Well, we must admit, version 3.0 upgrade has been the most criticised upgrade we have ever done. Since the day we rolled it out, based on the feedback we got, we have been tweaking and trying to make it incorporate as many features of version 2.0. as possible. Case in point is the threaded comments that we discontinued.
Having said that, the constant upgrade in any software based operation is a must. We can’t keeping standing and enjoying the experience while the ground underneath us is shifting at such a fast pace. The situation is compounded further by the attention of attacks and hacks we get from all sorts of bots on the INTERNET. Being one of Zambia’s top sites comes with problems. We are easily visible to attackers and it is a lot of fun for some people to bring down a top site.
The new upgrade was necessary and has given us the opportunity to carry out day to day maintenance without subjecting the site to long spells of disruptions. Since the day we did the upgrade we have put in a lot of plumbing work, chopping and changing of things in the background without disrupting access to the site.
Just a number of issues we want to update you on:-
Archives
All the content we have ever published from day one is still on the site. Our policy is never to delete any content because it is connected to people’s comments. If we discover that the content was wrongly published, what we do is just add a note and an explanation to that particular post. You can access all the content if you go to the archives link on the top most menu links next to comments policy.
Viruses
We have seen claims in the posts that the site is dishing out viruses. This is totally untrue. As every astute computer user would know, the best way to beat viruses on the client side is by using a not so common operating system. We follow the same policy on the server side of things with Lusakatimes. We use the least popular web server and don’t use the common and popular version of Linux on the server side. Lusakatimes is not even hosted in a shared environment. It has its own dedicated server. Sites virus are largely transmitted using .htaccess and Lusakatimes does not run any .htaccess which is largely responsible for redirecting users to virus sites. For in house testing purposes we have Linux, Mac, Ipod, Iphone and three versions of windows. We have not experienced the viruses issue.
Chat
The Chat is still experimental and we have noticed that the latency is just too high and makes it unusable really as a chat. We are still actively looking for a solution that we feel will deliver true chat experience. People online does not necessary mean number of people in the chat room. It simply means the number of people who have landed on the first page of Lusakatimes.
Content
Well, as we said in the about us, our content comes from established media houses in Zambia and a few individuals. Why do we do that, well we feel we have a small market gap to cover. And the gap we cover is the provision of an opportunity to Zambians to know what their fellow Zambians think about the current issues. Its that discussion platform that gives us that unique addition to the excellent work the other media houses are doing. Why don’t we publish stories from the Post Newspaper? Simple. The post runs a subscription model and sells their content. We believe those subscription sales are important to the Post and it is very important for us that the Post remains profitable, sustainable and operational for two reasons. First, they get into places nobody can and the rest of us are able to feed on the crumbs that fall off the table when they bring out big issues to the table. As LT we value that. Secondly, they provide everybody in this gane the best competition you can get on the Zambia scene. This helps to keep our team awake and innovative.
Are we Shushushus?
Looks like this debate is ragging at neck breaking speed in some of the online forums. Well, we wish we were. Then we could do with some GRZ money and get rid of all the adverts on the site and never worry about profitability. And we could reclaim our old dispatch.co.zm domain without fear of thinking we could get shutdown. 90% of the comments on this site are anti-establishment. Why the establishment would want to run such a site still beats us. We shall leave that debate to father time who will ,undoubtedly, reveal the truth in his own time. We shall continue doing what we are good at-providing a platform that provides a true freedom of speech experience for many Zambians around the globe.
LT is blocking my comments
No we don’t, actually. We have filters that block certain words that we feel are inappropriate. Why do we have filters? Well, once in a while we get new people who get too excited with the freedom of speech and think they can post all the unprintable things that run through their heads. We need filters to take care of such cases.The filter list has been developed over the years with the help of people who visit this site. Yes, sometimes our filters get it wrong and wrongly puts the comments in moderation which sometimes can take time for us to attend to. All in all, We all agree that we need to create the forum where decency in comments prevails. This is vital if your comments are to be taken seriously by the people you address. And please familiarize yourself with our comments policy. We have the capacity to outrightly ban anybody who goes against our policy or just drop their comments.
