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<item>
      <title>SmartPhone Race Jamaica - Why so many Blackberries? (Articles)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1606/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/868.jpg&quot; class=&quot;thumb&quot; alt=&quot;related picture&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;It has been a few weeks since my last article &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1600/&#039; title=&#039; on Blackberrys - Why they are still cool&#039;&gt; on Blackberrys - Why they are still cool&lt;/a&gt; but it seems that the circle jerk in the &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fandom&#039; title=&#039;fandom&#039;&gt;fandom&lt;/a&gt; is increasing to the point of blind optimism.  So I have come back to provide some objectivity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
In this article, I will delve further in to the various social,cultural and economic reasons why (in my humble opinion) the smart phone race in Jamaica will be a long and boring battle.  Full disclosure; I have recently bought a BB after years watching and analysing the cellphone market both locally and abroad.  I should also say that the Dominican Republic has the best cellphone network in the region.  Now, back to the article, I will run across stereotypes, cliches and general opinions based on my personal observations and educated guesses based on...well speculation.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans have limited reasources&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans will only spend their money on things that they cannot get for free, cheap or things that they think are valuable.  The &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/business/worldbusiness/26iht-wbcredit.1.8065690.html?pagewanted=all&#039; title=&#039;credit culture&#039;&gt;credit culture&lt;/a&gt; in the end it is all about practicality and a lower cost of ownership - it is not about being “cutting edge” or “trendy”.  Why would they spend a small fortune on a smart phone just so that they can &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://www.geezam.com/defying-the-apple-gods-jamaica-app-store/&#039; title=&#039;download&#039;&gt;download&lt;/a&gt; free apps?  It is almost like buying a big plasma tv for the benefit of watching burnt DVDs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans Hate Contracts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
The majority of the iphones and Android phones require post paid plans, long contracts, lots of cash up front or both.  The Jamaican cellphone users are on Pre-Paid plans and withdraw their money in a $1000 dollars at a time from the ATM.  It is not because there is not a better, faster or more efficient way - they are just fear varies forms of ENTRAPMENT.  Two bills, a bank statement and down payment?  Yeah sounds pretty affordable compared to &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://www.geezam.com/lime-iphone-4-and-the-death-of-the-blackberry/comment-page-1/&#039; title=&#039;AT&amp;T&#039;&gt;AT&amp;T&lt;/a&gt;.  Phones get dropped, stolen, sold to pay for car insurance, and left in taxis, it happens everyday in Jamaica.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Slow Phone Networks&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Not only are the local networks slow, but in some places you cannot even get dial-up speeds because the coverage is just not up to par - unless you happen tospend all your time in New Kingston or a major town.  I hope to see the day when we can do some of the stuff we see in those phone ads on cable.  But that day is not today or tomorrow, maybe in 3 years (sans &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon&#039; title=&#039;apocalyse&#039;&gt;apocalyse&lt;/a&gt;).  Many people cannot afford (and probably do not know how to) to connect to WIFI to download their Apps because connecting to WIFI would mean that you are either paying for home internet+your cellphone bill or you are squatting on free WIFI for several hours of the day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans do not care about Apps&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
There are several reasons why phone “apps” are not important; Firstly apps cost money ; free apps are usually bait for paid versions and Apps need to be purchased with credit cards from phone specific app stores.  Thirdly, apps cannot be shared from phone to phone - which is not a problem for some but the layman may find it a bit strange. Finally, Apps provide services which compliment similar services provided on a computer, so until there is a proliferation of computer science education, most Jamaicans will have no reason to go searching around an App Market for a potentially useful app - unless its a app that prints money or a game.  There are so many cheaper forms of entertainment in Jamaica which brings the argument back to cost and value.  An app will have to be quite impressive in order to draw locals away from the local dancehall and stage show.  It is nice and sunny in the tropics, BBM popular because its a means of communication not because it is a “app”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans it seems are not so interested in having smartphones, despite the competitive pricing arguments for Wireless 3G Data as noted in Ryan’s Geezam blog article entitled “LIME, The iPhone 4 And The Death Of The Blackberry”, as the Blackberry is still king here. - &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://mythoughtsontechnologyandjamaica.blogspot.com/2012/01/apple-iphone-4s-to-debut-in-china-and.html&#039; title=&#039;Lindsworth&#039;&gt;Lindsworth&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
