Isn't that "Briefcase" called a dictionary or reference book or google?
Also, you hear of people doing "brain exercises" to increase brain power or quickness... kind of like doing math problems in preparation for a math competition... and there are already products on the market to "increase brain power". But maybe even enhancement by practice is limited by the size of that portion of the brain. And supplements are only as good as the brain they are working on.
I think as a "brick and mortar", you need to be reminded what you sell, which I believe is service. For people who know what they are looking for, online is the way to go, and why not? But for people who don't, there will always be a demand for the local dealer.
Consider, for this forum, one wants to build a computer like they want it. Many of the people reading slashdot know what they need to buy to build their machine. They even know what a decent price would be. They don't need service, they need to get on pricewatch, find what they want and buy it cheaply. Others, however, need someone to hold their hand. The could look on pricewatch but would probably buy the wrong product and get screwed. The same goes for about any kind of product with the exception of stuff like books and video games and such, as mentioned earlier.
If you have a porn shop, as suggested earlier, try keeping customers coming in the shop by developing customer/vendor relationsips and such. Tell then what is coming out soon and what is preferred... in other words, provide a service other than just selling stuff....
Otherwise, join the ranks and sell stuff online to increase your volume... you need to change with the times...
as the story states, there really isn'y much worth buying right now. even MTV ran a story that stated piracy wasn't the reason for the sales slump....
it is recording contracts for american idols and the next flashy bubble-gum band (or should I say, performer)... the record companies are pouring money into crap that won't sell... or they get the new face to sing a song they know will sell and put a horrible album around it...
all the new stuff tends to sound the same... buy one and you have 90% or music covered...
Rumor has it that many of the mathematical problems that are publicly unsolved, including many classical math quandaries, have, in fact, been solved behind the closed doors of the NSA.
The fact they they are solved is classified, however, in order to secure what kind of computing power those guys have.
As technology becomes more widespread, these proofs can de-classify. That is the point that new encryption schemes need to be introduced and used on the outside.
This might be good if there is no one already using the machine. If someone is already at the vendor, then I would prefer to walk on by, pick up the product from the shelf, and go to one of the 3 or 4 cashiers.
This doesn't present a solution, it merely modifies the problem. (If there is a problem in the first place.)
Seems a super-high bandwidth hub could be more useful. Or even an in-house server that would locally mirror popular software from the internet that isn't availabe in a package. Could be an additional revenue source for the outlet beyond the packaged stuff.
Secure your job doesn't have to mean in one job. But you secure your career by maintaining relevance and industry contacts.
Security has different forms. A job isn't security. Your own intelligence, communication skills, and determination is. Security is being willing to do what it takes to remain marketable in the face of offshoring and a global economy.
This isn't a new obstacle being thrown our way as much as some of the sheltering being removed....
What do they say? 20% of the people do 80% of the work? Join that 20% and you will have a job... somewhere.
We have seen this situation before. It used to be that only a few could go to college. Now a college eduaction is much more widespread and available. That means we need to find more ways to stand out to secure our careers and jobs. When more people went to college, it flooded the workplace with "educated" people. It was still the best and brightest (or best connected) people who got the jobs. The offshoring just opens the field more.
An answer, improve ourselves and make ourselves indespensible. This doesn't guarentee anything, but it helps to hedge out bets. When it comes down to it, skills and competency will always be needed, at whatever cost. Also, we need to make it obvious why our "local" work is necessary. Increasing personal interaction in a productive way can make a huge difference in overall productivity. This is something that can't be felt with workers around the world.
I think the offshoring is good. The only moral issue is whether you are doing what you need to do to secure your job in the face of supporting a family or that BMW. The work makes us sharper, and the exposure makes our lives richer.
Having just finished a graduate degree in software engineering, I have noticed that about 80% of my professors from grad and undergrad use Macs and OSX. This even in the face of major institutional arrangements with MS for software licensing, including VS.Net.
I would love to use a Mac at home, but I simply don't have the puddin'. My daughter needs to eat.... At work we develop in.Net so the last of the Macs are gone.....
Slashdot Mirror
Isn't that "Briefcase" called a dictionary or reference book or google?