Twitter Twitter Twitter
Finally, we have been doing some work on the social networking front lately. We are now on twitter. http://twitter.com/lusakatimes. Looks like everybody is going there. What in the world is twitter, anyway? According to Wikipedia:,
Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read other users’ updates known as tweets. Tweets are text-based posts of up to 140 characters in length which are displayed on the user’s profile page and delivered to other users who have subscribed to them (known as followers). Senders can restrict delivery to those in their circle of friends or, by default, allow anybody to access them. Users can send and receive tweets via the Twitter website, Short Message Service (SMS) or external applications.
What does this mean in English? It simply means that if you follow lusakatimes on twitter, every time we post a new story, you will be immediately notified. Twitter also enables you to post your comments or tweets using sms from your cell phone. Currently, we are working on integrating all tweets into our comments on the website. This will open up the comments system to people using the cell phones as well. So, stay tuned and be on the look out for these features.
Good day
LT Team
ha!!ha!!ha!! Yaba, ba LT thanks for using such ‘humour’ in your LT UPDATE story…..we do appreciate you, just that sometimes your stories are so badly written, hope you are looking into that, otherwise….ALL THE BEST
What can we say..Lt
Well done LT for being on tweeter.But please tell your journalists to improve on reporting.They to do some in-depth reporting and improve on spellings as well as some geograhy on Zed.Its humiliating to report that Kawambwa is in northern province for instance.
We appreciate the hard work the team is doing to make LT Zambia’s nambala one site. Please carry on with the good work.
Haaaaahhheeheh, Ba L.T. bayasuka lelo… natumfwe…
LT iwe, thats a good update but you need to improve on ‘Chizungu’! Utyola maningi sometimes. And thanks for clarifying your ‘shushushu’ position, although i still have my doubts. Siumvela iwe LT. Also, give us exciting stories, not like this Mwanchingwala story which borders on partisan politics being practiced by some misguided chiefs, awe. We dont want such.
One more thing…This ‘Tweeter’, efinshi??
Nomba twitter twitter twitter , nangula namulondolola .. ya shani???
Thanks LT. Kindly include a search engine if it is possible so that when I search Shikapwasha, I have all the links pertaining to the Reverend.
One more thing. I really blieeve that there are several travel insurance sites of reliable companies than enable you to enter your holiday details and acquire you the insurance quotes. You can also purchase the actual international holiday insurance policy on internet by using your own credit card. Everything you need to do will be to enter your own travel particulars and you can see the plans side-by-side. Simply find the program that suits your allowance and needs after which use your bank credit card to buy it. Travel insurance on the web is a good way to do investigation for a respectable company pertaining to international travel cover. Thanks for revealing your ideas.
LT, your explanations above border on professionalism because you are updating your bloggers on new developments and explaining your lapses. Thanks. What is the difference between twitter and facebook?? tefimofine??
Lelo baice bonse mwebaponta especially those in diaspora mwafwa.
Actually after visiting a few other Zambian blogging sites…. L.T. YOU ARE THE BEST!! , moderation is good, keeps the lingua in place…. BIG THUMBS UP BA L.T. You are great!!! the format and lay out is professional too.
Elo lwanya,,,twitter this twitter that, kaya!
I seriously had a virus from LT. Do not be cheated people.
Thank you Lt for Your educative update.
this is great
this is the Zambia i have been waiting for
thanx LT for the info
it shows you
Zambia sweet mother Zambia
Love en miss you
ha!!ha!!ha!! Yaba…..you bloggers are crazy…you would think Twitter is some sort of bird atini??/ LOL
LT since you just copy and paste stories from other sources, why don’t you upgrade to write your won stories. When will you stopy piracy times of zambia and daily mail.
Thanks for the update LT, just two comments, firstly i am a patriotic Zambian can i please have my beloved Zambian flag everytime i submit my comments PLEASE, secondly even if you were the shushushu you would never admit, it’s folly on your part. [Will just take the chance give facts as we see them, what you do with the comments are your indaba].
