If you believe everything they told you in Economics 101 I feel sorry for you. Not even economists are that silly.
Some of the biggest lies they tell you there:
People are Rational
Please! Just about every economist admits that this is at best, a useful fiction. Most aren't even convinced of the usefulness anymore - there are some good models of the irrational ways people make decisions. And if you're honest, you have to admit your purchase of a GeForce 2 wasn't exactly a cost/benefit analysis.
Free Markets are Perfect
No market is really free, whether it is influenced by large players in the market or government regulation. There are tons of examples of government regualtions benefiting industries - the U.S. securities industry is one good example, aerospace is another, Volvo is another interesting example (stringent safety regulations). Regulations and government contracts can be the seed for new features and products that come to dominate the market. A great book about this stuff is Michael Porter's Competitive Advantage of Nations. A good read and some very interesting arguments.
Free Market Prices are 'Efficient' - IE: Always Correct
This is probably the most relevant here. Market pricing may be the best pricing method available to us in most cases, but that doesn't mean that it's ideal in all circumstances. Perhaps someone who bought Red Hat for $50 could explain this in convincing detail. The key problems are information (not every consumer has enough accurate information to make a reasonable decision about value), and external costs. If a large portion of the costs of your products manufacture are borne by people outside the buyer/seller relationship, in free market capitalism, that's just too bad.
Overclocking:
Obviously there should be an overclocking event. They should give the competitors some Packard-Bell shitbox and 15 minutes to convert the box into an overclocking dream rig, flourinert and all. Then stress test them at escalating speeds until they crash. For extra fun, they could be rigged to explode when they go over the limit...
Equipment: whatever the team (Two Men? Invividual?) can carry onto the field.
Bathroom Marathon:
Each contestant must stay online and maintain baseline productivity - responding to web events, coding, debugging, etc. At any rate, they have to do more than cross their legs and vibrate. Every half-hour, they must drink a full can of Jolt. Whoever lasts the longest, wins.
Equipment: Catheters might be a good idea, but then again they might detract from the TV/Webcast friendliness of the event (half crazed sprints for the exits, 'accidents', etc.)
OS Medley:
Have a series of ancient computers loded with ever obscure and quirky OS known to mankind (GeOS? Atari? etc, etc,). Have them try to complete some reasonably simple tasks , then race to the next station.
I've often wondered when somebody is going to use a system like this to start selling drugs and other illegal goods online. ("We ship our merchandise in a inconspicous, unmarked envelope. We are not responsible for any interruption of shipping by customs or legal authorities").
It's probably already happened - there's certainly a grey market online for items like marijuana seeds and plants that can be used to make psychedelics.
Of course, there have been many pirate republics in the past. Most of them flourished for a while, then got blown to kingdom come by the British or other international policemen of their day.
Slashdot Mirror
Some of the biggest lies they tell you there:
Please! Just about every economist admits that this is at best, a useful fiction. Most aren't even convinced of the usefulness anymore - there are some good models of the irrational ways people make decisions. And if you're honest, you have to admit your purchase of a GeForce 2 wasn't exactly a cost/benefit analysis.
No market is really free, whether it is influenced by large players in the market or government regulation. There are tons of examples of government regualtions benefiting industries - the U.S. securities industry is one good example, aerospace is another, Volvo is another interesting example (stringent safety regulations). Regulations and government contracts can be the seed for new features and products that come to dominate the market. A great book about this stuff is Michael Porter's Competitive Advantage of Nations . A good read and some very interesting arguments.
This is probably the most relevant here. Market pricing may be the best pricing method available to us in most cases, but that doesn't mean that it's ideal in all circumstances. Perhaps someone who bought Red Hat for $50 could explain this in convincing detail. The key problems are information (not every consumer has enough accurate information to make a reasonable decision about value), and external costs. If a large portion of the costs of your products manufacture are borne by people outside the buyer/seller relationship, in free market capitalism, that's just too bad.
Equipment: whatever the team (Two Men? Invividual?) can carry onto the field.
Bathroom Marathon: Each contestant must stay online and maintain baseline productivity - responding to web events, coding, debugging, etc. At any rate, they have to do more than cross their legs and vibrate. Every half-hour, they must drink a full can of Jolt. Whoever lasts the longest, wins.
Equipment: Catheters might be a good idea, but then again they might detract from the TV/Webcast friendliness of the event (half crazed sprints for the exits, 'accidents', etc.)
OS Medley: Have a series of ancient computers loded with ever obscure and quirky OS known to mankind (GeOS? Atari? etc, etc,). Have them try to complete some reasonably simple tasks , then race to the next station.
Equipment: Noting but your noggin'.
It's probably already happened - there's certainly a grey market online for items like marijuana seeds and plants that can be used to make psychedelics.
Of course, there have been many pirate republics in the past. Most of them flourished for a while, then got blown to kingdom come by the British or other international policemen of their day.