2 ms·
Hmm, what does that mean? Open source increases the ability of individual authors to develop skills which are transferable, which is advantageous in the job ma
by rectang 9y ago
Hmm, what does that mean?
Open source increases the ability of individual authors to develop skills which are transferable, which is advantageous in the job market. Simultaneously, being able to hire expertise in a given open source technology is valuable enough that it is worthwhile for companies to pay a premium for it.
So I'd assert that indeed, open source is beneficial for labor's wages. (At least for those workers who participate in it, as there is a barrier to entry which is easier to overcome if you have the time and resources to invest.)
- paulryanrogers 9y agoTransferable skills is a good point. I was thinking more of the value developers created being more freely accessible, and therefore making employers/consumers less willing to pay for it. Companies would pay to develop/buy non-core software such as for infrastructure which they can now get nearly free. On the whole FOSS seems to push the money into the hands of service company owners, since services are not themselves FOSS (usually, excluding AGPL).