We Are Wagonists&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans like the things that they see their friends are using. Which are this point its the network that gives them the most freeness (see point 1), BBM and phones that offer them cool features out of the box.  Added to this fact that the majority of Jamaicans are either poor or are pretending to be rich so they will spend their money on a phone(s) that they can afford or a phone they can save for without taking out a mortgage.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
All touch screen phones are the same&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
To a Jamaican consumer, a cellphone falls into 4 categories: a budget phone, a RazR, a BlackBerry, or a touch screen phone.   If you see one Android phone, you have seen them all, no matter how you choose to customize the home screen - its the same thing.  Baring technical hardware details every android phone on the market is the same to the large majority of consumers.  I once saw a sales representative try to explain to a middle aged woman that the phone she was looking at was in fact a Nokia and not a Iphone, it was hilarious, she was absolutely convinced that it was a iphone.  There are also a few people who have a natural born “hatred” for touch screen phones - I am not sure why. Not to mention the people with 2 left hands and greasy fingers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Jamaicans Like to be different &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
When I say different, I mean physically different, not merely shifting widgets around their home screen.  Different as in some people like flip phones, phones that are thin, phones that come in different colors, etc.  Now compare this to the iphone or android which basically are all touch screen phones with slighly different screen sizes and processors which are mainly differentiated by the frequent hardware and software release updates.  Back in the day we used to call these updates &quot;service packs&quot;. You see now the problem with Android is that once you get it in your hand they all appear to be the same phone to the average user - its a speed race.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
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Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Now I have nothing against the Iphone, the fragmented Android OS, or the Windows Phone 7 which is &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defective_by_Design&#039; title=&#039;defective by design&#039;&gt;defective by design&lt;/a&gt;.  Before Steve Jobs bucked the trend, touchscreen phones where seen as impractical and unresponsive - now in the present day the marketing has positioned them “god sent devices”. Next they will be pushing touch pads and e-readers, and then later this year &quot;&lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrabook&#039; title=&#039;Ultrabooks&#039;&gt;Ultrabooks&lt;/a&gt;&quot; will be the must have gadget for tech professionals who have disposable income.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Breaking into the Jamaican market is going to take more than just big screens and Apps.  You will have to provide a diverse selection of phones that are cheap to own, offer data-plans which affordable to the common man  while gradually improving the network infrastructure.  Distributors should focus on low-end &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feature_phone&#039; title=&#039;feature phones&#039;&gt;feature phones&lt;/a&gt;, instead of the high-end, high cost and complicated smart phones that you have to “sync”.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
There is always a new fad on the market, and with fads come lonely people looking for others to join their party. The masses may join eventually but some markets follow, while other markets pop dem own style and beat at a different drum.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
p.s. JAMAICANS DO NOT SPEAK &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_Caribbean&#039; title=&#039;SPANISH&#039;&gt;SPANISH&lt;/a&gt; AND IS NOT A PART OF LATIN AMERICA.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1606/#comment&quot;&gt;Post your comments on this article&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2012-01-23 07:57:26</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Leave My Body (Logbook)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1605/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In an instant I look over and I see an old woman judging me based on the muffins I have in my basket at the supermarket. Its seems impossible to go anywhere in society today without being judged. Just because I forgot to pick up two pound of flour, sugar, a stick of butter and a bottle of white rum - it just not give you the right to judge me!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
School definitely teaches you something, but it does not teach you how to love.  If you do not love something and you plan to go to school so that you can learn to love it and be good at it then you may be disappointed in the end.  Love is what we need.  If you love to cook, go to cooking school, you have cooks that make tons of money. Find something to love then find a school.  Pay for it in cash or work a couple years as a intern at any company that will take you.  Stay away from drugs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
