[...] usually hide in places (Russia, Hungary, China etc)where it's hard to enforce international laws, esp. spam laws.
Just a quick side note regarding Hungary: (1) Hungary is the member of the European Union as of 1st of May, 2004, and as such is subject to (almost) all EU laws, therefore it's no longer a "spammer haven". (2) international outgoing bandwidth is still very limited: currently the larger ISPs bill for international traffic if it exceeds 64 kbps at a monthly average. (3) the "network guys" of the larger ISPs pull the plug of suspicious computers (or put them on the "pr0n/w4r3z segment" [~=8-16 kb(!)ps]) without warning.
I do not know, how many people are still use modems for communication, but I am quite sure, that if anyone uses a modem, he/she uses an external modem. Granted, there are still some ancient internal ISA cards with <sigh>jumpers</sigh>, speaker, transformer, etc, which are also eligible to be called "modem", but they became sadly rare.
What I wanted to say: do not try to concieve me, that these AC97 craps and internal PCI stuff are modems. Modems (by definition) are signal converter (MOdulator/DEModulator) devices, with certain characteristics and parts included, so and the best expression I can use to describe these nowadays-so-cheap-and-popular-dialup-connection-en abler cards is some kind of signal-mangling-Windows-driver-with-a-phone-connec tor-on-the-back.
Modemsare external modems. I have a 3Com 56K (V.90) message modem, connected to the worst phone lines of Eastern Europe, and it did 10's hours of continuous dialup connection without a glitch and has not been switched off for 2 years.
Well, I do not think it is due the marvellous marketing experts in the USA. When they come to Europe, they all starting to say "Europe is a complex market" and "Customers are so self-confident".
Let's face it (without starting any "Devil across the sea"-like flame): America has enough appropriately dumb people to buy everything.
Also practical to know whether they have surge protectors (on the ethernet/phone lines as well) and/or UPS'es; if so, how long will they keep up the power, and if it ever fails, do they have a separate signalling cable for each computer, and whether in case of shutdown will they restart the boxes after the power situations stabilized.
Great idea to have a site, like this, to review teachers, whatever, we also had something like this at the University. It was just worked fine, if a professor got a grade less than 40% for more than 2 semesters, he/she was "moved to research job".
What I don't like in this whole idea is, there is no authentic validation of identity, there is no proof required that an individual ever saw that teacher etc. The site operator cannot be held responsible for 3rd party posts, that's trivial. The reviewers have no very little control, so practically this whole thing can end up in an endless sh*t-throwing. Yes, there is personal responsibility, not to post anything destructive or false, or whatever, but the users of the site just can not distinguish between benevolent and malevolent posts.
Publicity is a dangerous weapon, and should not be given to anyone who is unable to handle it correctly.
In my opinion preferring foreign workforce rather than domestic is not only about the costs. Many of my buddies work abroad, and I found some common points among what they told about it. I think some of these points can make a foreign worker really more attractive:
1. Foreign workers often feel like they have to equal higher expectations, therefore they work harder than a local guy of the same qualification and capabilities. 2. Maybe it does not apply everywhere, but somewhere not only the payment is less for foreign workers. The employer also has to pay some social security, etc. for local workforce, and with a well-written contract it can be legally evaded for foreigners. 3. Without detailed knowledge and with a good CV an employer is more likely to consider someone more determined, encouraged, creative, etc. from the "other side of the world" rather than from three blocks down the street. [And if he/she managed to get a permission to work in USA, it could be even true:)] 4. We have to admit, that for any given country there are countries, where specific professions can be acquired at a higher level - like some Asian and Eastern-European countries against USA for mathematics. (See http://www.payvand.com/news/99/sep/1069.html about this.) There are also some countries, which are informally considered as "creative" countries. 5. In the bigger part of the world it is "cool" to work in USA, however it is not the same in the opposite direction, therefore - assuming that not the dumb, but the top-notch people are trying to get a job in America - in several cases a foreigner is a better choice. 6. For all it is bad, outfacing a foreigner is still easier, more effective, and less risky.
Slashdot Mirror
Just a quick side note regarding Hungary:
(1) Hungary is the member of the European Union as of 1st of May, 2004, and as such is subject to (almost) all EU laws, therefore it's no longer a "spammer haven".
