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As a firstborn American nerd with 100% German ancestors, it’s basically been frustrating my entire life to watch Germany whiff on basically any computer- or Int

As a firstborn American nerd with 100% German ancestors, it’s basically been frustrating my entire life to watch Germany whiff on basically any computer- or Internet-related technology. I can't even attribute it to the language barrier since they're all taught English at an early age. Perhaps it's that old German pride/hubris/NIH? “Stolz”… They’re a very smart people, not sure what gives. Perhaps a lack of respect for “nerd” aesthetic If you ever visit Germany, prepare to not be impressed by their Internet access (but possibly impressed by everything else)

nvm0n1 3y ago
It's not that Germany is uniquely bad at software. It's that the USA is uniquely good. A culture in which software people are considered to be really low status is pretty much the global default and is still common today, even in the US. I worked for American finance types before. They couldn't understand why programmers earned so much and why their software team couldn't be completely outsourced to India. They took perverse pride in having absolutely no idea what their own software stack actually did. Last time I checked they had got rid of the only people who were any good and then outsourced the rest (to India, of course), and apparently lost the ability to ship new versions of their software in the process. Even in the US many investment banks have totally dysfunctional IT, with the possible exception of Goldman which is famous for actually being good at it (although from reading the comments in this thread maybe that has changed?). Why is there such a thing as a "tech" firm when all firms use tech? It's because tech firm is really meaning a firm created and run by programmers, as that's the only environment in which they can get respect and a productive setup. If it weren't the case companies like Amazon could never have existed because they'd have just been crushed by other better established retailers doing the internet well.
febed 3y ago
Personal opinion as an outsider: Germany seems to be a very risk averse society. They love to plan everything a year in advance and hate surprises. Their lives are so ordered and predictable that they have an unconscious resistance to change, compared to other cultures.
- FirmwareBurner 3y ago
  > They love to plan everything a year in advance Apart from energy independence and defense.
mqus 3y ago
I'm not saying you're completely wrong from a business perspective, but the open source hobbyist community on the other hand is pretty big here. Just the structures haven't kept up.
- pmarreck 3y ago
  That's a good clarification.
the_monocle 3y ago
One thing to consider: Germany has a rapidly aging population so it naturally gets more unlikely to fund and get success with new technology. Imagine trying to develop some shiny new app in a country where over a quarter of the population is 60+ and most people refuse to pay cashless let alone accept any other new tech.

nvm0n1 3y ago

It's not that Germany is uniquely bad at software. It's that the USA is uniquely good. A culture in which software people are considered to be really low status is pretty much the global default and is still common today, even in the US. I worked for American finance types before. They couldn't understand why programmers earned so much and why their software team couldn't be completely outsourced to India. They took perverse pride in having absolutely no idea what their own software stack actually did. Last time I checked they had got rid of the only people who were any good and then outsourced the rest (to India, of course), and apparently lost the ability to ship new versions of their software in the process. Even in the US many investment banks have totally dysfunctional IT, with the possible exception of Goldman which is famous for actually being good at it (although from reading the comments in this thread maybe that has changed?). Why is there such a thing as a "tech" firm when all firms use tech? It's because tech firm is really meaning a firm created and run by programmers, as that's the only environment in which they can get respect and a productive setup. If it weren't the case companies like Amazon could never have existed because they'd have just been crushed by other better established retailers doing the internet well.

febed 3y ago

Personal opinion as an outsider: Germany seems to be a very risk averse society. They love to plan everything a year in advance and hate surprises. Their lives are so ordered and predictable that they have an unconscious resistance to change, compared to other cultures.

FirmwareBurner 3y ago
> They love to plan everything a year in advance Apart from energy independence and defense.

mqus 3y ago

I'm not saying you're completely wrong from a business perspective, but the open source hobbyist community on the other hand is pretty big here. Just the structures haven't kept up.

pmarreck 3y ago
That's a good clarification.

the_monocle 3y ago

One thing to consider: Germany has a rapidly aging population so it naturally gets more unlikely to fund and get success with new technology. Imagine trying to develop some shiny new app in a country where over a quarter of the population is 60+ and most people refuse to pay cashless let alone accept any other new tech.