I have work to do. I do not think there was ever a time when I was free of work since maybe high school and even then there would be points when the holiday could not come soon enough. If I am lucky will I will find a way to reduce the contrast between the parts of work that are fun and the parts that exist to torment my soul.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1605/#comment&quot;&gt;make a comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2012-01-20 19:47:03</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Catepillar (The random photo journal)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1604/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src='http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/867.jpg' alt='related picture' class='photo' /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Black and yellow...black and yellow...&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by Jammy ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1604/#comment&quot;&gt;add comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2012-01-18 19:25:27</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Hotta Fire (Logbook)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1603/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The year has passed so quickly and the amount of people that died was astronomical. Not to mention the fact that the grinch stole christmas. I feel like I had just found a big piece of tomato in a little sandwich and it so big that I have to pick it out and throw it way out of utter disgust. If you start the war - how is it going to stop?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
I forgot to do a christmas post. Christmas was a hectic time and I had to driving people around like a monkey on a safari in the north pole. It the beginning of a new year and something has managed to change ever so slightly to the point where I get annoyed. Annoyances is apart of life like taxes but do not let them get the best of you - tomorrow is another day.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
This year is either going to be the best year ever or total apocalypse. Usually I don&#039;t mind odds like that but I have watched enough movies to know when things just look strange and music starts playing and monkeys start throwing shit that I need to map out the location of the nears cave and keep rations under my bed. I need to invest in a solar power microwave oven.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1603/#comment&quot;&gt;make a comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2012-01-13 07:16:52</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol - Review (Movies)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1602/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src='http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/866.jpg' alt='related picture' class='photo' /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;I thought it was pretty good.  I don&#039;t remember them playing the mission impossible theme (you know at the point where it would start and you know some crazy shit is about to happen?) often enough.  But besides that the stunts where cool with some seat of your pants action.  The other team members manage to not annoy me too much which is surprising and none of them ended up being a double agent - which tends to happen allot in action movies nowadays. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Some elements are good but not as good as the Cliff hanging in MI3 or hanging above the computer room in the original MI movie but it certainly holds it own.  Oh yeah and tom cruise does lots of running, I don&#039;t know how anybody can possibly out run him unless they were Bolt but its a action movie so the stunts are not really based on reality.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
I give it a 9 out of 10.  Lots of tech-gadgets and women and cars, running, no sex, no boobies, wicked stunts, hits to the head, almost feels like james bond, Watch it in the theatre just for the nice fly over scenes in Dubai.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1602/#comment&quot;&gt;make a comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-31 16:09:52</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>What did you get/give for christmas? (Questions)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1601/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1601/#comment&quot;&gt;Answer this question&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-28 06:31:29</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Blackberrys - Why they are still cool (Blog Jamaica)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1600/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/865.jpg&quot; class=&quot;thumb&quot; alt=&quot;related picture&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;I have been seeing a lot of BB hate recently.  Some people will have you think that blackberries are going the way of the dinosaurs but I am here to tell you the reason&#039;s why BB&#039;s are still rocking it high in Jamaica and parts of the Caribbean.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Support / Backwards Compatibility&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
You can meet a hot girl on the beach or a party and pin her even though she is uptown and rocking a BB Touch 3 while you are rocking a Bold 1 - doesn’t matter its all the same thing.  I see some people rocking the old BBs with the little ball that spins in the middle and I&#039;m like waaa?  Some guy said he replaced his ball like 10 times but just loves his phone so much that he will never get any of the new ones.  On the flip side Android/iphone users sell their phones every six months i.e. if the screen doesn&#039;t crack first.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Battery Life&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Until recently most BB phones are really slow, so they last a good 2 days on a single charge, even when you are typing away on BBM or scrolling through 4 gigs of pictures, its designed to conserve battery life.  The few games you can actually get in the app store make it even easier to conserve battery life.  No Apps IS a feature, lol.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Optimized for Slow Networks&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Now let us be honest Jamaica probably has some of the slowest cellphone networks in Latin American ( sorry @gordonswaby the are never gonna call give us our own region ).  