(2) international outgoing bandwidth is still very limited: currently the larger ISPs bill for international traffic if it exceeds 64 kbps at a monthly average.
(3) the "network guys" of the larger ISPs pull the plug of suspicious computers (or put them on the "pr0n/w4r3z segment" [~=8-16 kb(!)ps]) without warning.
I do not know, how many people are still use modems for communication, but I am quite sure, that if anyone uses a modem, he/she uses an external modem. Granted, there are still some ancient internal ISA cards with <sigh>jumpers</sigh>, speaker, transformer, etc, which are also eligible to be called "modem", but they became sadly rare.
n abler cards is some kind of signal-mangling-Windows-driver-with-a-phone-connec tor-on-the-back.
What I wanted to say: do not try to concieve me, that these AC97 craps and internal PCI stuff are modems. Modems (by definition) are signal converter (MOdulator/DEModulator) devices, with certain characteristics and parts included, so and the best expression I can use to describe these nowadays-so-cheap-and-popular-dialup-connection-e
Modems are external modems.
I have a 3Com 56K (V.90) message modem, connected to the worst phone lines of Eastern Europe, and it did 10's hours of continuous dialup connection without a glitch and has not been switched off for 2 years.
That's what I call modem.
well... 51/52 weeks of a year I'm geek. One week is for downhill. Maybe you don't like it, but don't forget, it's very healthy....
:)))
Zumu
"getting on your binding, and go. Never mind about your company... eeerr... well, they can pay the funeral...
And, talking about digital techniques, you forgot to mention John von Neumann (Neumann János), who also has Eastern European root.
Who moderated this? It's not funny, but Insightful indeed. (same score although, yeah)
Zumu
Well, I do not think it is due the marvellous marketing experts in the USA. When they come to Europe, they all starting to say "Europe is a complex market" and "Customers are so self-confident".
Let's face it (without starting any "Devil across the sea"-like flame): America has enough appropriately dumb people to buy everything.
Zumu
Also practical to know whether they have surge protectors (on the ethernet/phone lines as well) and/or UPS'es; if so, how long will they keep up the power, and if it ever fails, do they have a separate signalling cable for each computer, and whether in case of shutdown will they restart the boxes after the power situations stabilized.
Great idea to have a site, like this, to review teachers, whatever, we also had something like this at the University. It was just worked fine, if a professor got a grade less than 40% for more than 2 semesters, he/she was "moved to research job".
What I don't like in this whole idea is, there is no authentic validation of identity, there is no proof required that an individual ever saw that teacher etc.
The site operator cannot be held responsible for 3rd party posts, that's trivial. The reviewers have no very little control, so practically this whole thing can end up in an endless sh*t-throwing.
Yes, there is personal responsibility, not to post anything destructive or false, or whatever, but the users of the site just can not distinguish between benevolent and malevolent posts.
Publicity is a dangerous weapon, and should not be given to anyone who is unable to handle it correctly.
Z.
In my opinion preferring foreign workforce rather than domestic is not only about the costs. Many of my buddies work abroad, and I found some common points among what they told about it. I think some of these points can make a foreign worker really more attractive:
:)]
1. Foreign workers often feel like they have to equal higher expectations, therefore they work harder than a local guy of the same qualification and capabilities.
2. Maybe it does not apply everywhere, but somewhere not only the payment is less for foreign workers. The employer also has to pay some social security, etc. for local workforce, and with a well-written contract it can be legally evaded for foreigners.
3. Without detailed knowledge and with a good CV an employer is more likely to consider someone more determined, encouraged, creative, etc. from the "other side of the world" rather than from three blocks down the street. [And if he/she managed to get a permission to work in USA, it could be even true
4. We have to admit, that for any given country there are countries, where specific professions can be acquired at a higher level - like some Asian and Eastern-European countries against USA for mathematics. (See http://www.payvand.com/news/99/sep/1069.html about this.) There are also some countries, which are informally considered as "creative" countries.
5. In the bigger part of the world it is "cool" to work in USA, however it is not the same in the opposite direction, therefore - assuming that not the dumb, but the top-notch people are trying to get a job in America - in several cases a foreigner is a better choice.
6. For all it is bad, outfacing a foreigner is still easier, more effective, and less risky.
Zumu