“We can’t keeping standing and “
Twatotela ba LT,keep it up,Abigail do us a poem for LT
SHUSHUSHUS will never admit they are…..LT tulibakulu waumfwa?Naundisha fire lelo
U r lucky i gotta go!!!!!!! Iwe Moze na Baby C mailo litali,gudnite….Kalepuka…
#14 3RqU uli shani boyi? Are you sure the virus came from LT? Maybe you accidentally clicked on the tuma adverts which appear on the site. Which brings me to another point of objection, dear LT:
is there a way of filtering all these ads? They’re such a pain in the neck sometimes.
LT, I hope your upgrade will address the pop-up, ‘you are number 99999999..fimofimo winner. click here to claim the prize. This happens whenever I am on this site. I don’t like it at all.
Thanks LT, i like the professionalism while thowing in some humour on your update above.. This is the way to go….One more thing… Please include a search engine..its VITAL..one love…BTW, will follow you on twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitter..!
#20 Miss Daisy,wansekesha mune,ati we cant keeping standing,i saw it aswel hahahahahaha.LT is jus explaining ama ilele,hes toked abt context but muli context ine mul tyola kasolo iye mwee tyetyetyetyetye wandepula Daisy naya gudnite mama and say wats up 2 Matworld
Well done and thank you for keeping us upto date
Keep on updating us.We appreciate the information you feed us and the fact that its free.Zed issues are now available to some people in the Diaspora quicker than when you are at home.
LT on the issue of virus. My browser web security shield always warns me that Lusakatimes dot com is downloading a segment from Claxon dot com. Its says claxon dot com has been reported as a dangerous site..
Thanks LT, the search engine is/ has been here.
Nalemona kwati twitter chilimba!!
Reporting is nt too gud. Why only times and daily?
I like professionalism & you’re showing it here. Keep it up. But Iwe #30, can we just call you Chintu?
Latest,Castro Chiluba is dead
This is according to zambianwatchdog
Welll done. But I still think that Post Newspaper material would enrich the debate and widen the scope of discussions. It could also offer a forum to challenge what seems to pass as sacrosanct opinion. Best wishes.
Akhulu Chiteni, Is it true?? This castro thing!!
Cheers LT web development and the like is not an easy thing, i do some web designing myself. It requires some dedication and moreover getting news from different parts of our country and the world over. thanks for what you are doing for us all.
Yes its true.See zambianwatchdog
hahah ine Zoe boyi kupapa ka… Baby C bwanji? Ba Moze.hhhmmmm flag, maybe u lady chiza hiding…lol
You guys are fun!
@34 Nkosi
hehehehe, you ask Ludwig Sondashi to tell us what RB meant by telling Easterners that “Bafuna kumipoka Chintu Chanu”
castro Chiluba died this afternoon. AIDS, no doubt. He had even stopped talking apparently. Twaya kuchililo. mailo bane.
Miss daisy, am fine kamayo. Twitter wakantu nakwe bamuleta pa inchingulo. Moze nakwe achinja flag, kapena ni lady chiza, nimufuluka bad!
Miss daisy #41. Its me mama, dont worry. just somewhere else. But……..mama, uli che!! kansi ndiwe mpopo!!
baby C,ndine mama. wamvela khani ya castro ka? Ka daisy ni ka mpopo ayini? mamawe!
#44 Ba moze??????
@44 Ba Moze!!! LOL
Sad I didnt know Castro was that young, 33 yrs? How sad
#48 Stripper, dont panick. its me.
#49 bafuna Fimo fimo, mwaseka? Iyo, chabipa but. Filachitika, ka? bakatusheko bakamba balya.
LT, Am so happy that you are on twitter. Lets get twitting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#50 Ba Moze, Chabipa Castro…actually his father is in South Africa for outpatient treatment….I remember being at a party in lusaka where Castro came and fired shots sending all of us scampareing in all directions…MHSRIP.
Stripper #53, as for me, he once hit me with a bottle in the head. anyway, MHSRIP. But he still has to account to the Lord, ka?
Before I comment let me laugh, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, wow LT has a sense of humour.
I remember Castro entering the gate of my school in LSK in a fast moving car and said..”Niggas from State house, tuleteka,,,,”
stripper. ‘party people’ will remember Castro as someone who terrorised revelers and drinking places such as Xenon.
