4 ms·

Are government contracts and consulting considered disreputable for some reason? A reliable and accountable third party firm for custom software development fee

by 63 3y ago

Are government contracts and consulting considered disreputable for some reason? A reliable and accountable third party firm for custom software development feels like a valid niche worth filling to me, and strikes me as much more moral than the other behemoth tech companies constantly pursuing surveillance capitalism and eroding the digital rights of individuals.

mistrial9 3y ago
> Are government contracts and consulting considered disreputable for some reason here in California over decades, income and empires were often consumer-based products with consumer distribution chains.. huge money.. the halls of upstate New York and the skyscrapers of Manhatten were viewed as distant and out of touch. IBM and maybe others were household names, but the source of revenue and the way to participate was completely alien. So I think you have hit on a nerve, yes.. there is some disrespect
shagmin 3y ago
The tech sector is big on innovation and that probably seems orthogonal to government contracts to many. It feels like IBM is a dinosaur using the government to stay alive meanwhile companies like Microsoft and Google have contributed to the ecosystem of tools I use every day while thriving and feel like sexy companies in comparison. I don't know the company that well but this is how I think many view it.
AlbertCory 3y ago
Are they disreputable? Well, they're a niche that you don't get out of. Companies that depend on big government contracts, and "consulting" (quotes are deliberate here) don't ever rejoin the small business and consumer sectors, ever. They're too big, bureaucratic, and slow. If you're trying to hold up government and Fortune 100 companies as somehow more virtuous than small-to-medium businesses, you can't be serious. At least they're not too big to fail.

4 ms·

Are government contracts and consulting considered disreputable for some reason? A reliable and accountable third party firm for custom software development fee

by 63 3y ago

mistrial9 3y ago
> Are government contracts and consulting considered disreputable for some reason here in California over decades, income and empires were often consumer-based products with consumer distribution chains.. huge money.. the halls of upstate New York and the skyscrapers of Manhatten were viewed as distant and out of touch. IBM and maybe others were household names, but the source of revenue and the way to participate was completely alien. So I think you have hit on a nerve, yes.. there is some disrespect
shagmin 3y ago
The tech sector is big on innovation and that probably seems orthogonal to government contracts to many. It feels like IBM is a dinosaur using the government to stay alive meanwhile companies like Microsoft and Google have contributed to the ecosystem of tools I use every day while thriving and feel like sexy companies in comparison. I don't know the company that well but this is how I think many view it.
AlbertCory 3y ago
Are they disreputable? Well, they're a niche that you don't get out of. Companies that depend on big government contracts, and "consulting" (quotes are deliberate here) don't ever rejoin the small business and consumer sectors, ever. They're too big, bureaucratic, and slow. If you're trying to hold up government and Fortune 100 companies as somehow more virtuous than small-to-medium businesses, you can't be serious. At least they're not too big to fail.