Re: [PLUG] Eric Raymond in FastCompany Magazine!

[Adam Turoff <ziggy@panix.com>]

On Sat, Oct 25, 2003 at 02:45:07AM -0400, Paul wrote:
> Now Cisco doesn't need to worry as much about the two programmers 
> leaving the Company.  Now Cisco doesn't need to worry as much about 
> getting rid of the two employees, or off-shoring their jobs!  So, at 
> least in this case, isn't open-sourcing the code good for Cisco and the 
> world, but potentially detrimental to the creators of the code?

It depends on your internal biases, and how you *want* to see the
situation.

If you see open source as easing programmers out of jobs as companies
look for free labor, outsourcing, and off-shoring, then you can
construct an argument that will support that view.

Alternatively, you can accept that corporate and personal needs are in
opposition.  Programmers like to move around (inside or across
companies), work on different projects and keep their skills fresh.
Companies want to maximize value by reducing development costs and
amortizing software investment over a long period of time.

In some cases, these two Cisco programmers did the right thing.  They
didn't expect lifetime employment from one little project, and Cisco
certainly didn't want to overpay for maintenance and support -- either
through internal staff, outsourcing or off-shoring.  

Releasing a project as open source *helps* these two programmers because
it shows Cisco that these two individuals are focused on creating value
and reducing cost.  If anything, these programmers *benefit* because Cisco
is likely to have similar projects in the future and want to keep these
guys around, rather than hire outsiders from down the street or across
the ocean.

Z.

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