[WEB4LIB] Re: need technology news not business news

[Dan Lester]

Monday, July 30, 2001, 8:33:22 AM, you wrote:

DM>     I don't see it as whining at all. It's a legit concern. The problem I've
DM> seen recently is that companies are buying other companies at an unprecedented
DM> rate. Those who aren't buying or are being bought (if that makes any sense) seem
DM> to be going down the drain pretty fast.

I also don't see it as whining.  But the fact that companies are
buying each other isn't surprising, as an industry that is/was filled with
startups consolidates. There used to be hundreds of auto manufacturers
in the USA (to say nothing of elsewhere), just as there used to be
thousands of local telephone companies.  Evolution happens in
technology and business, just as it does in the biological part of the
world.  The strong survive, the weak die out or are eaten by the
stronger. When times are tough (because too many weak
critters/companies are fighting for the scraps available), more of
them die out and are consumed by others.

DM> Why is this a problem? Well, why should
DM> some computer scientist or electronic engineer work hard on their project if: a)
DM> They might be bought out next week and the project gets canceled,

He should work hard because he wants his company to be one of the
survivors.  He should work hard because he has pride in his own work.
She should work hard because she knows she has a great idea and if the
project doesn't make it with this company, it will with another.  She
should work hard because when the current company is bought out the
manager of the new one will recognize what a great project it is, and
it will get carried through to fruition.

DM> b) They might
DM> get bought out next week and a completely uninformed person is stuck at the head
DM> of the project, or c) The company is experiencing financial difficulties and
DM> money may be tight or non existent from week to week.

All of the reasons cited above apply to your b) and c) as well.

DM> I may be wrong on this as
DM> I am not a businessman, but I am human and I know that I wouldn't be working
DM> extremely hard on something knowing that I may not be allowed to finish it, or
DM> if I do I might not get credit for it.

Those same conditions exist in the public sector as well.  Most of us
have had great ideas that no one else recognized, there was no funding
to implement, the boss didn't like for some personal or political
reason, or whatever.  People, politics, and money are factors in all
aspects of life, at least for non-hermits.

DM>     I think some companies have forgotten that technology tends to progress in
DM> baby steps. We didn't go from a 486SX/33 to a 1.3 GHz Pentium IV overnight. They
DM> seem to want miracle breakthroughs occurring overnight that double our current
DM> technology usefulness. I wonder how many projects that could have furthered
DM> technology and computing in a major way get cut in corporate buyouts or dot com
DM> failures?

As noted above, I don't think those are really issues.  Even when
"miracle breakthroughs" happen, they take years to be widely
implemented and affect most of us mere mortals.

And the good ideas will rise to the top, no matter who the genius
works for at any given time.


DM> Just my opinion. That and $3.50 gets you overpriced coffee at the Starbucks.
DM> Dan

I'll pass on that, but I'll take a Diet Coke from the vending machine
if you've some spare change.

cheers

dan

-- 
Dan Lester, Data Wrangler  dan at RiverOfData.com
3577 East Pecan, Boise, Idaho  83716-7115 USA
www.riverofdata.com  www.gailndan.com  Stop Global Whining!