Just not for you and me. :P. For a small project like mine it's just myself really, but it does give me a sense of what goes into keeping a software project running. In small companies a few net negative guys will wreak the company, but in larger companies it's just sunk costs. You absorb it from the profits on other projects. In most things (like building bridges) you can't do that, but software's got such a low cost to begin with you can have a lot of failure before it matters. Look at the XBox 1. 4 billion down the hole, but they made it back on the 360 when Sony stumbled a bit.

For what it's worth read my sig :P. Moreover, I my point still stands. I can afford 10, maybe 20 failures for the 1 project that succeeds :).

Sunday afternoon. Just after a few major Whitehouse scandals and some general nastiness in the form of an armature terrorist attack and a kidnapper. This won't even slow down the call for more H1-Bs, despite the fact that we're told over and over that a worker shortage should _raise_ wages.

We've always been at war with Eastasia. As long as the news media keeps telling Americans there's a 'recession' we won't start asking why we're not getting anywhere. I swear, Americans have the opposite of an entitlement complex. We don't believe we deserve anything.

The only thing we're 100% sure of is that somewhere is a minimum wage welfare queen that's the reason why we're broke all the time. Buddy of mine put it best after he was down on his luck and tried to get some help from the gov't: "If it's so easy to get on welfare and cheat the system why don't you do it?"

winning the day. Didn't work our so well for Corel did it? Or Novel? Or Sun?

Good enough is always good enough. Yeah, you're few good programmers will make better code, but my 100 code monkeys will make more of it. I'll have 10 products to market in the time you have 1, and I'll do it for less $. I'll take those savings and spend them winning bids in backroom deals. Eventually I'll buy up your company just to shut it down. Well, not unless Microsoft beats me to it.

Also, What's with this thing in America where we always, always blame the worker? Did it ever occur to you that you really can't compete in a global race to the bottom? Like clean air & water? Like health care? A steady food supply? Too bad. Somewhere in the world is a worker willing to live without it. You'll have to give up those 'luxuries' to compete.

As the saying goes: If you're so smart, why aren't you rich?

took 'em by more surprise. Even if their support sucks it's still there and it still costs money. It's a simple equation: we made X more sales to pirates and it cost Y in support and server maintenance. Which is bigger?

this is the other reason I don't care. Without that as context it looks like I'm just complaining :P.

I can't get too worked up by google tracking me. It's like saying EA is the worst company in the world when there's Monsato and Goldman Sachs out there. Seriously, from where I'm standing there are far bigger troubles out there. It just doesn't resonate with me. I'd rather people focus on declining wages, increased food, housing and health care costs. Basically the entire 'Middle Class Eroding' thing that's been going on for 50+ years.

if you're rich you're driving a large, very safe SUV that will survive any and all of the fender benders and minor t-bones this will create. Plus you're enjoying lower taxes with the same level of gov't service thanks to what is basically a regressive tax on the poor. Heck, they won't even put red light cameras in your area, because they learned quick if they start giving you tickets you'll get'em banned.

Ultimately this is another 'screw the (working) poor' initiative. Those always work because it's hard to orchestrate a political movement when you're living paycheck to paycheck, moving all the time to find work, and don't have Unions anymore.

and as we all know, if somebody predicted something and it didn't happen right away, it will never ever ever happen. Ever.

Point is: So the time frame was a bit off. It's still happening. The US is undergoing a manufacturing boom. Google it. There's tonnes of articles asking the question: where are all the manufacturing jobs. We all know the answer, but we're not allowed to say it. Because it inevitably leads to Socialism. To wealth redistribution. That's the white elephant we're all dancing around. The ones that own the robots not only can't consume enough to keep us all employed they won't.

After all, what good's being rich if nobody's poor?

but I've worked with plenty of H1-Bs that had plenty of initiative. The substandard code is a byproduct of working them just a bit too hard. They're actually quiet competent, often better than their American Equivalents. But not always, because in the end they're just people. Culture isn't much of a factor. It's wishful thinking and really just more "American Exceptionalism" to think less of these people. I catch myself doing it, hoping against hope that I'm not replaceable :(...

Also never forget that somebody is winning. It's the 1%. They're making money hand over fist destablizing the industry. They're global. They don't have a country. So they could care less if they wreak one. And if the economy really starts to go south enough to threaten their money, well, they run the world. They'll reign it in. You saw what happen to Bernie Maddoff didn't you? He was fine until he screwed with some real 1%. If he'd stuck to widow's pensions he'd have died a free man.

with H1-Bs I can get 2, maybe 3 for the price of 1. That's because not only do they work longer hours but they depress local wages too. Or pocket the savings and use them to put the competitors out of business! It's all up to you when you play the H1-B game.

Good enough will always be good enough. I keep hearing people advance lots of reasons H1-B is a bad idea while every single person who runs a successful business races to get more of them. What do they know that you don't? And it it's nothing than why aren't you eating their lunch with your companies awesome code?

it was Gore Vidal that noticed it before me.

but without the huge barrier to entry into politics that the donations system creates we get an opportunity to work on those other things you mentioned. I guess what I'm saying is, it's a complex problem. Solving even 70% of it gets us well on the road.

only allow individual human beings to donate to campaigns, and then only in campaigns they can vote in. Bam, money out of politics instantly.