I always watch television and see advertisements where lightning is falling from the sky and people are doing stuff so fast that they are doing them IN THE FUTURE.  From my experience in reality, downloading anything on a cellphone in Jamaica is like Slow like honey.  The BB often is able hide this and makes it a little more barable, plus it doesn’t lock up or check the network too often to the point where you have to start turning things off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Data plans&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Presently the blackberry phone plans cannot be beat, especially if you get the BB Social Plan it will save you some money for ONE EXTRA DRINK AT THE BAR.  With the economy the way it is not many people can afford to dish out 3000 dollars a month to play Angry birds.  I donot remember what the going rate is for data in jamaica but I think they charge PER MEGABYTE!  Really?  Until there is a cheaper way to download stuff over the network I don’t see myself getting a Android phone.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Old BBs still get Software Updates&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
As I said before there are some people in the BB world rocking some old phones - I am talking BBOS4 like there is no tommorow, yet they still work and are chatting like nobody’s business.  Popular apps such as twitter and facebook still get regular updates every couple of months.  This may be to RIM&#039;s downfall but you have to appreciate their ability to support older phones without making them slower.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Blackberry Phones are Cheap to Buy&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
No only the Data plans as mentioned before but the actual phone itself.  I do not know about some people but I am not going to spend 600 USD on a phone when I could buy a laptop or a 30 INCH TV for the same cost - fts.  Unless you like playing games on a small screen with bad touch controls, getting the latest most expensive cellphone is pointless and really most people do not have the money to dish out on things that cannot prevent AIDS.  Although buying the phone directly from the cell companies is still ridiculously expensive it is easy to find on USED blackberry for sale and because it still gets updates its not that bad a compremise.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
BBs are on 27/4&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
With a fixed monthly, weekly or daily BB prepaid plan you can pretty much rock BB around the clock except for that one week when the network went down for an entire week.  Aside from that the BB network is pretty much always on, I don’t have to stalk WIFI networks at local restaurants to get my twitter updates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Durability&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Seriously I see 13 years olds rocking more expensive BBs than even I am able to afford.  Don’t ask me what their hustle is but whatever, puss and dog no have the same luck.  Point is no matter how big you hands or deep you purse the BB will usually keep working as long as you pop the battery every now and then plus keeping the ball clean.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
If those points are not enough to convince you and you still want to play Angry Birds while you are driving down I95 then more power to you - just don’t crash in to anybody.  There is no point to having all phones being big glass touch screens!  Touch screens are annoying and only good for scrolling and swiping.  Diversification in the phone market is the only way for it to survive.  Having 50 types of Android phones is not going to make it any more attractive than the expensive iPhone. And lets not even mention WindowsPhone which has a fixed screen size and aspect ratio - U MAd Bro?  Face it Steve Jobs have you guys beat and no matter how many new Android phones come out people will still think you are using a iphone.  The Blackberry is what it is because it has a dependable, boring and simple.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Most people I see saying that bb is dead are people using androids and want more locals to join their party - its not going to happen - people want buttons.  The 9900 maybe a faster curve with a touch screen and drains battery but its still a bb.  Once the bb becomes an android phone it will lose all the things that make it unique.  I don&#039;t understand why people can&#039;t see that.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1600/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-27 11:57:22</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Jamaica Elections 2011 - Manifesto Word Search (Technology)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1599/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Do a quick search for words or phrases across all the 2011 Manifestos (JAM,JLP,MGPPP,NDM,PNP) and compare the results; maybe pointless but who knows; http://owensoft.net/project/agow2011/&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1599/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-21 10:55:02</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Why Frameworks Suck (Articles)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1598/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Frameworks are what they are, they will save you a lot of time when deadlines are tight and give you tons of free code and documentation to read.  But as in everything there are disadvantages and advantages which is why you are reading this article today.  This article seeks to outline some of the pitfalls of &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_framework&#039; title=&#039;software frameworks&#039;&gt;software frameworks&lt;/a&gt; in general.  It touches a little on &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Programming_paradigm&#039; title=&#039;programming paradigms&#039;&gt;programming paradigms&lt;/a&gt; which are frameworks but they are all children of the same mother.  This article is aimed at the experienced programmer, if you are a noob you will not know half of the things I talk about here so this article will be of no use to you. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
