Friday, October 15, 2010

Chile rescue: engineering par excellence

Thirty-three miners were almost a kilometre down deep in earth's bowels. Some earth movement caused a section of the tunnel to collapse, trapping them in. Efforts to find out if there were survivors were made.
Something akin to a miracle occurred. When sinking long holes in a rather try and error manner, then retrieving to see if anything--just anything--got on the drill tip. At one such time, a piece of paper was wrapped on the drill bit. Unfurling it, and there was a note written on it. The information was sufficient to launch a flurry of activities that culminated into the thirty-three miners rescue earlier this week.
The challenges to engineers were daunting. At some 700 metres below the surface drilling a hole capable of lifting the men to safety was a mammoth-sized problem. That was when the world noted the special position of engineers for mankind. So long have they floated in the oceans with thousands of tons of freight, or cruising high in jumbo jets; taking it for granted that the craft are just there, not observing the fantastic engineering of them.
I take this opportunity to salute all involved in the rescue operation, and kudos to all the people of Chile for the miracle.

Monday, October 04, 2010

eThinkTankTz mourn Andrew dACHI

When the news of the passing of Andrew Dachi Kapaga (ADK) hit the list on 30 September 2010, it set forth a long series of reflections mostly by those having had business acquaintance with the outgoing IT hero. Andrew had been those one of those persons with two self-fanning driving attributes: his insatiable desire to stay abreast with new developments in the trade, and willingness to share--by teaching, practicing and otherwise--with others. This made him popular among superiors, colleagues, trainees and mankind. It would not do justice to let the long list of eulogies posted on eThinkTankTZ pass into "yesternet" unnoticed, therefore I am putting them in their entirety on my blog. There is no doubt that dACHI was a really good person. May his relatives and friends read this and feel pride, such a good man we are missing.

#17125
From: Aziz Mongi
Date: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:20 pm
Subject: Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more aziz_mongi
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Colleagues,

It is with deep sadness and sorrow that I am today the harbinger of not-so-good news.

My uncle, colleague and friend, Andrew Kapaga Dachi, has passed away sometime between yesterday and today. I received the phone call from another colleague today, who does not have the full details of Dachi's death, but he promised to share more information as he received it.

This came to me as quite a shock, because it reminded me of what I was thinking only three days. I was thinking whether any on of us is prepared for their own death. What does happen if you dont wake up tomorrow? Are you prepared? I better get started with the preparations, because your Last Day on Earth is Allah's Secret! Only He has knowledge of it, and you are never really prepared.

You may die of natural causes - such as diseases, coronary or pulmonary failure, etc. - or by accident. But you will never really know when you will go. That is a fact.

Dachi had moved to Botswana, where he established himself as an IT guru and entrepreneur, being based in Franscistown. He commuted to Gaborone - for work projects - on a regular basis. He had also set up a company, called ISA Business Consulting, together with some local partners. He had acquired many clients and with the success, he had ventured into other non-IT projects, such as real estate and entertainment!

Dachi was in Tanzania recently during August-September, we worked together on an IT Security project for a public-sector client. He was truly one of the most knowledgeable persons in IT and Data security; he had the mind of a genius. He taught himself ALL that he knew on IT and Data Security. He could scan your entire network and show you all the security weaknesses, and provide you with a solution on how to fix them. This is something that is seriously lacking in many of our private- and public-sector data networks. How I wish Dachi was here to help us find our way in this melee of DDoS attacks (a local network just suffered this earlier today...) and other malicious attacks, such as website defacing, etc. How I wish.

I truly respected Dachi, he taught me a lot, mostly, he taught me discipline and patience. He taught me never to give up, especially when things are rough.

I will truly miss him. I am sure many of his former colleagues at COSTECH and other entities will too.

Innalillahi Wa Innalillahi Raaj'un!

Aziz Losika Mongi, ICT Consultant & Entrepreneur
"The journey of a thousand miles, begins with one step." - Chinese Proverb
".... and a roadmap!" - Uknown


#17126
From: John Magoha
Date: Thu Sep 30, 2010 7:56 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more mgosingwa2000
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May his soul rest in peace and Allah grant all of us the courage and wisdom to learn from his successful professional life.
Ameen

John

Sent from my iPhone4 by AT&T



#17127
From: H M HAJI
Date: Thu Sep 30, 2010 9:47 pm
Subject: Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more hajihm
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Wananchi

Me too, received this sad news with great shock, I wish strength to those who were closed to him like me, I know dACHI for a quite long time, few years ago I was one of the referees for his online MBA programme in Holland, definitely we will miss him, I will always remember my dear compañero dACHI way back in Havana and back in Tanzania chanting "Spanish Latino" to remember our days over there. Oh! My GOD, what a loss.

