Like many high profile OSS ranters, he's ignoring the fact that if most workers try to challenge their company's existing model (the sharecropping model) they are likely to be firebranded in their jobs or worse. Fine if you work for yourself or whatever, not fine if you have bills to pay and a status quo to keep.
We'd all love to get paid to do interesting stuff on exciting platforms (I'm an RHCE, but in my current job we don't even have a Linux box in the building). Unfortunately, boring stuff on Windows
I do a lot of computer-technician stuff on the side, like fixing servers, installing software, repairing computers.
What I really like to do is work on server programming and linux system configuration, but I generally do not get too much call for that. Most of the money I make on the side is usually gained from fixing whatever crappy software incompatiblity problem introduced in the latest version of Internet Explorer or windows.
In specialized industries (read Apartment Management as one) companies tend to have VERY expensive software that only runs well on one version of windows or on one version of Internet Explorer. When the companies who wrote this software went web based they tried to use ActiveX controls to give them the exact same power over user interfaces that they had when they were developing their stuff in Visual Basic or C.
99% of the support calls I get is to go out and return IE to version 5.5 after it breaks compatibility with some overengineered web based application (that depends heavily on ActiveX for cute menus and the like).
To add insult to injury, software companies in these specialized markets tend to like to keep their customer's data close so they cant switch providers. Usually this means that the web based software is hosted on some machine far far away, that no one but them will ever have a chance at debugging.
People try to use their existing models far after they are outdated, and it only hurts the customer. Just ask anyone in the Appartment Management industry how many times they have been burned by vendors.
You could point out to the people that they're sharecropping bigtime, and that they should seriously consider getting together with other companies and funding an Open Source effort to replace their software. It's really a huge risk for them to be dependent on a particular vendor. If talk about risks and costs, I bet they'd get it.
Why doesn't it? It seems like an excellent idea to band together for things you all need, but aren't central to your business. After all, it already happens if several of them use the same software vendor.
I think that an open source solution for several software apps that the appartment industry uses should be developed. This is true for several other specialized industries.
This can be the only way to take back power from the vendors.
I would imagine that convincing the Apartment Managers association would be the way to go to accomplish this, but I would have to have some demo's ready. I have had good luck with setting up linux public access labs at a few appartment complexes, however I want to enhance t
Yes, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about. I'm more of a researcher than a business person, though I make it a point to have some understanding of business concerns. This might be kind of a fun thing to do.
Unix is the worst operating system; except for all others.
-- Berry Kercheval
It's a selfish rant ... (Score:5, Insightful)
We'd all love to get paid to do interesting stuff on exciting platforms (I'm an RHCE, but in my current job we don't even have a Linux box in the building). Unfortunately, boring stuff on Windows
Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:4, Insightful)
I do a lot of computer-technician stuff on the side, like fixing servers, installing software, repairing computers.
What I really like to do is work on server programming and linux system configuration, but I generally do not get too much call for that. Most of the money I make on the side is usually gained from fixing whatever crappy software incompatiblity problem introduced in the latest version of Internet Explorer or windows.
In specialized industries (read Apartment Management as one) companies tend to have VERY expensive software that only runs well on one version of windows or on one version of Internet Explorer. When the companies who wrote this software went web based they tried to use ActiveX controls to give them the exact same power over user interfaces that they had when they were developing their stuff in Visual Basic or C.
99% of the support calls I get is to go out and return IE to version 5.5 after it breaks compatibility with some overengineered web based application (that depends heavily on ActiveX for cute menus and the like).
To add insult to injury, software companies in these specialized markets tend to like to keep their customer's data close so they cant switch providers. Usually this means that the web based software is hosted on some machine far far away, that no one but them will ever have a chance at debugging.
People try to use their existing models far after they are outdated, and it only hurts the customer. Just ask anyone in the Appartment Management industry how many times they have been burned by vendors.
-Jonathan
Re:Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:2)
You could point out to the people that they're sharecropping bigtime, and that they should seriously consider getting together with other companies and funding an Open Source effort to replace their software. It's really a huge risk for them to be dependent on a particular vendor. If talk about risks and costs, I bet they'd get it.
Re:Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:1)
Get together with their competitors ?? That isn't how the business world works.
Re:Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:2)
Why doesn't it? It seems like an excellent idea to band together for things you all need, but aren't central to your business. After all, it already happens if several of them use the same software vendor.
Re:Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:1)
This can be the only way to take back power from the vendors.
I would imagine that convincing the Apartment Managers association would be the way to go to accomplish this, but I would have to have some demo's ready. I have had good luck with setting up linux public access labs at a few appartment complexes, however I want to enhance t
Re:Similar frustrations, overengineered web apps (Score:1)
Yes, this is exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about. I'm more of a researcher than a business person, though I make it a point to have some understanding of business concerns. This might be kind of a fun thing to do.