It's obviously the Thuktun Flishithy

maybe they're just as parochial as we are... nah.

If it's a software vendor, there's one question: "What's your Microsoft plan?" Though for some spaces, it might better be phrased "What's your Apple plan?"

They capture 30% of whatever market they enter -- by bundling with other agreements, by marketing more effectively, occasionally even by making a product that people want. Add in pressure to expand into new markets so you can show growth to Wall Street, and it's obvious that sooner or later there's going to be an 800 lb gorilla in the cage with you.

Potential responses:
1) "They're not interested in this space." Either the employer's got their head in the sand, or they're right... and there's not enough money there for long term viability.
2) "We've already faced that threat and won, and we're doing some innovative things to stay ahead." This is good.
3) "I could tell you, but I'd have to kill you." They could be right, and you're going to be working in a very strange environment... or they could just be paranoid loonies, and you're going to be working in a very strange environment.

averages 18,500 hits per day

my stats say:
Robots 27 %
Unknown 6 %
Firefox 8 %
MSIE 3 %

Really?

I mean, really?

Can you look yourself in the mirror while you say those words?

To each his own, I suppose, but it is my considered opinion that Apple's laptops are what you'd get if Sony had the same level of control over driver software and OS. Flashy ideas marred by poor execution and a complete disregard for usability, maintainability, and consistency.

I highly recommend Machiavelli (no, I'm not joking). I checked it out from the library as soon as I got back from my second interview with my current employer, and the precepts have been crucial to survival and success here.

I'm not saying it's good or bad or indifferent that reading The Prince is necessary, it's just a realization. If the place you're going to work is run on politics, you need to understand the rules. If you think that the place you work isn't run on politics, that just means that the people in charge agree with you and are taking care of your needs for you.

Making career decisions based on Slashdot discussions is insane. You might as well go ask the guys huffing glue in back of the gas station. Fewer people around here actually have paying jobs in the field than would like to present themselves as having such.

and that is why I write big programs in Perl... so that they don't have to be bigger.

Code is easier and more fun to write than it is to read. The first hurdle in front of this magical "re-usable resource" is that no one even wants to take the time to read it and decide if it's any good; the natural inclination is to write your own.

Secondly, programmers are just as crowd-driven as anyone else; re-using code from a failed project is swimming upstream, just like writing code in an unpopular language.

Third strike -- potential legal encumbrance. On the off chance that your project is successful, who know who might come out of the woodwork with a potential claim against it? Look at the SCO Linux lawsuit; even if the claims against your project are totally bogus, they'll still suck years out of your life.

They're about risk.

Regardless of whether it's right to download pirated material, there is a law against it and there are fines which can be levied. The risks of getting caught and fined are on par with those related to jaywalking.

Now, watch a busy downtown intersection with a lot of young people in the area; I live near a downtown which is between a high school and a university, so this is a common scene. The students blithely jaywalk in any situation which will not lead to death. Granny in a compact? Jaywalk. Bus? Don't jaywalk. Bike cop sitting at the corner? Jaywalk, s/he won't do anything, because everyone knows that you can't pay the $400 ticket. Now, witness the cop's reaction if an adult wearing a suit joins the crowd of jaywalkers...

People with careers, houses, families and cars are less likely to risk their material well-being for a few dollars worth of entertainment.