GREETINGS FROM INDIA

Technology is transforming the world. The way we do business, learn, communicate and entertain is fast changing. To be successful today in any field of study, be it business, law, medicine, or banking you must have a strong command of information technology. Indeed, a background in IT offers high paying jobs, a path to multiple careers and job growth. That is why ECA's former laboratory Manager and Technical instructor decided to let go the stunning natural beauty of Limbe for a tech - saavy environment in Hyderabad, India. Professor Derick Enow sends greetings from his school campus at Zoom technologies.



I am a student of information Technology and my main area of interest is networking.I have chosen to take it professionally and I am currently concentrating on implementation using the approaches of Cisco Systems,the Microsoft Corporation and Linux.Presently,I am taking courses for the Cicsco Certified Network Associate(CCNA),Cisco Certified Network Professional(CCNP),Microsoft Certified IT Professional(MCITP) and the Redhat Certified Engineer(RCE).I am currently studying at Zoom Technologies,Hyderabad-India.My main goal is to be an expert in networking,and to take all the paths that will lead to this goal in order to obtain the Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert(CCIE) certification,which is one of the most respected in this field of study.

INTERNET SEARCH ENGINES

One of the most fascinating developments of the World Wide Web (www) is the ability to conduct research from your desk top without visiting a nearby library. This is even more true in the developing world, where public libraries are hard to find. In the past, most students had to rely on outdated text books and lectures by instructors to conduct research. The Internet has changed all of this within the last decade. There are now literally thousands of e-books, articles, newspapers and scholarly journals on every subject imaginable on the net. The underlying problem is how you acquire this information without the necessary background in computers. Basically, you don’t have to be a computer guru or subject matter expert to conduct research on the net.

Large databases of web pages files known as SEARCH ENGINES make it possible to manage information from the internet. Once a search is conducted, the results could be a list of categories or subcategories and full text documents. Simply stated, search engines provide links to web sites containing most information a user is looking for. These lists are commonly referred as hits and depending on area of interest, you can make a selection of hits found to match your topic. You may be wondering how developers of search engines make money. A lot of search engines are supported by advertisers. Advertisers pay money in order to have their listings ranked higher in search results. Other search engines make money by running advertisements alongside the result of the search engine.

There are over a hundred search engines on the Internet. However, some are more user friendly than others. One thing to remember is that search engines do not directly search the web. Every search engine searches a database of WebPages that it has copied and stored. Therefore when you use a search engine, you are searching a stored copy of the real web page and then retrieve the most current page by clicking on the link. It is also worth noting here that, search engines databases are built by computer robot programs known as spiders. These spiders crawl the web looking for pages to include in their database.

Here is a listing o f the most popular search engines based on recent surveys.
Google. http://www.google.com

Google was launched in 1998 and rose to prominence in 2000. It represents the most comprehensive collection of web pages on the internet and consists of more than 1 billion URL’s (uniform resource locator) internet address, e.g. http://www.ecotelacademy.org/programs.html

Yahoo. http://www.yahoo.com

Yahoo provides results that are arranged in relevant subject categories followed by web sites and individual sites. Yahoo.com was launched in 2004.

A few other top search engines are:

http://www.ask.com
http://www.exalead.com
http://www.viewzi.com
http://www.info.com
http://www.infoseek.com
http://www.altavista.com
http://www.alltheweb.com
http://www.msn.com

THE FEAR OF COMPUTERS IN OUR SOCIETY

Cyber-phobia, otherwise known as the fear of computers is too prevalent in our society. For many people, the fear of computers is associated with the fear of the unknown. For middle age and older people who did not grow up with computers in Cameroon, the evolution of information technology has led to intimidation, fear and anxiety. However this fear is not uncommon and can be overcome. The younger generation has started using computers as part of their education. So the fear of the unknown is somehow eliminated.

The introduction of PC’s in 1980 began a revolution in the world that continues to peak. Today in Cameroon, it is becoming impossible to avoid dealing with a computer on a frequent basis. Computers control cars, telephones and office equipment. Most banking is now done with computers, example sending or receiving money from western union or money gram. Without leaving our homes, we can even buy items from around the world and use the computer to compare prices and shop. With the power of the internet, computers allow us to communicate instantly, gone are the days when a letter from Cameroon to Europe took one month. There is absolutely no topic that you can think of that you cannot find a site for on the internet. All you need is to use a search engine such as Google or yahoo and conduct a search.

With all this advantages, and tremendous power of technology, why do many middle age and older people in Cameroon still fear to use computers? As stated earlier, the reason is fear of the unknown. People who have not been exposed to computer technology automatically think it is too complicated or see no reason to use or own one. They also fear they cannot learn to use a computer and feel bewildered by strange terms such as memory, DVD Drive, boot, port, gigabyte, virus, spam, etc.
Like every learning experience, you have to try things out and explore. By sitting in front of a computer, you cannot under any circumstances hurt a computer or damage it. The fact is, this is a computer dominated society and all new jobs require knowledge of computing. For middle age and older people in our society, the fear of making a mistake, looking dumb or starting as a beginner are nothing but lame excuses for missing out an opportunity to be part of a culture that is mind expanding and invaluable in today’s world. You can eliminate cyber-phobia by enrolling in a computer class for beginners, this will help you become familiar with the idea of computers and make you understand there is nothing to fear but fear itself.

