Coding/Translating: Best Practice can slow you down
I enjoy reading about software development (and rocketry) and often find something that makes me think a little more about Bible Translation and how we do it. The last few years several of us have been thinking seriously about the quality and processes of what we work on, developing and thinking through implementing ‘Best Practices’ …
Coding/Translating: Taking a fulfilling demotion
Before I had a thought of doing Bible Translation my first hobby and possible career choice was in Software Engineering.* I got diverted from that after graduation, but I like to keep abreast of what people are doing and learning in the programming and development world, and so I came upon an interesting article about …
Happy Christmas, Happy New Year
We’re still working on a long-overdue letter of news, thanks to God and requests for prayer, but in the meantime we wanted to send warm greetings from Jos. It’s a little cool now, but we’re enjoying some al fresco meals together, and enjoyed gathering at church. Being a city church it seems quite a few …
Assembling Solar Panels
Together with my friend Gideon Ishaya I’ve been finally completing a project I had in mind for many years: fabricating solar panels using local components. We’ve tested the prototype panel for a few days and despite having many broken panels and the weather being cloudy, it seems to generate at least 15W but possibly more. …
May/June/July: Literacy, Translation, Holidays!
Here’s our latest newsletter, looking back at May and June and ahead to July. Do get in touch if you’d like to hear specific things next time.
You will know that I am the LORD
Reading Ezekiel with my daughter Rebekah is very interesting. The other day we had a chapter (2) that reminded her of Taffy Tegumai in Rudyard Kipling’s Just so stories. (“For they are a rebellious people.”) All the way through it’s been mildly disconcerting to have Ezekiel addressed as “Son of Man” if you’re used to …
App updates: Naija Type & Ashɛ testing
After 2 weeks of hard work some improved text is available in the latest Ashɛ scripture test app for Android phones. (Let me know if there’s any interest in an iOS version.) Some suggestions and bug reports have led to an updated Naija Type Android keyboard app and Keyman keyboard (usable in iOS with Keyman).
NCC’s 2020 TLAs: NINs for SIMs
Updated Jan 8th – see below. Nigeria’s Communications Commission seems to be trying to tighten up registration details for mobile phone users. Already when you buy a SIM you need to register it (photo, lots of details, fingerprints) before it works but now there’s a panic about requiring everyone to submit their National/Nigerian Identity Number …
Thank you CBN – Central Bank 2020s Money Transfers to Nigeria
Money transfers to Nigeria from UK/Europe were working rather well… until mid December when the CBN changed the rules. Azimo and TransferWise and a few others are setting up to do USD or EUR transfers to domiciliary (foreign currency) accounts via SWIFT. Not everyone has such an account set up, and so fortunately WorldRemit let …
Enlarge your tent!
As our girls grow we have found they could sometimes do with a little more space for doing increasingly independent homeschool. We also like having people stay with us, and a little extra space makes hospitality that bit easier, and so the opportunity came up to revamp and extend our house in Jos before we …