Lost jobs due to open source

[Jeff Waugh]

<quote who="Ruben Vermeersch">

> but also a more sophisticated one: "If we all do open source software, a
> lot of jobs will get cut, the amount of IT staff with a job will decrease
> dramatically".

A massive proportion of software developers are paid to write custom, line
of business, in-house software for the company they work for. It is unlikely
to ever see beyond the company's four walls, let alone a box and shrinkwrap.
There will still be a need for this kind of software, though its development
will be more efficient because cheap-off-the-shelf (COTS) Open Source parts
can be used to do the boring bits, the wheel reinvention, and the stuff no
company should have to redevelop (and yet, every day, they are forced to).

On top of that, Open Source gives developers new opportunities. I supported
my Free Software habit by doing consulting for a long time, and was able to
build products and solutions for customers that would have been vastly out
of my reach if it weren't for the commons of fantastic building blocks.

Let your friends know that beyond the monopoly-holding price-gougers and a
few lucky niche providers, software alone doesn't really make a lot of money
for anyone. The money is in the services and support... and that's happening
already, it's not a daydream of a FOSS-happy Utopia.

- Jeff

-- 
GNOME Summit: October 8th-10th              http://live.gnome.org/Boston2005
 
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