I doubt that the H1-Bs are significantly cheaper than non-H1-Bs.
Given the global market for engineers, if you are good, you should be able to demand a good salary, regardless of whether you are an H1-B or not. I am in the process of putting this theory to test - I am an engineer on an H1-B and am looking to switch jobs - I well qualified, am aware of my skillset and of the value I will add to any organization. I am sure that most qualified engineers will ask for what they think they are worth, rather than bend over and allow the corporate head honchos to take advantage of them.
Even if the H1-Bs start out at lower salaries, they will (hopefully) realize their worth and demand an appropriate salary over time.
One of the reasons that Americans do not pursue graduate studies might be due to the fact that they don't need a graduate degree for a reasonably good job. (I am an Indian who got his MS in the US from a top univ). You don't need a technical graduate degree to go in fields like marketing, sales, most jobs in the financial industry etc. A bachelors can be equally successful. Hence the return of investment from a graduate degree for a person contemplating such a career is not very high.
On the other hand, for an Indian or Chinese student, a graduate degree is nearly essential to be considered on the same scale as the rest of the world, in part to overcome the (perceived and actual) deficiencies in their undergraduate studies. Besides a graduate degree provides for better jobs, both here in the US and in India (maybe also in China).
I do have a lot of respect for the few American grad students that I have come across as they are normally quite good - most of them are in grad school because they like what they are doing, rather than out of necessity.
One voice might be drowned in the cacophony that is the global economy today. However, if more people start thinking along those lines, the Chinese will have to sit up take notice I am aware that this is wishful thinking. However, that does not invalidate it - at the very least, one will feel good about oneself for having stood up for one's principles.
Another thing that Slashdot has working for it is that it has achieved a critical mass of people who write interesting and insightful comments. This results in a positive feedback cycle, which is relatively easier to maintain, than say start a new system with a new set of people.
I am sure that you are right in a way - with computers becoming more accessible, Windows usage will also go up. However, I believe that Linux has the faster growth rate - just because it is free (as in beer).
To pull a statistic out of thin air, more than 95% desktops in the home user market use pirated versions of Windows. With the average incomes, it is simply not possible to buy software that is priced in USD. Windows costs more than what an average engineer makes in a month. The more educated folks are trying to move away from piracy, and Linux offers them a good option. Also, it being free (as in speech) gives people a reason to contribute to it.
I am glad that major corporations are moving to Linux - it just means better software for everyone as the benefits trickle down.
Guess expensive developers aren't really wanted at Microsoft.
Why would any sane business want to pay more when they can get the same quality/services for cheaper? This IS capitalism. Any company deviating from this would be labelled communist/socialist.
How are we supposed to motivate college students to enter computer science when the (sadly) premier computer software maker stages competitions to find the very same programmers who may well replace American workers.
I am no fan of M$, but they have been investing in the education system in the US. As another poster pointed out, they sponsored a puzzle solving competition between U of Michigan, CMU and Toronto starting last year (more univs have been added this year). Besides, the Bill Gates Foundation does a significant amount of philanthropic and charitable work in the US.
Microsoft is a global corporation and they have to invest in the societies from which they expect to draw talent, whether it be the US or India or any other country (at least for the sake of PR and projecting an image of a socially responsible corporate citizen).
If Microsoft limited its market only to the US, your arguments and expectations would hold some water. But as they are selling their products in other countries, they are no longer exclusively a US company, and have to participate in the local politics and socities.
I would have modded the above post as -1: Parochial, but as an Indian (who has studied in one of the top US universities (MSEE)) hence decided to reply.
Slashdot Mirror
A few months ago, an Air India flight crashed in Mangalore, killing more than 150. The cause of the crash was later determined to be the pilot ignoring the co-pilot's warning to come around for a landing as they didn't have enough of the short runway left to make a landing. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Mangalore/Mangalore-crash-Captain-ignored-co-pilots-plea-to-abort-landing/articleshow/5992615.cms.
Removing the co-pilot will only increase the probability of similar accidents.
I am curious as to whether the South Carolina Democrat primary has provisions for a write-in candidate?
:)
It would be interesting if they do allow write-ins and Colbert gets written in by even 1-2% of the population.
What fun it would be !
I doubt that the H1-Bs are significantly cheaper than non-H1-Bs.
Given the global market for engineers, if you are good, you should be able to demand a good salary, regardless of whether you are an H1-B or not. I am in the process of putting this theory to test - I am an engineer on an H1-B and am looking to switch jobs - I well qualified, am aware of my skillset and of the value I will add to any organization. I am sure that most qualified engineers will ask for what they think they are worth, rather than bend over and allow the corporate head honchos to take advantage of them.
Even if the H1-Bs start out at lower salaries, they will (hopefully) realize their worth and demand an appropriate salary over time.
One of the reasons that Americans do not pursue graduate studies might be due to the fact that they don't need a graduate degree for a reasonably good job. (I am an Indian who got his MS in the US from a top univ). You don't need a technical graduate degree to go in fields like marketing, sales, most jobs in the financial industry etc. A bachelors can be equally successful. Hence the return of investment from a graduate degree for a person contemplating such a career is not very high. On the other hand, for an Indian or Chinese student, a graduate degree is nearly essential to be considered on the same scale as the rest of the world, in part to overcome the (perceived and actual) deficiencies in their undergraduate studies. Besides a graduate degree provides for better jobs, both here in the US and in India (maybe also in China). I do have a lot of respect for the few American grad students that I have come across as they are normally quite good - most of them are in grad school because they like what they are doing, rather than out of necessity.
One voice might be drowned in the cacophony that is the global economy today. However, if more people start thinking along those lines, the Chinese will have to sit up take notice I am aware that this is wishful thinking. However, that does not invalidate it - at the very least, one will feel good about oneself for having stood up for one's principles.
Another thing that Slashdot has working for it is that it has achieved a critical mass of people who write interesting and insightful comments. This results in a positive feedback cycle, which is relatively easier to maintain, than say start a new system with a new set of people.
I am sure that you are right in a way - with computers becoming more accessible, Windows usage will also go up. However, I believe that Linux has the faster growth rate - just because it is free (as in beer).
To pull a statistic out of thin air, more than 95% desktops in the home user market use pirated versions of Windows. With the average incomes, it is simply not possible to buy software that is priced in USD. Windows costs more than what an average engineer makes in a month. The more educated folks are trying to move away from piracy, and Linux offers them a good option. Also, it being free (as in speech) gives people a reason to contribute to it.
I am glad that major corporations are moving to Linux - it just means better software for everyone as the benefits trickle down.
Microsoft is a global corporation and they have to invest in the societies from which they expect to draw talent, whether it be the US or India or any other country (at least for the sake of PR and projecting an image of a socially responsible corporate citizen).
If Microsoft limited its market only to the US, your arguments and expectations would hold some water. But as they are selling their products in other countries, they are no longer exclusively a US company, and have to participate in the local politics and socities.
I would have modded the above post as -1: Parochial, but as an Indian (who has studied in one of the top US universities (MSEE)) hence decided to reply.