Where is the Sourceforge for Web 2.0 Apps?

Tim O'Reilly has written a post suggesting a source code version control web service for Google Gears applications.

While reading the post, I was reminded of my what I've been asking myself lately when I started porting one of my open source projects from the Desktop platform to the Web.

You see, for desktop apps, SourceForge provides open source projects with download services so that users can download and then install your application. But web applications don't need downloading, rather, support for various server-side scripting languages, server side database access, monitoring tools and bandwidth. The requirements are different.

For the non-commercials users, the "Sourceforge for Web2.0" can run mandatory ads on every application and impose bandwidth restrictions. You can then allow developers to run their own ads and provide them with monitoring tools so they see for themselves when it's time to go "pro". That should be workable, right?

So far, I haven't heard of any service like this. It looks like Amazon is the only well-known company doing something similar with their web services division where they are providing storage and CPU services. But as far as I know, that's only paid for services that don't include hosting various types of databases and scripting languages, or does it?

'cause that would be super cool!

WhiteAfrican covers African Web2.0 startups

WhiteAfrican has been playing African TechCrunch recently covering creative Africans working on cool startups right here in Africa.

Some of the interesting innovators covered that I really liked include:

Adventures of Nyangi
A 3D Adventure game created by a Kenyan game developer who also created the engine that powers the game. (via http://whiteafrican.com/?p=675)

Peupe
A made-in-africa blogging platform by Kenyan-based Multiple Choices (still in beta)
via http://whiteafrican.com/?p=658

iblog.co.za
Another blogging platform targeting South Africa (via http://whiteafrican.com/?p=404) I hope you'll find it :)

bwanji.com
A Zambian social networking site

Akopo
A blogging, chat and games platform by Nino

Afrikeo
An AJAXy homepage creation tool

(via http://whiteafrican.com/?p=673)

In Malawi, the windmill kid William Kamkwamba is still making headlines even at Digg and BoingBoing. Malawi's The Nation Newspaper of 2nd July 2007 also carried a feature article titled Behold, the scientist from Malawi.

The same paper carried a programme by ESCOM, Malawi's electricity company, detailing scheduled power outages running the whole week in various areas. Some outages were scheduled from 05:00 to 13:30 and others from 17:45 to 21:00.

Innovators like William have huge opportunities in Africa!