delve deeper beginning with some of the comments from other seasoned developers in Ghana relating to this Africa’s Mark.
What they say Mark is
Many, who are only interested in, probably making fun of African developers, and only looking for news to make the headlines, but don’t actually really bother about what makes up the content, say Raindolf is a hero (of which he is, but does he fly?) and many other things, that technically aren’t necessarily true or appear the way these outlets try to paint the picture.
On the other hand, when developers who are keen in whatever their specialties are, also take a closer look at this Mark, the litmus test reveals something of a different color. The color revealed doesn’t look any of the known litmus blue-red results, instead an appearance one might describe as alien in nature.
Well, enough of the chemistry! Beginning with a post from Mawuli Adzaku (see reason blog went down), which later ended in the Google Technology User Group Ghana Community, the light began shining on Mark of Africa. The whole story started unfolding, relating to how the media is making a gas leak in the desert appear the size of a plane crash in a skysbader. Heck!
Mawuli in his article linked above delved deeper into how setting up a Custom OS today is easy to do, and as such, doesn’t call for any ticket to space for cloning an Open SUSE operating system.
In addition to what others (the not-easy-to-fool, including Mawuli) developers out there say, a long thread on the GTUG was an interesting one. Putting to a vote, probably, about 80% of respondents to the thread did confirm the needless attention given to something little done. Something so little it’s even common doing by incoming tech geeks of today.
It was clearly pointed out its best to help a dear developer friend get up and running sweetly rather than pull down. With that said, Eshun Davies, one of the talkative on the GTUG group, but one of the great developers out there, extended a hand, to possibly go into discussions with Raindolf, to see how best perhaps he could be of help, or be helped. Eshun confirms he never received a message from Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg, although
Eshun confirms he never received a message from Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg, although Raindolf points out he was gonna email him ‘soon’. That email never came. Why? Maybe because Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg is commanding clusters of servers, interconnected with
Maybe because Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg is commanding clusters of servers, interconnected with fiber optics, and handling over 2 billion requests every minute, signing million-dollar checks and contracts, and building software to suit the African, forgot to email Eshun. The message that he needed help and or would be willing to closely work with any developer to learn from was a blatant showy display, trying to impress, yet never pulled off. Obviously, if you’re Africa’s Zuck,
The message that he needed help and or would be willing to closely work with any developer to learn from was a blatant showy display, trying to impress, yet never pulled off. Obviously, if you’re Africa’s Zuck, who helps do you need? No one!
If the above thread is not enough to inform you about how the media have taken all this Mark Zuckerberg of Africa thing wrong, and how top-notch Ghanaian developers find Mark’s doings childish, lemme tell you my side of the story. And this childishness is fueled even more, when news agencies responsible for feeding us with useful, relevant and accurate information, promote
And this childishness is fueled even more, when news agencies responsible for feeding us with useful, relevant and accurate information, promote a false, unfounded and useless piece of garbage, without digging deeper to learn the ins and outs. After reading about Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg on Forbes, NPR and even Yahoo, my faith in these platforms evaporated, strengthening the all-known point of how false propaganda spreads so easily via these mediums.
After reading about Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg on Forbes, NPR and even Yahoo, my faith in these platforms evaporated, strengthening the all-known point of how false propaganda spreads so easily via these mediums. It’s interesting, considering TedEd produced an awesome short documentary explaining how that works.
Anansi Browser – A Useless Piece of Insect-named product
Let’s begin with one of the products of Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg, the Anansi Browser (Github repo). For starters, Anansi, in the Twi language, stands for Spider. The folktale of the past in Ghana many times made use of the ‘Anansi’ character in ways depicting wisdom, smartness, and above all, of good standing in society most times.
Back to Mark’s Anansi Browser. I tried to run the browser on my Windows 10 in VirtualBox. Initially, I did not have .NET installed, thus had to grab that piece of the framework from Windows before I could proceed. But ask yourself, the best browsers on the market today, all ranges from the size of not less than 30 Megabytes, thus, what good can come out of a browser app the size of 1.8 Mb? Of course, it is lightweight, but if lightweight, then I shouldn’t have needed the .NET framework! In fact, the purest lightweight browser is the one that runs in the terminal, like
Of course, it is lightweight, but if lightweight, then I shouldn’t have needed the .NET framework! In fact, the purest lightweight browser is the one that runs in the terminal, like w3m.