From now onward when I refer to the word “framework” I am usually referring to frameworks that OTHER people write, not your own custom framework.  I can’t see your framework but in most cases you know how it works while most other frameworks are magic.  Also I am refering to frameworks built on top of another language because if you have no choice then you are pretty much stuck with no way out.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Frameworks are hammers&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Some people seem to think that frameworks are the be-all end-all of programming.  Frameworks are tools like a class, array, pointer, for-loop, hammer or a saw.  You CANNOT use a hammer to make a hammer.  It is not possible, you will always be limited to what the framework is designed to do - which in the case of the HammerFramework is to drive nails.  To a framework nut EVERYTHING looks like a nail.  You can spend years planning and charting you API and realise that it is pointless in a day.  Frameworks solve a specific set of problems.  It would be good if you just drove nails all day but sooner or later you will meet up on a &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_case&#039; title=&#039;edge case&#039;&gt;edge case&lt;/a&gt;.  This limitation will often only manifest itself years after the project has grown old and rusty and you they try to make some major change to how it works  (I&#039;m looking at you Apache STRUTS).  At which point you realise that there is a invisible wall around around you, a new version/fad probably  gets released and everybody quickly re-factors all their old code to match this new found version - totally forgetting the last 2 years of pain and repeating the mistake again.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Useless code&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Few people realise that if you write all your code in a framework you will end up with code THAT IS TOTALLY USELESS.  In a framework, code is a extension of the framework, everything written is dependant on some convention that somebody dreamt up while sitting on the toilet.  Copy ten lines out and paste it into another language or app and try to run it - it won’t work or even be fixable.  And what makes it worst is that each framework has it own set of little classes/functions that are unique to it.  A model can be anything in any number of frameworks, there are often no consistent way of working with them.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Most programs written in frameworks are often TOTALLY REFACTORED when they are updated or moved around.  I have functions that I had written 5 years ago that I am still using today - what about my framework code?  Useless!  Most of it is filed away or deprecated.  This uselessness occurs because the code does not carry any of its own MEANING.  All it was doing was pushing levers around, shifting pieces from one place to the next.  The few places you do have actual business logic are often dwarfed by the share amount of infrastructure needed to hold it up.   &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_refactoring&#039; title=&#039;Re-factoring&#039;&gt;Re-factoring&lt;/a&gt; is something often used to to hide this side effect.  This happens every time a new thing comes out or a new version!  There are even tools that do it for you!  But you will still need to go and look at every single line because nothing is perfect.  This only happens with code that is written in a kind of framework, you will NEVER see people refactoring a for-loop, because a for-loop is a language construct it serves a SPECIFIC PURPOSE and carries MEANING.  Frameworks seek to abstract as much meaning as possible away from the code.  Refractoring and schema updates are a problem - NOT a solution.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Discourages sharing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
During my research I read an article that &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://term.ie/devdev/why_frameworks_suck&#039; title=&#039;pointed out something&#039;&gt;pointed out something&lt;/a&gt; that I did not even realise;  Frameworks discourage sharing!  Say for instance I write a &quot;contact us&quot; page in an MVC framework, you would think that it would be possible to share it with another programmer using another MVC platform, right?  No sir, because code that is written in a MVC framework is so fragmented that parts of it makes no sense outside of the framework context.  Further more you end up with 3 or 4 files, then you realise that you will have to send the helper code as well, eventually you have to send the models, then the WHOLE PROJECT just to demonstrate how one part of the code works!  What people don’t realise is that your code and your framework are married at the hip.  You are not using the framework - the framework is using you to propagate itself.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Force you to do unnecessary work&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Frameworks are self supporting, and they make programmers do unnecessary work.  Instead of solving common programming problems, most frameworks seem more interested in giving extra things to do to distract you from actual problems.  If you have a SQL injection problem they give you a NEW OOP Abstraction layer which replaces all your SQL.  If you have a PHP in HTML problem they give you a whole NEW template language to learn that is a little like PHP but alot like HTML but is neither.  If you have session state problem they give you a class structure that you have to inherit and extra functions you have to call to get your program to work.  It would not be so bad if you could pick and choose between the features but they are often tightly woven into the framework mesh.  By the time to get up to speed, you will have totally forgotten you initial problem.  Its all a &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://flow3.typo3.org/documentation/codingguidelines.html&#039; title=&#039;distraction&#039;&gt;distraction&lt;/a&gt;, if you want to set up rules use a programming language that has those rules built in - not a framework.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
