[AccessD] OT: Web Design

Stuart McLachlan stuart at lexacorp.com.pg
Sat Nov 22 00:41:45 CST 2008


OK, last response before the moderators get too annoyed :-)

National Languages:
English, Motu and Tok Pisin

Motu is the language of the Central south coast - the original inhabitants of the Port 
Moresby area It became the trade language of Papua (the Southern part of todays PNG) 
which was colonised by Australia .  It is still the second langauge cental coastal people 
after their local language and is still the primary language for people within about a 50  km 
radius of Port Moresby. 

Tok Pisin or Pidgin  started out as a trading language in New Guinea (the northern part of 
today's PNG) which was colonised by the Germans.  It is the most widely spoken 
language, for most PNGEans it is their second language after their local tribal language, 
it's the third language for those who use Motu as their second language.

English is the language of education and business, but is frequently the third or fourth 
language to most PNGeans.  As soon as you get outside of the main cities, you need Tok 
Pisin to communicate with the locals and even in Port Moresby, you need it to talk to the 
majority of low income workers and settlement dwellers, especially the older ones and it is 
the most common language used between staff in general conversation in governement 
and business offices.    

My wife speaks Motu to her family who were the original inhabitants of Port Moresby, uses 
a different language when talking to her mother's relatives who come from a village about 
100km north of Port Moresby, uses Pidgin most of the time when shopping etc and uses 
English when talking to her educated friends who come from other parts of the country.

My six year old daughter is fluent in English, Motu and Pidgin.

More than half of the discussion in Parliament takes place in Pidgin.

No headhunting any more, but there are older people in some parts of the country who can 
still tell you what human flesh tastes like :-)

Many highlands areas had no contact with Europeans until shortly before or after the 
second world war.  Some of these are still very remote and still have little or no contact 
with the outside world.   The Hagahai tribe were only "discovered" in the early 80's  (see 
http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/PNG/htmls/AP.html for an interesting story)

-- 
Stuart


On 21 Nov 2008 at 20:02, Rocky Smolin at Beach Access  wrote:

> 800 languages.  What's the national language? And are there still
> headhunters in the interior? Still groups who are isolated and have had
> little or no contact with the outside world? 
> 
> 
> Rocky Smolin
> Beach Access Software
> 858-259-4334
> www.e-z-mrp.com
> www.bchacc.com
>  
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart McLachlan
> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 7:07 PM
> To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: Web Design
> 
> There's a fairly high proportion of Phillipino and Indian/Sri Lankan expats
> as well as a lot of aussies, kiwis and brits.  
> 
> The most racist group would be the nationals, but it's not them against the 
> expats, it's tribal/regional.    My missus is local - Southern Region
> Coastal and 
> she really doesn't like Highlanders :-)
> 
> The country was very heavily influenced by missionaries over the last 100
> years, so churches are very strong - and in most of the country are the only
> ones providing decent health and education services.  
> 
> There's a small Islamic community, mainly ex-pat but a few converted
> nationals, there is aboslutely NO fundamentalism. 
> 
> Although everyone will tell you they are Christian, and a lot will go to
> church every Sunday, there is an almost universal  belief in socrcery,
> spirits, animism 
> etc.   Religion is fairly new, the culture is thousands of years old - quite
> a few 
> people are still killed every year in villages, especially in the Highlands,
> after being accused of sorcery.
> 
> It's a really fascinating country to study - over 800 languages and numerous
> totally different cultures - the Highlands and coastal regions where settled
> at different times by totally different people - highlands languages are
> totally different from coastal/island languages.  The Highlanders are more
> like Australian aboriginals, the coastal/islands are  more like polynesians.
> 
> -- 
> Stuart  
> 
> On 21 Nov 2008 at 17:31, Rocky Smolin at Beach Accesand many different
> 
> 
> --
> Stuart
> 
> > Dang!  Sounds nice. Oh, forgot to ask - race relations (most of the whites
> > are going to be ex-pats. Yes?) and religion, everything peaceable? It
> would
> > seem with almost 100% Christian.  In wiki
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Papua_New_Guinea no mention of
> > Islam. So no Moslems?  Animism?
> > 
> > P.S.  I'll be 60 myself next month if everything goes according to plan.
> > Late starter.  Kids are 12 and 18.
> > 
> > 
> > Rocky Smolin
> > Beach Access Software
> > 858-259-4334
> > www.e-z-mrp.com
> > www.bchacc.com
> >  
> >  
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart
> McLachlan
> > Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 5:19 PM
> > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> > Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: Web Design
> > 
> > Raised a family here in the late 80's - they're now grown up. 
> > Not sure where that wife is now :-)
> > 
> > My current partner is PNGean and we have a six year old daughter (and I'll
> > be 60 in 3 montsh time <g>)
> > 
> > The picture is the downtown area of Port Moresby - the rest of the country
> > is very different!
> > 
> > There are good international schools in Port Moresby - they use an
> > Australian curriculum and the students generally do *very* well in the
> > Australian examinations!
> > 
> > Public healthcare is very primitve , but the private medical practitioners
> > in Port Moresby are fairly good.
> > 
> > Government is fairly stable, but also fairly corrupt.  The economy went
> > through a bad patch but is looking good - huge LNG prospects dveloping
> over
> > the next few years will quadruple the countries GDP - business confidence
> is
> > high and there is a lot of development going on.
> > 
> > We're actually better off at the moment that the rest of the world - PNG
> was
> > not really exposed to the financial crisis and is a major exporter - even
> > with the drop in commodity prices it's on track for budget surpluses even
> > after failry large  infrastructure/development spending next year.
> > 
> > Law and Order is a bit of a problem - a lot of unemployment and crime in
> the
> > urban centres, but it's not as bad as the Australian media tries to make
> it
> > seem.
> > 
> > The big plus is the lifestyle:
> > 
> > Great social life, great climate and a lot of freedom to do your own
> thing.
> >  
> > No speed cameras or breath testing - get stopped at a road block on your
> way
> > home after a night drinking at a club and the cop will probably as drunk
> as
> > you are <g> 
> > 
> > 
> > Cheers,
> > Stuart
> > 
> > 
> >   On 21 Nov 2008 at 16:58, Rocky Smolin at Beach Access Software wrote:
> > 
> > > Interesting.  Further nosiness (and Mr Moderator - it IS OT Friday) -
> are
> > > you married and/or have kids?  Can you raise a family there?   It looks
> > > pretty moderne from the picture on the web site.  Decent infrastructure?
> > > Healthcare? Stable government/economy/society?  
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Rocky Smolin
> > > Beach Access Software
> > > 858-259-4334
> > > www.e-z-mrp.com
> > > www.bchacc.com
> > >  
> > >  
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> > > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart
> > McLachlan
> > > Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 4:49 PM
> > > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> > > Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: Web Design