Innalillahi Wa Innalillahi Raaj'un!

_____________________________________________________________
Haji, H. M.,
Digital Forensics Consultant.
United Kingdom.
Email: h.haji@...
_____________________________________________________________

#17131
From: Yassin Mshana
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 4:14 am
Subject: RE: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more ymshana2003@...
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WHAT HAPPENED???
Wote ni Wake na Kwake tutarejea.
Dua zetu zisikike. Amin!!


#17137
From: Hebron Mwakalinga
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 12:52 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more hmwakalinga
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Aziz and all ITzens of .Tz

It is quite sad to hear the passing away of Mr. Dachi, really he was one of the few pioneers of IT Security in Tanzania, I interacted with him in early 1990s when Internet was just making its way in the country.

Mungu awape nguvu wana familia na yeye amlaze mahali pema peponi.


Hebron Mwakalinga

Facilitating Markets for Development

Mikocheni B, Kambarage Street (former Garden Street, Block No. 371

P.O.Box 78496. Dar es Salaam.



#17138
From: Pantaleon Shoki
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 1:03 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more shokipn2000
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Dear ALL

This is really a sad news. However, that is GOD's wishes. Mungu ailaze mahali pema peponi. AMINA

Pantaleon N Shoki
Managing Director
Victoria Research Bureau Ltd
Mwanza-Tanzania
http://myprofile.cos.com/shoki





#17136
From: ciwTz
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 12:35 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more ciwtz
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I'm sorry to hear of Dachi's death.

I have some tribute to pay for dACHI (how he preferred to write his name):

Andre was one of old timers like me who had began tinkering with computers since the ages of Quattro-Pro, Lotus-1-2-3 and Wordstar 2000. In those days everything was proprietary. Like John Dvorak, dACHI was nimble enough to update himself with challenges of times in IT industry. When sony was marketing its first CD-writers for TShs 2 million at the Kilimanjaro Hotel during AITEC exhibition, I and dACHI gasped with awe at the beauty of one having such drive. Writable media was TShs 10,000. It was unimaginable that writable CDs would come to cost about 200 Shillings some decades later, or a writer would be ripping at more than 50x, yet costing about TShs 40,000.

We saw first GUI OS matching in and capturing people hearts. Those fonts!
Yes, I am going to remember The Big Man dACHI. Patiently explaining sectors and heads, CDS-ISIS and DBaseIV to newbies. In those days the hard disks were 500 megabyte size, but we managed very well. Today we have two tera-byte drives that weigh a fraction of their ancestors of 1990s. We are still seeing surprises, as if there is no end to innovation: There were no re-writable CD's then, no DVDs. Now there are even HD media.

dACHI, your contribution from the days of COSTECH to Raha dot com etc was quite significant. Bye! (*sob*).


#17140
From: Msafiri kimario
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 2:24 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more lenduli
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Dear E think Gurus,

Personaly I don't know him, but according to his profile given by other Gurus in this forum for sure he was a great guys of our times especially for young IT's who had a lote to learn from him.
My Almight God reast his soul in eternal peace and hope we will always cherish his contribution toward ICT for development not only in Tanzania but also in Africa as he was strugglind to desserminate his knowledge beyound Tanzania.

Cordially.

In GOD WE Trust

#17141
From: "Kweba, Bulemo"
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 6:34 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more bkweba
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Rest in Peace Dachi,

Dachi came to our graduating class ( Forodhani Secondary School 1991) to demostrate Computers and its pheripherals.
Its because of his inspiration and his love of IT that some of us choose this field as our lifetime career.

He will be sorely missed.

Bulemo Francis Kweba
The Hague, Netherlands

#17144
From: vinod gandhi
Date: Sun Oct 3, 2010 12:30 am
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more metrovin
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am sorry for his sudden demise. can anyone let me know what happened to him

god rest is souls in peace
amen
vinod

#17128
From: "apollobs_temu"
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 12:50 am
Subject: Re: Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more apollobs_temu
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Ndugu zangu



This shocking!!



Yuko wapi? What happened? What are the plans?



He taught many of us many things, and many of us aspired to achieve what he had

achieved!



Databases, from days of DBase III, III+, IV and outside IT, talk about physical

training, Karate!!



If feels like unreal



My heart goes out to his family members and close friends.



Andrew Dachi - you will be missed, terribly! This is one BIG loss to the country

too and the IT Profession.