I have used many frameworks and I often wonder why am I putting 2 files into this folder and 3 files into another folder?  It is not because of some useful reason - ITS BECAUSE THE FRAMEWORK WANTS ME TO DO IT.  obviously it would be too much work for the framework designer to figure out what is what, based on the code you write, which is why you are forced you into some kind of “convention”.  Why can’t I do a CVM in my MVC? or a VVC in my VCM?  It is because each framework is hard coding a set of rules which make it work.  These rules/conventions in a framework are just another wall between you and the solution to the problem.  Look out for these convention/rule hacks and you will be the wiser.  Once you go outside the bounds, you are on your own.  Hack the framework, extend it - its all the same thing.  If you problem is unique or complicated even in the slightest be prepared to spend 5 years writing handlers and scaffolding to get the expected results.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Additional Overhead&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Remember I mentioned earlier that the framework and you code are joined at the hip?  Well when you program is finally done (if ever), look at the size of your program + framework.  If your program is 500 lines and the framework is 1 million, then your program is 1 million + 500 lines of code.  That framework is now apart of your program and all the requirements that come with it.  Just accept it.  Any changes to your program will end up being framework changes (especially since you code is meaningless).  If the framework needs to run on 64 gigs of RAM on a cold room server then your program needs it too.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Suppose every page in your program had to have 5 files?   Lets say you had 50 pages, that is 50 * 5 = 250 separate points of contact - not counting models, helpers etc.  Worst case say you have 10 pages which share views and models with a random number of other pages.  Anybody adding or removing anything thing from your program would either have to be YOU or spend a great deal of time looking through all your code, AND the framework you used to understand what effect the change will have.  Oh, well, yeah you could run the unit tests, lol, or write some new ones.  This is something you just have to accept, DO NOT FIGHT IT.  Major changes to code written in a framework - no matter how well designed - often results in a total rewrite.  See because you use a framework does not mean that your code is well written or easy to maintain.  A bad program is bad in anything it is written in.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Limits Innovation&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Lets face it, frameworks are training wheels - only people who ride small bicycles use them.  Even the large scale riders are often using highly customized versions (at which point they are like training rockets), or are stuck on legacy versions because they are too afraid to spend millions of dollars to upgrade their entire system to the lastest version (or really don’t care to).     If you have to spend all your time searching through a plugin directory for solutions to your problem then you are clearly a small bicycle rider.  What makes it worst is that in 5 years you will still be riding the same bicycle.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
The majority of the other framework users spend a year learning their framework before another version comes along to give them features that they couldn’t possibly implement themselves - why you ask?  because it is the nature of a framework, its designed from end to end, you have to play in the little sandbox - again DO NOT FIGHT IT.  Companies who realise that thier framework is holding them back often spend years hacking at the framework or hire some guys to modify it to fit edge cases but by then they would have gone so far off the reserve that they either have to spend big to maintain it or make a quick decisive blow to the head.  The rest of use poor mortals just have to wait and hope that the framework gods smile on us, maintain backwards compatibility and our long awaited feature request gets put in the next major release.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Why use a framework?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Frameworks arose for two reasons; because programmers like to share, realised that some people need training wheels and just cannot learn how to keep themselves on the right side of the road without hitting the guard rails.  Secondly, businesses and managers needed a way to &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrialisation&#039; title=&#039;industrialize&#039;&gt;industrialize&lt;/a&gt; the process of   &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_engineering&#039; title=&#039;software engineering&#039;&gt;software engineering&lt;/a&gt;.  If you have large teams of programmers with mixed proficiencies, 50% of which are below average,  the best way to get reasonably good code is to have them all working in a framework.   