Also, you hear of people doing "brain exercises" to increase brain power or quickness... kind of like doing math problems in preparation for a math competition... and there are already products on the market to "increase brain power". But maybe even enhancement by practice is limited by the size of that portion of the brain. And supplements are only as good as the brain they are working on.
I think as a "brick and mortar", you need to be reminded what you sell, which I believe is service. For people who know what they are looking for, online is the way to go, and why not? But for people who don't, there will always be a demand for the local dealer.
Consider, for this forum, one wants to build a computer like they want it. Many of the people reading slashdot know what they need to buy to build their machine. They even know what a decent price would be. They don't need service, they need to get on pricewatch, find what they want and buy it cheaply. Others, however, need someone to hold their hand. The could look on pricewatch but would probably buy the wrong product and get screwed. The same goes for about any kind of product with the exception of stuff like books and video games and such, as mentioned earlier.
If you have a porn shop, as suggested earlier, try keeping customers coming in the shop by developing customer/vendor relationsips and such. Tell then what is coming out soon and what is preferred... in other words, provide a service other than just selling stuff....
Otherwise, join the ranks and sell stuff online to increase your volume... you need to change with the times...
as the story states, there really isn'y much worth buying right now. even MTV ran a story that stated piracy wasn't the reason for the sales slump....
it is recording contracts for american idols and the next flashy bubble-gum band (or should I say, performer)... the record companies are pouring money into crap that won't sell... or they get the new face to sing a song they know will sell and put a horrible album around it...
all the new stuff tends to sound the same... buy one and you have 90% or music covered...
Rumor has it that many of the mathematical problems that are publicly unsolved, including many classical math quandaries, have, in fact, been solved behind the closed doors of the NSA.
The fact they they are solved is classified, however, in order to secure what kind of computing power those guys have.
As technology becomes more widespread, these proofs can de-classify. That is the point that new encryption schemes need to be introduced and used on the outside.
first matrix, then lord of the rings, and now the last anticipated star wars release? what else is there?
This might be good if there is no one already using the machine. If someone is already at the vendor, then I would prefer to walk on by, pick up the product from the shelf, and go to one of the 3 or 4 cashiers.
This doesn't present a solution, it merely modifies the problem. (If there is a problem in the first place.)
Seems a super-high bandwidth hub could be more useful. Or even an in-house server that would locally mirror popular software from the internet that isn't availabe in a package. Could be an additional revenue source for the outlet beyond the packaged stuff.
Secure your job doesn't have to mean in one job. But you secure your career by maintaining relevance and industry contacts.
Security has different forms. A job isn't security. Your own intelligence, communication skills, and determination is. Security is being willing to do what it takes to remain marketable in the face of offshoring and a global economy.
This isn't a new obstacle being thrown our way as much as some of the sheltering being removed....
What do they say? 20% of the people do 80% of the work? Join that 20% and you will have a job... somewhere.
We have seen this situation before. It used to be that only a few could go to college. Now a college eduaction is much more widespread and available. That means we need to find more ways to stand out to secure our careers and jobs. When more people went to college, it flooded the workplace with "educated" people. It was still the best and brightest (or best connected) people who got the jobs. The offshoring just opens the field more.
An answer, improve ourselves and make ourselves indespensible. This doesn't guarentee anything, but it helps to hedge out bets. When it comes down to it, skills and competency will always be needed, at whatever cost. Also, we need to make it obvious why our "local" work is necessary. Increasing personal interaction in a productive way can make a huge difference in overall productivity. This is something that can't be felt with workers around the world.
I think the offshoring is good. The only moral issue is whether you are doing what you need to do to secure your job in the face of supporting a family or that BMW. The work makes us sharper, and the exposure makes our lives richer.
Having just finished a graduate degree in software engineering, I have noticed that about 80% of my professors from grad and undergrad use Macs and OSX. This even in the face of major institutional arrangements with MS for software licensing, including VS.Net. I would love to use a Mac at home, but I simply don't have the puddin'. My daughter needs to eat.... At work we develop in .Net so the last of the Macs are gone.....