Brain drain

[Deja Q]

Corporations are offshoring like mad. This is eroding our country's infrastructure and foundation like crazy.

Now it may be mere profiteering that's causing offshoring to skyrocket.

But I've also seen more and more products, new ones, and especially related to IT, being pegged as "easier to use!" Especially programming languages. Never mind how bosses now prefer packaged applications than specialized or in-house programming being done. Even if it's for a program that would never need modification; they want everything pre-boxed by some 3rd party.

OTOH, there's peak oil. Along with devaluing everything, "easier to use" makes things easier for the lower classes to do. (though what becomes the standard for "lower class" is yet to be decided; a person could have an IQ of 150 but still be deemed 'unsuitable' in the new order for whatever reason... which they use computer personality profiling tests for, I presume...)

[DemInDistress]

1. no brainer here...

if I understand the poll...ALL ABOUT THE BOTTOM LINE. PROFITS

[lvx35]

2. I wanna know how peak oil will affect computing

I mean they run on the same evergy everything else does. I wonder if more energy efficient computing will be a big deal.

[Deja Q]

5. AMD beats Intels hands down re: energy usage... and quantity of PCs,

of course, is an issue. Replacing thousands with PCs with a cluster of sevrers with thin-client dumbtubes is going to be MUCH more energy-friendly. And fewer jobs needed to maintain it all too.

Fewer people using PCs also means fewer PCs... less traffic, I can think of lots of things that population control would "improve". (from a scientific standpoint; I think there are just better ways to live, than to be slaves to machines of any form.)

Pity it's all microsoft-based rather than mid-range or mainframe, two eminently better-performing solutions, but nobody's perfect...

[lvx35]

8. Interesting

thin clients as an energy efficient solution? Probably great for businesses and colleges, I'm sure. I'm using linux boxes as thin clients at my school, and its great. I'm not sure if my home PC will ever be doing all its operations off a remote computer, though...I think there is going to be a lot of work into making more energy efficient components for PCs.

As far as population control, its a tricky thing to think about. Eating a birthday cake, I can think of how it would be better, and I would get more cake, if I were the only person at the party...but then again, I would be the only person at the party! Its got its ups and downs.

[brokensymmetry]

3. Great poll!

I absolutely agree that corporations are doing a lot of profiteering. That said, I voted "combo".

The problem is, we're getting a lot fewer people who have the intellectual tools to do good computer science. The number of students in Computer Science has declined from about 4% of undergraduate enrollment to under 1.5% - this per the ACM. It appears to be getting worse.

So, is the problem that students correctly perceive that all the high-tech jobs are being outsourced, so there isn't a future in them? Or, are our students not able (or willing?) to handle the material? I suspect it's a little of both.

As for who is lower class, that's easy enough. If you're poor, you're lower class. If you're in the top 1%, you aren't lower class. Brutal simplicity, eh?

[Deja Q]

6. Offshoring also helped fuel discontent and DISINTEREST in computers

and computer sciences.

A pebble thrown into a lake causes ripples...

The pebble now replaced by a big-ass boulder.

But why is "poor" always defined by money; the lack of it meaning those people are dim or dumb? They will want intelligent poor too...

[brokensymmetry]

7. At the risk of digressing....

I guess I could imagine someone rich in knowledge or skills; sadly, our society has adopted the attitude of "Why be one when you can buy one?". Perhaps I've picked up the infection.

But the problem is, we all know of very bright, capable people who work very hard to prop up ignorant, unintelligent people who have money. Was it always so? I fear that to be the case.

Maybe we'll see a better world one of these days.

[Jara sang]

4. Bite my shiny metal ass!

Sorry, had to.