Give them a framework!  The bigger the framework the better!  Frameworks also make it easy to swap people out if they get too complacent, since it is easy to find somebody else who can learn the same generic framework and continue the work.  So its a win-win situation.  Based on how you look at it. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Conclusion&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Find the right tool for the framework for the job, the smaller the better, because in the end &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://wiki.theory.org/YourLanguageSucks&#039; title=&#039;everything sucks&#039;&gt;everything sucks&lt;/a&gt;.  Frameworks save time and money BUT will not make you write better code, in fact it may even make your code worst.  A framework will not make your code any more readable, reliable or maintainable (its basically swapping one set of bad documentation, for another large set of bad documentation ).  It is important to understand your choice of framework - how it works and avoid trying to shoe-horn everything into a single sandbox - that will only limit you in the long run.  Look out for &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://kylecordes.com/2008/please-web-framework&#039; title=&#039;Framework Caveats&#039;&gt;Framework Caveats&lt;/a&gt;.  Document your code, KISS, try to predict what future enhancement you may need and do proper testing early in development.  Do not be afraid to ask questions.  Do not be a sheep. Test out edge cases early in development - even if you have no present to do so.  Always read change-logs when they are released and keep abreast of new developments in your framework. You never know when a new framework version will come out.  Probably next year.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
My next article will be on the future of frameworks and how they should actually work.  Look out for that.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1598/#comment&quot;&gt;Post your comments on this article&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-15 07:40:56</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Niggas in Paris (Logbook)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1596/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;My Christmas done gone disrupted to the point where i just want to curl up into a ball and hibernate like a bear or a honey badger.  Now that I am older and considerably more hairy, sleeping for long periods of time is most comforting, I&#039;m trying to survive the silly season without getting another speeding ticket from a policeman hiding in the bushes. Like thieves. I mean its the middle of the DAY!  I still young, I ain&#039;t had no kids, why you gotta be pushing me man?  why you gotta be pushing me?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Did I mention that its cold?  So cold that I wish I had breasts, lovely breasts.  Can&#039;t tell me nothing.  I need as much fat as I can get because my skinny frame cannot take these cold floors and cold hearts much longer, I NEED LOVE!  More than I could give. The Lion King was a great movie, I stopped watching cartoons after that, what more could you need?  Cruel, cruel world.  If it makes you happy then why you so sad?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
It started raining so bad last week that I thought all the politicians would drown but alas that was not the case.  Why God why?  It was all good until a week ago.  Don&#039;t worry I noticed I have alot of question marks in this but I can&#039;t help it - I was kinda haphazardly writing this for the past week, in between naps, trying to ward off the unset of flu.  Cherish the day.  Everyday is Christmas and every night a New Years Eve.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1596/#comment&quot;&gt;make a comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-13 14:02:52</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Offset Tiles (Low Life)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1597/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src='http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/864.jpg' alt='related picture' class='photo' /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Somebody was feeling idle when they did this floor.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1597/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-13 13:46:42</pubDate>
 </item>

<item>
      <title>Chicken Burger Exposed! (Food and Eats)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1595/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src='http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/863.jpg' alt='related picture' class='photo' /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This is before I applied the plantains.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1595/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-07 11:45:34</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>SRC/PIOJ: Innovate or Die - Nov 29, 2011 - What I learnt (Blog Jamaica)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1594/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;What I learnt from the &lt;a rel=&#039;external&#039; href=&#039;http://www.businesseventsja.com.jm/srcpioj-innovate-or-die-panel-discussion&#039; title=&#039;SRC/PIOJ: &#039;Innovate or Die&#039; Panel Discussion&#039;&gt;SRC/PIOJ: &#039;Innovate or Die&#039; Panel Discussion&lt;/a&gt; held at the Wyndham Kingston Hotel on Tuesday, Nov 29, 2011;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Services instead of products&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Basically the only thing investers will fund are service industry activities.  They are very easy and are of little risk to investers.  Avoid anything physical, because it would require too much initial investment and the risk of failure is too much for the local market.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Food, Herbs and Food Additives&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Do not even think of producing anything that is taken internally or are considered to be a medicine or food additive.  It is simply too risky and investers are not willing to take a chance on anything that is removely difficult or requires a large amount of human testing or research.  You are on your own.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Outsource your labour to other countries&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