Obviously, there’s an issue with calling that thing the First African Browser. Dung! Calling the browser ‘Africa’s Browser for Nothing’, might do well! It’s unfortunate when the mentality of Africanism is used in mindless, unnecessary ways to convey a non-existent point. A case in point is this: There’s no browser in this world called or nicknamed, ‘American Browser’ or ‘European Browser’, rather we have, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera etc. None of these top-notched, globally recognized, stable, efficient and lightweight (yep, lightweight) attach to their branding something denoting a relationship with a particular race or continent, thus, why the slogan, ‘First African Browser’?
A case in point is this: There’s no browser in this world called or nicknamed, ‘American Browser’ or ‘European Browser’, rather we have, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera etc. None of these top-notched, globally recognized, stable, efficient and lightweight (yep, lightweight) attach to their branding something denoting a relationship with a particular race or continent, thus, why the slogan, ‘First African Browser’?
None of these top-notched, globally recognized, stable, efficient and lightweight (yep, lightweight) attach to their branding something denoting a relationship with a particular race or continent, thus, why the slogan, ‘First African Browser’?
Ooooops! Who even said Africans need a browser? For what reasons? It’s not as if Chrome, Firefox and the like have banned every African from using these products. They’re even open source, most of the browsers. The last problem to be solved on the African continent is likely a dedicated browser. Many developers are solving real problems on the African continent with real apps, for real people, like
Many developers are solving real problems on the African continent with real apps, for real people, like MPower. However, Mark Zuckerberg of Africa is busily cloning Internet Explorer, and shouting around everywhere he’s been able to lift the earth. (‘Gimme a place to stand, and I’ll lift the earth’ – Archimedes).
A bit of digression, but back on track now… Whiles I waited for .NET Framework to download, I decided to see some of the screenshots from where I downloaded the browser, Softpedia, one of the great software download sites you can get today, unfortunately, infested with ads! And spoiler alert: Its Internet Explorer, with the name only changed to ‘Anansi’. I think I said that already, huh?
For quality, standard browsers out there, why not stick to Opera or UC Browser? These are all lightweight browsers, that function properly, and have a strong community, helping improve them. Yep, should Anansi browser
Yep, should Anansi browser possess the strength of the community close to that of Opera or other lightweight browsers, things could have turned around. Well, developer time is hard to find today, thus developers are keen to help apps that are innovative, and not just a piece of script and or copy-and-paste code from somewhere, git init’ed, and ‘commit
Well, developer time is hard to find today, thus developers are keen to help apps that are innovative, and not just a piece of script and or copy-and-paste code from somewhere, git init’ed, and commit pushed to Github.
Unfortunately, Anansi browser fails that, with all due respect. After noticing there’s been over 5,000 downloads on Softpedia, I quickly said to myself, ‘Well, just like myself, probably these all downloads were made just to test if the network connection was going through.’ Did you just do that? I’m sorry, you’re not alone.
Let’s consider some comments from articles from sites like Forbes and NPR that indirectly are almost worshipping this guy who’s done nothing to merit what he’s been claimed to. First with Forbes, then NPR.
Forbes
Link to Article in context: Africa’s Most Promising Young Entrepreneurs
For the record, the article was written by one of Forbes staff, who tracks “the world’s wealthiest people and their philanthropy.”
“Our problems on the continent are different and existing software from abroad are not built to suit the African setting.”
Okay, I’m sorry, but that’s bogus! A big bogus statement. What’s the African setting being referred to here? Is this guy high? The African setting today is the fact that, we’re using every single product not developed by an African. Yes, I mean, from
Yes, I mean, from Mining to Finance, to Aerospace to Server Infrastructure, what ‘setting’ or organization we have in Africa that’s using something extraordinary from what is found in Europe or the Americas? Africa uses products from the outside in growing the continent, which isn’t a bad thing.
