Hi Janko:

2008/2/2, Janko Mivšek <janko.mivsek at eranova.si>:
> Hello Germán,
>
> Germán Arduino wrote:
>
> > 2. Not need to change the systems each 2 or 3 years (as is the
> > interest of most of "big players")
>
> Agreed, but that's easy to understand, those players have a profit out
> of such frequent changes.
>

Yes, sure, that is the question. Such "big players" sell that illusion
of innovation to the managers and decision makers that don't
understand nothing of the technical side. Such managers are "sitting
duck" to the big software companies (by example M$) and they don't
need much effort to sell its "licenses".

Arguments as  "All world is using these products, I can't fail using
the sames", some gifts and trips to exotic conferences make the rest.


> > 3. A single motivated and smart guy may develop anything comparable
> > and better than the products of "big players"
>
> This is a very interesting observation indeed. How much more you as an
> individual can actually do comparing to hordes of coders in these big
> players. Well, maybe from a commercial viewpoint we are not welcome? At
> the end it is somehow more profitable to have a factory of such coders
> instead of few dedicated individuals. Strange I know, but looks true.
>

I think that several factors must be considered:

* Motivation (May be present (or not) in a single guy or in an
employee of a big software factory). I tend to think that all of us
are more motivated when work in our own projects. May be a sort of
human behavior?

I read that Google permit its employees some time at week to work on
their own projects, indeed some reasons must exist.

* Having a small group of dedicated hackers need also a counterpart of
correct attitude in the boss/owner of the company. Seems very hard
that a common entrepreneur (that only want to make money) can manage
hackers. They need another style of work and thinking, even if they
also need the money. Here is were I presume the "hordes of coders"
have their space. Not all are hackers, not all are doing software
development loving the task........but not all are doing superb
software. This is the difference.

* About not welcomed......may be not, but the "big players" have the
money to buy anything they consider interesting/innovative, the
problem is that they have only a partial vision about good
software/innovation (IMHO).

Cheers.

-- 
Germán S. Arduino
http://www.arsol.biz
http://www.arsol.net