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Navigation Satellites Over Europe
Snags writes "It looks like Europe is getting its own equivalent to WAAS (a set of ground stations and geostationary satellites which relay information to help GPS accuracy in the US). The EGNOS system system is having a base station inaugurated in Langen, Germany this week. The system augments signals from GPS and Russia's Glonass to provide 2-meter accuracy in Europe. This is the first stage of the Galileo system reported earlier, and I'm sure these satellites and base stations will perform the same function once the Galileo constellation is flying."
It would not be good for anyone. Not just Americans. I am very afraid of the twisted logic working on the minds of many American officials. They think that they can enforce anything they want to everybody else , just because they have a bigger army. Things i am afraid are not that simple. EU will not stand silent and be told that can not go into space (or any other bullying US may come up with). The possibility of a future conflict arises quickly.
I would love to argue about how the size an army MANY times in history has proven to be irrelevant, but considering that both US and EU are "nuclear enabled" (TM), it is made clear that none can win is such a case.
I hust hope that this "we are the ones" mentality stops before it is too late.
Thank you.
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If allies don't like the new paradigm of space dominance, said Air Force secretary James Roche, they'll just have to learn to accept it.
Translation:
If allies don't like us invading Poland, they'll just have to learn to accept it.
It won't. Well over 90% of the software industry has no dependence on a particular platform or on selling shrink-wrapped software.
But let's assume you're right (which you aren't). Then so what? If the current big players can't outcompete volunteers, they don't really deserve to live on. And if US software developers can't find a way to compete with cheaper labour (despite having the advantages of being in place, knowing the language and customs, and having a great infrastructure), then their demise is also warranted. You want to get paid more than your competition, you had better be prepared to offer some other incentives in return. Arguing that "but we don't _want_ to compete" is not going to endear you to your prospective customers.
And if OSS shrinks the global market value of the IT industry (which it has no indication of doing; quite the opposite) - again, so what? Less people will find jobs in the industry, and those that do will not be paid as well anymore. Ask around to see what people in other disciplines with a comparable education earn, then ask yourself why you are entitled to a much higher salary. The answer is, you probably aren't.
Quite whining, get off your behind and either retrain to be able to offer real value, or get out of the industry.