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Story: Bursting the proprietary-software bubble

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Posted by: 1000170735 (Friday 7 November 2008, 2:26 AM)

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RE: Bursting the proprietary-software bubble

A fine analysis, great insights. I retired 4 years ago after 34 years in the computer industry and have seen the seismic shifts over the period. Just look at the number of proprietary vendors that poured scorn on Linux and who now are deeply involved with it - they laughed at Linux, then they poured vitriol on it, now they are in the fold. True, such detractors exist in large number, trying to hold back the open source tide, some with a good measure of success so far, but the ground under their feet is shifting.
It was thought by one company I worked for in the 1970's that a locked-in customer had no way to go, but cheaper, even inferior solutions from elsewhere caused their demise. Migration and retraining proved no barrier as the tools available made it easy and anyone willing to learn, can, most did.
We saw an increasing number of shops moving from mainframe solutions to Solaris and Windows, with the available floor space increasingly being filled with those platforms.
That was phase1, the move away from the proprietary phase1 is yet to take solid root, but IMHO it will take place.
Most industry pundits and execs from the proprietary wing have to sound upbeat in the face of what is plainly happening. I have sat in meetings where the slick slide presentations and nonsense was being served up with us mere minions seeing clearly through it all and eventually saw them fail.
I have never spent five minutes studying economics, but it was always clear to me that with the price of everything on a constant rise and wages depressed, was a sure recipe for disaster.
I think a newspaper cartoon in the 1970's which put the Chancellor's remarks in true focus and said it all - one guy telling another "If you believe that you are either an idiot or the Chancellor of the Exchequer".

1000170735

1000170735
Retired, Halesowen, West Midlands, UK
Member since: June 2005

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