Mungu amrehemu.



Regards



Apollo Temu


#17129
From: "apollobs_temu"
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 12:59 am
Subject: Re: Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more apollobs_temu
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More information is posted be it still limited


http://innomosha.blogspot.com/2010/09/taarifa-za-msiba.html



Perhaps it is a denial element in me that makes one start looking for more info



Please let us know if anyone gets more information.



Regards



Apollo Temu


#17130
From: Yassin Mshana
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 4:06 am
Subject: RE: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more ymshana2003@...
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Innalillahi Wa Innalillahi Raaj'un.
God lent us and now has called back. Ametutengulia ndugu yetu dua yetu asikie Mola Aiweke roho yake pema peponi. Amen!

#17133
From: "Benn Haidari"
Date: Thu Sep 30, 2010 10:31 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more benn.haidari@...
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Innalillahi Wa Innailayhi Raajiuun,
When he was in Botswana, were writing to each other, but in the lat 2 months I did not get any mail from him.
May God give im a better place in the heaven.
Benn

#17134 From: Frank Kanani
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 9:13 am
Subject: Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more frankanani
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Although no words can really help to ease the loss of our loving brother, we just know that we are very close in every thoughts and prayers.My sincere deepest sympathies goes to his family and friends, may his soul
rest in eternal peace…......
Mungu aliumba na yeye ndiye aliyetwaa kazi ya Mungu haina makosa! Mungu akutie nguvu.......

#17135
From: Prosper Kaberwa
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 11:56 am
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more pkaberwa
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May God grant him eternal Peace. Amen

PK

The longest journey starts with the first step - Chinese
If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything! - Unknown

#17139
From: Edwin Mpogolo
Date: Fri Oct 1, 2010 1:29 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more empogolo
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A really sad day for all of us in ICT

He introduced me to Internet well before the World Wide Web, tossing me a Tourbus once a week to worm around the Internet and send results a week later (Was it through Satelife?). Then gave me Clipper - man that was something, to create nice graphical interfaces with a professions touch - and make money too! And he has not returned my Ilma la Duce Betamax Video since 1987! But no I can't complain.

I talked to him last only three months ago - that is after he got my number through my email to eTTTz

Fare well thee, good old dACHI! You were a jolly good fellow, and will certainly be missed by many of us ICT old hands!

May the Almighty Rest Your Soul in Peace!


#17142
From: Muttagirwa Yahoo
Date: Sat Oct 2, 2010 2:33 am
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more muttagirwa
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RIP Dachi... Too soon to call off ... But ur shared moments n memories'll last forever
Dr Longino


#17146
From: Sendoro
Date: Sun Oct 3, 2010 9:41 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more sendoro
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Dear All,

I had worked with late Dachi, surely he was among those ICT gurus in the country, this surely a loss to ICT industry and Tanzania as a whole.

RIP Andrew Dach!!! Indeed that is our destiny.


Regards
Sendoro


#17145
From: Stephano Ole-Teveli
Date: Sun Oct 3, 2010 7:56 pm
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more ndiango
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Dear All,

Poleni sana ! Andrew dACHI was a dear friend and it is so sad to hear that he is no longer. May God rest his soul in eternal life. I knew him since 1984 and have worked with him in the eighties and nineties. He is a real IT Guru. I can't find words to describe him ! Let us be ready because no one knows when the time comes for departing from this corrupted world.

I wish to get more details on when this occurred and the funeral arrangements.

Stephano Ole-Teveli
P.O.Box 14693
Arusha, Tanzania


E-mail: stefano_ndiango@...
stefano@...


#17147
From: "Masaro, Arnold"
Date: Mon Oct 4, 2010 9:17 am
Subject: RE: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more arnoldtmasaro
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It says a lot when peers mourn the passing of a colleague like this. It not only says that we are saddened, but also that we salute the accomplishments of the departed.



I worked with dACHI on one assignment in 1998. Indeed, he was a true scholar and a gentleman.



May God rest his soul in eternal peace.




#17150
From: "DS"
Date: Mon Oct 4, 2010 11:43 am
Subject: Re: [www.eThinkTankTz.org] Death Announcement: Andrew Kapaga Dachi is no more dsawe
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Hear, hear,



That's very well put Arnold. Our departed colleague had indeed many

accomplishments to his name.



On my side, I'd known Dachi since back in his Costech days, but we lost touch

along the way after his move to Botswana. It was back in mid-December 2009 that

we were able to get back in contact again, thanks to Facebook, but only for a

far too brief exchange of messages.



May his soul be blessed with Eternal Peace.

DS.