> > > 
> > > It needs to load fast, a lot of potential clients in PNG are on dial up.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Since you ask:
> > > I came to PNG in 1986, on a three year contract, to set up training and
> > > testing systems with the PNG Police College.  They were looking for
> people
> > > with disciplined forces and training backgrounds and I had  12 years as
> an
> > > infantry officer in the New  Zealand Army including several postings as
> an
> > > instructor in various areas.  
> > > 
> > > I'd been into computer since about 1980, both as a hobbyist and at work
> > and
> > > ended up developing student records and exam marking systems in Dataflex
> > > (running on C/CPM on serial networked ICL Quattros - ah, those were the
> > > days<g>)
> > >   
> > > Found that I liked the lifestyle here so I stayed.   Started developing
> > all
> > > sorts of Information 
> > > Systems on the side for various people and ended up in 1993 going
> > > independent full time, using Dataflex mainly, but about then I
> discovered
> > MS
> > > Access 1.1 and I've never looked back. ( although we only put the last
> > > Dataflex system that I was involved with to sleep at the beginning of
> this
> > > year!).
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --
> > > Stuart
> > > 
> > > On 21 Nov 2008 at 15:49, Rocky Smolin at Beach Access  wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Lovely.  Loads fast. I like that.  
> > > > 
> > > > OK, I gotta ask - how'd you end up in PNG?  Or did you start there? 
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > Rocky Smolin
> > > > Beach Access Software
> > > > 858-259-4334
> > > > www.e-z-mrp.com
> > > > www.bchacc.com
> > > >  
> > > >  
> > > > 
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> > > > [mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Stuart 
> > > > McLachlan
> > > > Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 3:44 PM
> > > > To: Access Developers discussion and problem solving
> > > > Subject: Re: [AccessD] OT: Web Design
> > > > 
> > > > I've just updated my site at http://www.lexacorp.com.pg over the last 
> > > > few days.
> > > > 
> > > > I built it using frames <bleuch> about 6 or 7 years ago and it was 
> > > > looking very tired and old fashioned.
> > > > 
> > > > The new version uses Server Side Includes for a consistent layout
> > > > 
> > > > That way I just need a line
> > > > <!--#include virtual="header.html" --> in each page rather than 
> > > > repeating all the background, header image, menu code etc.
> > > > I do the same for the footer. 
> > > > 
> > > > Incidentally, the menu is a straight lift from <quote>
> > > > /***********************************************
> > > > * CSS Horizontal List Menu- by JavaScript Kit (www.javascriptkit.com)
> > > > * Menu interface credits:
> > > > http://www.dynamicdrive.com/style/csslibrary/item/glossy-vertical-
> > > > menu/
> > > > * This notice must stay intact for usage
> > > > * Visit JavaScript Kit at http://www.javascriptkit.com/ for this 
> > > > script and 100s more ***********************************************/
> > > > </quote>
> > > > 
> > > > Feel free  to steal any ideas you need for content.
> > > > Rocky's site, build by  Karen Rosenstiel,  may give you a few ideas
> too.
> > > > 
> > > > Actually, I've never found a WYSIWYG site designer that I like - I've 
> > > > ended up doing it hand with a text editor which understands HTML 
> > > > syntax.  (I swap between Crimson Editor and
> > > > NoteTab)
> > > > 
> > > > --
> > > > Stuart
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > On 21 Nov 2008 at 9:28, Tony Septav wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > Hey All
> > > > > After much research, I finally settled on looking at the trial 
> > > > > version of WebEasy7.  I had to start somewhere, the more I 
> > > > > researched the topic the more confusing it got, with all the pros 
> > > > > and cons to different approaches. As I mentioned at the moment all I
> 
> > > > > am concerned about  is getting a web page up and running, fancy will
> > > come later.
> > > > > Thought this would give you all a laugh (talk about naive). The part
> 
> > > > > I am finding most difficult, is filling in 4 pages of information - 
> > > > > Home, Products, About Us and Contact us.  I know from a marketing 
> > > > > point of view you are supposed to be trying to sell the company, but
> 
> > > > > I have always been known as an individual who keeps things short and
> 
> > > > > to the point. I figured one page would do it , but looking at other 
> > > > > sites I don't think that is a good marketing idea. So I guess I will
> 
> > > > > have to "time trip" through my 20 years of developing applications 
> > > > > and put together an overview of what I can provide.  Here I thought 
> > > > > I could bang this thing together in a couple of days,  but now I see
> 
> > > > > it is going to take me 2 or 3 weeks to just initially put it 
> > > > > together and come up with a powerful presentation.  My hat is off to
> 
> > > > > those of you that have web sites, I now realize the work you put 
> > > > > into to getting  them up and
> > > > running.
> > > > >  
> > > > > --
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> > > > > AccessD at databaseadvisors.com
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> > > > 
> > > > 
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