At some point you will have to leave Jamaica.  Find a country overseas for your factory where there is cheap labour and lower electricity rates.  If you want to compete in the global market you simply cannot physically operate in Jamaica - its just too expensive.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Go big or go home&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Avoid markets which are dominated by bigger companies because there is simply no protection for you in the global economy.  The only way to compete is through efficiency, and if you are not as efficient as a multi-billion dollar company you might as well not try because your idea (if it is profitable) will be stolen in an instant.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
The Jamaican Consumer Society&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Avoid targeting the local consumer base in any large scale, at least in the long run, it will not support you.  The Jamaican people are conditioned to buy overseas products in fancy packaging.  Provide a service that is attached to foriegn product such as software apps, cellphone repairs or auto-mobile repairs, invest in fancy-high quality packaging.  Build your customer base quickly and watch the market closely.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Government Policies&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Better not to wait on the government to help you out.  Government policies may do you more harm than good and will probably take 20 years to come to reality ( fruition ).  The government is busy and is probably spending their money on more important things.  You will have to be creative without putting yourself into too much debt - nothing tried - nothing done.  Register your company and get the appropriate licenses for your operation, it may take a while and seem rather haphazard but at least you will reduce the chance of you getting raided and locked up by the police.  Pay your taxes.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
In Closing&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Innovation is a tool.  Stop doing the same thing over and over.  Invest money in a research department and encourage employees to suggest ideas on improving efficiency and creating new products and services.  Research is a investment, you may not see results today or tommorow but when you strike gold the returns will be 10 fold.  Do not be afraid to try something new because you are never sure when the next iPad will come out and you will not be able to afford the USD to buy one.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1594/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-12-01 10:28:23</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Video Games (Logbook)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1593/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Sometimes I wait until it gets really overcast and then I leave the office for lunch. If I am lucky it would rain so hard that a river would form in the street in front of the building. A good rain would produce enough water that only a twelve year old would be brave enough to cross it and not reach St Thomas Pond. If that doesn&#039;t work there is always the chance of a freak storm to soothe the soul. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
A local fast food establishment has started making smaller cups for their &quot;all you can drink&quot; locations. It is not immediately noticeable like the time they tried to make bigger ice cubes and the machine would just jam up all the time. This time the cups are tall but slightly thinner. I presume they have been slowly slimming them down over a period of years. They are either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid. But I am glad they are playing an active role in encouraging people to exercise. Too bad the soda is watered down as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;
Continuing on my path of self discovery, I find that there has been a rampant increase in slavery. Slavery is everywhere. Slavery is like a women with big batty is a trouble to a man. There are no two ways about it. Problems are everywhere and it seems everybody has an alternate agenda to everything they are selling. Everything is a popularity contest between someone or someone like you.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1593/#comment&quot;&gt;make a comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-11-28 14:04:53</pubDate>
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<item>
      <title>Wood Planks (Low Life)</title>
      <link>http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1586/</link>		
	  <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src='http://owensoft.net/v4/photo/900/856.jpg' alt='related picture' class='photo' /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;They probably have a cellar.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;by owen ()&lt;/strong&gt;  &lt;a href=&quot;http://owensoft.net/v4/item/1586/#comment&quot;&gt;comment&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
	  <pubDate>2011-11-23 10:33:12</pubDate>
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