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Alternate take: The open source contributions for this kind of software are contributed to by the same large organizations that purchase this software. You and

Alternate take: The open source contributions for this kind of software are contributed to by the same large organizations that purchase this software. You and I (sorry if you are an ERP,etc. developer) probably aren't contributing to these codebases. One can then imagine that the competitive edge of this new software is subsidized by their customers' developers who contribute the modules needed to cover corner cases (like addresses in Japan, those are hard!). I agree with your point in general (Gitlab, for example), but this kind of software lives in an enterprise bubble which in my experience has much less 'true' open source behaviors anyway. If this model works for anyone, it's enterprise.

dragonsh 7y ago
> like addresses in Japan, those are hard! They aren't hard but indeed easy and very logical. It all started with the Chinese system of starting with the largest geographical entity and going to the most specific one [1]. Later its adopted both in Korea and Japan. It's been the same for dates Year-Month-Day (largest, smaller, smallest). There is no confusion whether it's DD/YY or MM/YY. Funny enough the currency symbol for Yuan and Yen is same character (¥). So if you understand Chinese, Korean or Japanese language the systems are same. In Japan the addresses start with the largest geographical entity and proceed to the most specific one. [2] [1] https://eastasiastudent.net/china/mandarin/postal-address/ https://eastasiastudent.net/china/mandarin/postal-address/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system
- meesles 7y ago
  As someone who lived (and is currently in Japan), I disagree. While addresses may be logical from the largest to smallest blocks from country to town to block, once you're on a block the address references the name of the building instead of an actual identifier. This sucks for a couple reasons: - Some building have one or more entrances or various sides of the block. Knowing the block does not give you any information on how to enter the building and so you basically just have to know the building you're going to or use maps/directions. In Western countries the number on the street is the main entrance of the building in most cases - Building names are often foreign in the downtown areas and can be confusing for locals + nonlocals to interact about. For example, pronouncing "Bienvenu Mansion" with my American accent can be confusing to the Japanese due to their particular Katakana readings of foreign words. My original point isn't very strong because in computing that isn't an issue since it's a problem for time of delivery or arrival, but I was just highlighting one random complexity of which there are millions globally that these ERPs need to handle.
  - dragonsh 7y ago
    It will be easier once you live long enough, it will take time to think differently about address when you are used to street address like in USA. Like many foreigner especially East Asian finds it hard to understand address in USA, when they compare it with their own systems. Even in Europe each place has their own way of address e.g. an Italian address will be different from a Swiss, French or a Belgian address system. ERP's are able to handle it for many years this complexity, now we should be able to make it easier.

dragonsh 7y ago

> like addresses in Japan, those are hard! They aren't hard but indeed easy and very logical. It all started with the Chinese system of starting with the largest geographical entity and going to the most specific one [1]. Later its adopted both in Korea and Japan. It's been the same for dates Year-Month-Day (largest, smaller, smallest). There is no confusion whether it's DD/YY or MM/YY. Funny enough the currency symbol for Yuan and Yen is same character (¥). So if you understand Chinese, Korean or Japanese language the systems are same. In Japan the addresses start with the largest geographical entity and proceed to the most specific one. [2] [1] https://eastasiastudent.net/china/mandarin/postal-address/ https://eastasiastudent.net/china/mandarin/postal-address/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_addressing_system

meesles 7y ago
As someone who lived (and is currently in Japan), I disagree. While addresses may be logical from the largest to smallest blocks from country to town to block, once you're on a block the address references the name of the building instead of an actual identifier. This sucks for a couple reasons: - Some building have one or more entrances or various sides of the block. Knowing the block does not give you any information on how to enter the building and so you basically just have to know the building you're going to or use maps/directions. In Western countries the number on the street is the main entrance of the building in most cases - Building names are often foreign in the downtown areas and can be confusing for locals + nonlocals to interact about. For example, pronouncing "Bienvenu Mansion" with my American accent can be confusing to the Japanese due to their particular Katakana readings of foreign words. My original point isn't very strong because in computing that isn't an issue since it's a problem for time of delivery or arrival, but I was just highlighting one random complexity of which there are millions globally that these ERPs need to handle.
- dragonsh 7y ago
  It will be easier once you live long enough, it will take time to think differently about address when you are used to street address like in USA. Like many foreigner especially East Asian finds it hard to understand address in USA, when they compare it with their own systems. Even in Europe each place has their own way of address e.g. an Italian address will be different from a Swiss, French or a Belgian address system. ERP's are able to handle it for many years this complexity, now we should be able to make it easier.