Decentralization

jamesgregory writes "'Geeks make new stuff primarily because it's fun, because it's useful, and because they can. Suits make new stuff primarily because they hope to earn a profit. Yes, that is an oversimplification, and there's overlap between the two types -- there are plenty of profit-seeking geeks and geeky business folks. Still, the distinction is real.'"

Comments

I'd have to agree...

[LucidityZero]

I'd have to agree. Look at how many seemingly useless sites there are out there. Look at Slashdot itself!
I know my website (www.sometimes.org (which is currently down for a redo, will return January 1st, 2003)) is much along the same lines. It's mostly an open forum for people to discuss and display their "art" (for which I have a very loose definition [there is a programming section, for example]). I am going to be spending tons of money on this venture in the next few months in particular, and although I have very vague plans in the back of my head to eventually turn a profit from this, I figure I'll figure that out when I get there.

In the mean time, I'm doing it for fun.

Re:I'd have to agree...

[DarkKnightRadick]

And that, IMO, is the best reason to do something. For fun. I'm trying to run my own business (http://jan-jr-ent.homelinux.org. ATM it's not much more then a web page and a few screen shots, but I'm hoping by Mid-2003 it'll be a site that'll draw in the business as well as any other. Until I turn a profit, I do web design for fun. Why? Because I can.

I also like to write poetry, short stories and novels. Why? I find it fun and relaxing.

With any venture, you have to do it for the hell of it in the beginning. Worry about making money once you got all the details sorted out. Until then, have fun!

Re:Listen up, this is the last time I'll say this

[hng_rval]

I love to see other fellow men and women reach their highest potential

This happens to be Microsofts current vision statement or mission statement or motto, or whatever it is that appears on their commercials.

I do agree with you though. There's absolutely no reason to pigeonhole ourselves into a specific career. At the University of Michigan business school the highest percentage of students (27%) have an undergraduate degree in engineering.

Plenty of geeks are out there getting MBAs or Law degrees.

Re:Not suprising

[Billly Gates]

I happen to disagree.

There is no way you can kill opensource software. Many companies who have bought into os/2, paradox, borland, lotus, and other things that were hot 15 years ago got burned. What if Microsoft decides to directly compete with peoplesoft and they go under because of it?

Its this reasoning why CIO's buy all or mostly microsoft products. They buy out of fear. Microsoft is already entering the crm market and will likely prevail because they are Microsoft.

Opensource software can not be bought out, file for chapter 11 bankrupty, or be cancelled due to lack of demand or a new direction by a CEO.

The only argument agaisnt opensource software is the fact that pallidium might kill it since only visual c++ can sign "trusted code" and I would not be supprised to see a eula forbidding to compile gnu licensed code therefore killing anything non proprietary on %99 of the world's computers. Scary shit.

I am a strong believer in custom software because its best suited for your needs and more flexible. Everything becomes obsolete eventually and upgrading it makes more sense then buying later and later versions and hoping it still works for your needs. Needs change and sometimes your software does not have the ability to adapt to your change. With something in-house created you know it fits your needs and will always do so best and is cheaper in the long run.

Nothing commercial can ever come close.

What are you talking about?

[autopr0n]

Linux was created so that there could be a truly free OS to play around with. Minix cost money, back in the day, and modifications had to be distributed in the form of patches, which got to be extreemly annoying, even for people who already had licenses. That was the reason Linus created Linux.