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How Does a Poor Economy Affect Tech Innovation?

Posted by kdawson on from the counter-cyclical-investing dept.

sshuber writes "It's no secret that the US and other parts of the world are currently having some economic problems. How is this affecting new technologies under development? With the large numbers of layoffs, are we seeing projects, such as things under R&D, that are being axed? Are companies playing it safe and sticking with what they know sells in lieu of pushing the envelope? Finally, how is this affecting the open source community, either positively or negatively?" A lot of open source work happens with the backing or at least the sufferance of corporations. Do laid-off tech workers contribute fewer cycles to open source projects, or more?

5 of 302 comments (clear)

  1. Re:When I was looking for a job... by argent · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was thinking I could do some work while looking for work, but looking for a job is a full time job.

  2. Re:workers by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...unless you really enjoy the taste of ramen noodles.

    Ramen noodles have taste?

  3. Re:Depends... by The+Great+Pretender · · Score: 2, Funny

    WOOOAAAAA! Are you saying that we're IN the year of the Linux Desktop and I missed it's coming!! Where the hell have I been!

    --
    A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
  4. Re:Depends on how long the downturn lasts by The+Great+Pretender · · Score: 2, Funny

    You think that toilet paper thing was a joke? I worked for a company in 1998 that had a rocker on the toilet paper dispenser that allowed for one square to be dispensed at a time.

    You were lucky! My company had the one square dispenser and toilet paper sheets with "please use both sides" printed on them.

    --
    A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.
  5. Re:necessity the mother of invention by ralphdaugherty · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's the programmers who are securely employed who will have the time and energy to contribute to open sores.

          actually it's usually people with an overactive social life that contribute to open sores.