MEET OUR ACADEMIC ADMINISTRATOR

Eyong Effi Atem was born in Limbe, South West Province of Cameroon. After attending primary and secondary schools in Buea, he moved to the University of Yaounde 2 Soa, where he studied and graduated with a degree in English Private Law in 2007. While studying in Yaounde, Effi enrolled concurrently at Power Bach Institute due to his love and special interest in the emerging ICT revolution in Cameroon. Upon completion of his course work at Power Bach Institute, he was awarded a diploma in Microsoft Office Specialist 2007 at the master level and a minor in computer maintenance.

Effi returned to his beloved City - Limbe and joined ECA in February 2008, as the pioneer instructor in the Microsoft office program and later became the academic administrator. In the course of his tenure at ECA, he quickly discovered ECA was the only training center in Fako division, offering MS 2007 in keeping up with changing technology. Under his leadership and smart wits, ECA has trained a good number of students in MS 2007. Most of his former students have used their new skills and gained employmentin the private sector. Many more have moved on to further studies. He hopes to start training students in MIcrosoft Office 2010, refered as Office 14 in the very near future.

Eyong Effi is single, a christain and looks forward to furthering his education. He has a passion in teaching, research and working with computers. He also enjoys quiet moments at the beach and listening to R&B,and Makossa. Effi is usually busy developing programs, teaching or studying. He is always available for chat as well.

Email: effischcl22@gmail.com

WIMAX DISRUPTS ONLINE STUDIES

In late 2008, MTN deployed WIMAX in Limbe to provide broadband internet to homes and businesses. With the launch of this new technology in Cameroon, MTN promised offering the most advanced services to businesses and residents, and bringing connectivity “EVERYWHERE YOU GO”. With WIMAX potential to replace a number of telecommunication infrastructure such as Satellite and DSL, ECA contacted MTN for internet services. However, for the last two months, there has been constant disruption of service with no connectivity lasting 4 hours in some occasions. The impact has been felt by students using the café for research and online studies. Students have been forced to postpone assignments, and look for other venues to complete their work. ECA technicians have contacted MTN to find out the cause of this intermittent but constant disruption. The response has been network problems. We do not know if MTN is experiencing this problem only in Limbe but a quick solution will alleviate our headaches and bring life to normal for students. We are still waiting to see the affordability, availability, mobility and ease of use that WIMAX promises.

ABOUT WIMAX:

WIMAX is a wireless digital communications system. WIMAX can provide broadband wireless access up to 50 KM for fixed stations and 5-15 KM for mobile stations. A WIMAX network comprise of two elements: base station and subscriber station. Due to the lack of telecommunication infrastructure in Africa, poor internet service and outdated technology, WIMAX provides opportunities for broadband internet to rural and underserved areas that cannot be addressed with wired technology. WIMAX also promises to bring lower cost for operators and end users. It is a less expensive solution compared to DSL.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

ECA NEWS - LIMBE:

The chair of board of directors, today announced two additional scholarship slots have been created for orphans/under -served young adults wishing to enroll in the current Microsoft office class. The Microsoft package is a six months program. It prepares students for career positions such as office administrator and administrative assistant with a focus on customer service.




The office (2007) package includes courses in word, excel, Power point and publisher. Students are also introduced to customer service orientation, special software packages in banking, hotel management and business studies. Applicants interested in taking advantage of this opportunity should apply immediately. Please stop by at the lower level of Data building and contact Jerry for application package.

ECA STUDENT LIFE

Student life at ECA is full of fun activities and learning. With abundance of information on the cyberspace, students hardly realize how much time they spend training. At ECA, students have the option to attend classes during the morning or afternoon sessions. Besides regular course work involving lectures, each student is assigned a computer for practical training.

With a state of the art internet facility on the first floor level, most students reinforce their training with online research activities. There is no lack of fun at ECA. A stroll to down beach or the botanical garden to catch some sea breeze is just a mile away.

Limbe Ocean front

SUMMER CAMPAIGN BEGINS

The summer campaign for IT classes during the long holidays is currently underway. Last year, we enrolled over thrity students in our computer camp. We also offered scholarships to the best students in selected primary schools in Limbe who excelled in computers. These students found their experience at ECA very enriching. They were introduced to basic courses in key boarding, internet, microsoft word and desktop publishing. Nowadays, it has become common place for parents in Cameroon to aquaint their kids during the long holidays with unique computer skills. So far, ECA has met that expectation with moderate tuition, hands on training and a friendly environment. For more information, go to www.ecotelacademy.org