LOL, hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha, I am trying to be patient but the point on new bloggers printing whatever runs through their heads go me, let me read this one more time.
LT is doing a great job. Most of us just turn on our computers and enjoy the work done by others. I hope we can learn to appreciate and maybe come up with some donations to make the work of our beloved site easier. Think about it people!! Just imagine each one giving the little we can to support our brothers working day in and day out to keep us informed.
Weldone LT, we shall be with you always.,…
Good lucky
The explanation you gave on the post is just truth as truth can be told. They do need to make money and we need LT to search up any silly and important article, for information shall keep us poised.
GO LT!!!
Mwashibukeni ama bloggers….ba Stan number 60, its good LUCK not LUCKY….anyway am sure it was slip of the fingers pa keyboard…..
As for Castro, mhsrip, I just pray that he turned to God in his last moments as he trully terrorised ZEDIANS mwe….chabipa ba Vera, losing a child nangu chinangwa, is still losing a child…..
Ba Emma, mwashibukeni? Twali kuchililo mukwayi. Uluse banyina Castro.
Hahaha, Ba Moze, you back?? how you luno luchelo?… Baby C..hahaha, naine nimufuluka lady fimo fimo ..tomfwa, limbi balimu blocka ba LT..
Eyee Ba Moze, mwandi chabulanda sana…..honestly our hearts go out to ba Vera mwe…..mwalosheni
Miss Daisy, am back mama. hope you are as well as you look. Yo kwena, Pa Zed ifintu nifilya fine mwe. Generals being locked up, Accountants being sentenced to a total of 195 years, Mwanachingwala snuubing others, nefyashala. Ala bwafya mama.
Emma #66, Iyo, naba Sata eko bali, Ba Maureen nama cadres abengi fye. Tu Gelo twakwa Castro etc.
LOL, ala ba moze pakuti mwalaba shani ukubeba ba Miss Daisy ati nama CD and DVD makers caught ku chunga in a simply house which in the end was like Fort Knox with all the security gadgets….yaba, pa zed….we are getting complicated mwe…. Mmmm, Nomba Ba Moze mwaishibi shani at tuma gelo twakwa Castro??? lol
..owe ichisungu, meant to say in a SIMPLE house…..lol
Emma, Tu gelo twalelila sana! Ichapeshamano mwe. Nokulasunsha sana pachililo! The mourners especially the men were perplexed! Ukulafilwa ukulila. Drama even in death.
Hahaha, Emma ba Emma tamunfwa…Yep too many things happening, ine sometimes i fail to keep up, locked up for 195 years ..yaba.. Ba Moze, i am fine..even better than i look..Hope you also feeling great!
ha!!ha!!ha!! LOL, yaba…ba moze so naimwe mwalemona fye ama bokosi yalesunsha?? Hope you looked away ba moze ka….lol….Ala ba sister ba Miss daisy, chacine too many things are happening pa zed mwe….pakuti nomba ba chinese govt say they had nothing to do with the mobile clinics that govt is talking about, so which CHINESE are we dealing with mwe bantu?? Ba chinese ba eagle eagle?? Pakuti mobile clinics are a huge thing to just be dealing with chintobe ntobe…lol
Miss Daisy, thats great! LT nayena busy moderating others! Ndefileka! oh……….
Emma, Awe i tried looking away, elo balila sana! How can you avoid not looking?
In shushushu work you make yourself as believable as possible. So your reasoning that because 90% of the comments are anti-establishment you cannot be shushushu is not valid. The man who sold nuclear secrets to the Soviets surprised his close friends when he was caught because of his impeccable behaviour. Still shushu or no shushu you are doing a good job. PS: Do we use American English or English English in Zambia? Your speller wants me to spell behaviour as behavior.
thank you 4 the upgrade. but can you also add a SEARCH ENGINE please to make it easy to search certain stories of our particular interest . i could not find a place to make this comment its meant for you LT. n make a place were bloggers could give you suggestions on how best to improve you news providing service. there are many areas that need improvement. all in all THANK you very much you are my main source of zambian news so report as often as possible. don’t carry same stories for ages. need i say more. THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN
lhtUEV
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