Concentrating on the software side, since we’re developers and not bankers, every software product and hardware used in Africa today isn’t of an African origin. From Dell computers to Cisco networks to Ericsson telecoms systems to smartphones running Android, Windows OS or iOS. These are
From Dell computers to Cisco networks to Ericsson telecoms systems to smartphones running Android, Windows OS or iOS. These are hardware coming with their software, tailored to work with them. If you’re using a hardware product from company A, and you say their software they designed specifically for their hardware doesn’t suit your need, then, build your hardware, and put software on it. Instead, Africa’s Zuckerberg is into taking someone’s hardware, and cloning the software, whiles throwing in one or two garbage features, then comes out to Forbes to say
Instead, Africa’s Zuckerberg is into taking someone’s hardware, and cloning the software, whiles throwing in one or two garbage features, then comes out to Forbes to say blah blah blah…
Next, problems on the African continent in the technological field isn’t as different as the outside world. Security, speed, efficiency, reliability are all concerns of any African business running on software. Same thing applies to big businesses outside Africa. Thus, if Google over a decade, has spent billions of dollars, perfecting server security, and because you started tinkering with PC’s since 2005 so you think you’re in to build your own software to suit your needs, such a person will need some psyching! Just like the game of chess, you never see how tough the game
Same thing applies to big businesses outside Africa. Thus, if Google over a decade, has spent billions of dollars, perfecting server security, and because you started tinkering with PC’s since 2005 so you think you’re in to build your own software to suit your needs, such a person will need some psyching! Just like the game of chess, you never see how tough the game is unless you’re on the hot seat. Developing quality
Developing quality software aren’t an overnight thing. If done overnight, like the Anansi browser, then it’s bound to be all time badpy!
“Propriety operating systems are being entrenched into our society and we spend so much money paying for licenses on this software.’’
That’s Bull.., okay, for brevity, wherever you see BS, I mean that! This is a complete, all-around lie. I’ve been using Ubuntu almost a decade now. I’ve not used Office from Micro$oft for than 5 years now, although the last time I used it was not for personal use, but at school (this ICT thing). I don’t remember the last time I paid for a desktop app.
My point? Proprietary operating systems are not being entrenched, rather uprooted, as many are shifting to Open source alternatives. Wait, I’m the only one using Ubuntu in Koforidua, a city of over 500,000? Okay, my actual point is, no one is forcing proprietary software down anyone’s throat. There’s never been the customer appetite for choice and variety ever in history like it is today. So many options with many flavors. There’s always an exit door, and everyone today, who chooses to use proprietary software is a personal choice, and not under bondage.
There’s never been the customer appetite for choice and variety ever in history like it is today. So many options with many flavors. There’s always an exit door, and everyone today, who chooses to use proprietary software is a personal choice, and not under bondage.
With that said, let’s be honest, apart from businesses, who even do so grudgingly, how many individuals in Ghana pay for proprietary software? Out of the Windows-enabled homes in Ghana, one will most likely find over 95% of families using cracked or unregistered versions of one or more of Microsoft Operating System. I’ve played with Window 95 through to Vista, and none of these operating systems did I buy.
We don’t buy the software, thus makes no difference in terms of spending. Only businesses are likely to, but how many actually do? With over 80% of software in East Africa pirated as at report from 2011, what can you say about software in West Africa in 2015?
Therefore, Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg’s solution was this:
“I decided to build a company that will address this problem and develop homegrown software”,
and one of that software to address the problem is that thing he calls a browser?
NPR
Link to article in context: How to Build a Tech Empire at Age 24.
Also related: 7 African Entrepreneurs breaking Barriers
According to one brainwashed media outlet (brainwashed specifically about this Mark of Africa), Oasis Websoft (the company Mark of Africa CEO’s):
“aims to solve problems faced by Africans. A year later, the company had his first big success: the Anansi web browser.” – NPR
Hold on…. “Aims to solve problems faced by Africans.” Awesome, but is there any way Anansi web browser, the so-called ‘big success’, is solving any African problem? The browser was in no way a solution to a problem, yep, in a literal sense, so how much more even make a big success. Africa’s never had a problem with browsers. Browsers of the internet are never one of our problems. We have bigger fishes in frying pan, and even bigger ones lined up. Internet browsers? Oooh, that’s not even in the kitchen room! Thus, if he truly has solving Africa problems at heart, he wouldn’t be blowing trumpet with a cloned Internet Explorer, but rather, solve an actual existing problem, not one that’s non-existent.
