[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: Fried

[Chris Cox]

In attempt to take the topic back to something that will allow
it to stick... (a couple of comments on original post are at the end).

I noticed:
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040209005311&newsLang=en

Basically the article quantifies the number of US IT workers
actively contributing to OSS (~1.1 million).  Now it's based
off of a survey.. and I'm not a big fan of surveys.  But I
do think the number is large, possibly even larger than the
number given.

I do think that greed is a common motivating factor of
non-OSS developers.  People working on OSS tend to love
their craft.... they just want to produce something that
works... and their motivated more by pats on the back (ego)
rather than big bucks.

Corporations in general.. not just IT, need to think about
why so many of their employees are seeking job satisfaction
through things like Linux and OSS (or other things... not
necessarily IT related).

My opinion... corporations are only focusing on IP (Intellectual
Property) protection rather than on innovation.  Investors
encourage and REWARD companys for NOT INNOVATING... they
tell companies to keep their R&D down and use litigation
as a means to protect their existing IP.  So we protect
the old, dusty technologies and everyone is afraid to
spend money on new things.  Investors are strictly looking
at short-term gains and predictable swings.

Gone are the days of GE, Honeywell, Bell Labs... who got into
all sorts of different things because companies survived
by creating the "next big thing" rather than on patents,
copyrights and their resulting lawsuits.  Gone are the
days of the long term investor who believed in a
company's vision.

Isolationism is NOT some short term fix, btw...
If we shut our borders... we die... we've already pushed
production outside of our borders for many things (perhaps
that's an exaggeration... but you get the point).  Just
because today's non-R&D model businesses are seeking
greater profits through reduced employee cost, doesn't
mean that establishing some kind of law will solve
the matter.  Today's businesses need a major attitude
adjustment.  R&D means risk and also means the potential of
VERY large REWARD.  Big company R&D should be used to
move something into production rather than as a means
to establish a patent portfolio of never developed
technologies.  This is the heart of competition... not
who has the best lawyer.

IMHO, if we can bring R&D spending back.. make it fashionable
once again... get rid of the IP protection ploys (except
where it truly does protect the little guy... and I mean LITTLE),
then I think we see a return of economic balance that we need.
I think we'll also see the return of American jobs rather
than farmed out (boring) tasks.

The other benefit is the creation of new ideas and products...
something that seemingly hasn't happened in over half a
century.

To me, if company's want to see Linux-like euphoria over something
that belongs to them (even if it's not Open/Free)... they need to
rethink their anti-R&D rhetoric.  I think we need to relook at the
"penalties"  for short-term capital gains (e.g. gambling aka stock
speculation). Let's force company's to compete through invention
once again.

I think a Presidential candidate could run an effective
campaign on the IH (Invented Here) platform.  Let's bring
back true R&D before we're all forced to go overseas to
find it.


Greg Edwards wrote:
...

> We're beginning to look like Japan, an 
> economic also-ran.  Microsoft, HP, Dell, GE, Alcatel, Honeywell, and a 
> list as long as my arm no longer build or design it here, they just sell 
> it here!!!

Even so... what is "designed" and "built" is mundane at best.
Worst case scenario... we train (let's say) India on how to
design/build something.... then, because of man's basic
need to create and innovate, they take the skills taught
and use them to come up with the next "Big Thing" (they
have more freedom since our company laws/ethics can be
ignored whenever it is convenient).

> 
> Alcatel just closed the doors on an entire department and moved the 
> work, not the workers, to Canada.  Verizon will be cutting again. 
> Companies that are expanding are not expanding in the US.  And when they 
> do hire it's at 50%-60% of 1999 salaries.
> 

Temporary fixes.  If we don't innovate, none of these short-term
"greed" fixes will matter down the road.  All of these companies will
die anyway.  Short-term, short-sighted... if I was an investor, I'd
punish the board and company leadership that takes a anti-R&D position.