Browsers of the internet are never one of our problems. We have bigger fishes in frying pan, and even bigger ones lined up. Internet browsers? Oooh, that’s not even in the kitchen room! Thus, if he truly has solving Africa problems at heart, he wouldn’t be blowing trumpet with a cloned Internet Explorer, but rather, solve an actual existing problem, not one that’s non-existent.
Consider this part:
“Hailed as “Africa’s first web browser,” Anansi helps users with unreliable internet connections stay connected. The browser is programmed with many offline features, such as games and a web camera. Owusu says those features were added so users don’t have to shut down their computers simply because they can’t connect to the internet.”
Programmed with? That’s a lie. Someone did the programming, he put them together. So it should read: “I brought together already programmed offline features…”. Maybe not precisely as I put it, but that statement of his is misleading, creating the impression the heavy lifting was done by him.
I’m sorry, but offline games and web camera? What?
“Those features were added so users don’t have to shutdown their computers simply because they can’t connect to the internet.”
Does that really make any sense? I turned on my browser on PC. I couldn’t connect to the internet, so instead of launching my Sublime Text 3, kicking in Django dev server, and opening up world’s best and most used browser, Chrome to work; instead of that, I shut down my PC, because I couldn’t browse. However, with the 1.8 Mb browser from Mark Zuckerberg of Africa, even when my DSL is disconnected, I’ve still got games and web camera? Web Camera? I repeat, Web Camera, for use offline, for taking selfies or what?
For the record, I did not see any offline games options in the cloned Internet Explorer called Anansi Browser.
Taking time to read these blog posts hailing the Mark of Africa only paints a picture hard to describe with noble words. In fact, if you don’t laugh out so loud (if a real developer), you’ll get so annoyed at both how media outlets today can promote unfounded, unnecessary content just to get a couple of clicks. These media outlets have their article quality standard about Africa so low that any form of bad crawls through, thus making headlines. I understand these publishers are looking to promote African upcoming entrepreneurs, ooooh, which is great and awesome. Putting African entrepreneurs on the map, for legit reasons, do actually sell.
Conversely, promoting a product of an upcoming entrepreneur only based on what doesn’t exist and on mere claims holding no substance only pushes these publishers to a tight corner. A corner they hardly can escape from, as it shows clear negligence, little or no research, and articles constructed and reviewed by individuals who likely know nothing or little in the field of what they post on. Which is clear in the case of Forbes’ editor this article about Mark Zuckerberg of Africa. The editor is seasoned, yet belongs to the tech field? Maybe, maybe not! The editor’s profile clearly indicated how she’s chasing and tracking the ‘world’s wealthiest and their philanthropy’. Just like I definitely will likely misfire lots of bullets when I try to write on how the economy is fairing or something outside my specialty’s scope.
Shame onto Forbes for promoting a false story!
Indeed, if such a useless browser is making headlines by Africans, then it paints the picture of ‘that thing’ being the best we African developers could pull off, which is totally away from the truth.
There are many apps out there, developed by Africans (not necessarily browsers, no one needs African browser), that really kick ass. That are really improving lives, solving problems and making an impact. I know of many of these developers, who I respect so much, and love products built by them. However, these many great developers haven’t been crowned yet with Mark Zuckerberg of Africa, yet an Internet Explorer clone maker, Raindolf Owusu, gets dubbed as Mark?
So sad!
What’s Next
This has been a very long discussion about the Anansi Browser (the Internet Explorer cloned browser, dubbed the First African Browser), and how quack and useless it appears to be and actually is!
For the second part of this observation article, tackling the Dev Empire of Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg, please see this link (link will be available later next week). Until then, be rest assured, I’m only saying what I’ve observed as a developer, and not just what I’ve read from blogs that unfortunately don’t really know what they say or what building a browser even means.
See ya soon!
The blog posted by Mawuli was willingly taken down, after a humble, reasonable request from Raindolf Owusu. Unfortunately, it’s unclear to say if any other products he launched afterward (I mean after his ‘relatable’ email) really fixed any actual problem. See email sent by Raindolf below, dated June 11, 2013, at 5:17 PM:
In addition to making the email public, Mawuli confirmed this:
“Three years on and Raindolf is still building bad and being paraded around as a benchmark for young Africans. “
Indeed, one can confidently conclude the email sent by Africa’s Mark Zuckerberg was one of many plots to quench the fire that was amassing against him.
See ya in my next article!
