4 ms·

The tl;dr: 'The economic value of software is declining even as the strategic value of software is rising.' When I applied this framework to Docker, the magic

by hosh 11y ago

The tl;dr: 'The economic value of software is declining even as the strategic value of software is rising.' When I applied this framework to Docker, the magic sauce of Docker pops out in an obvious way. I had asserted in other threads that Docker's thing is packaging ... but reading this paper, I can see why Docker is moving so fast. And go figure, it's written by Stephen O'Grady of RedMonk.

x5n1 11y ago
Care to comment a bit further on exactly what you mean... I am interested. Why is Docker moving so fast?
- cpeterso 11y ago
  I think Docker is selling (or riding) an ecosystem, not "just software". If they don't claim major mindshare, their could be replaced by a competitor. For example, see Bocker, "Docker implemented in 100 lines of bash": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9925896 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9925896
eternalban 11y ago
> 'The economic value of software is declining even as the strategic value of software is rising.' Sometimes as a geek I feel a certain sympathy for 3rd world nations who happen to sit on a scare natural resource and are forced to give it away for a song when asked by merchants in military gear..
- x5n1 11y ago
  Nobody is forcing you to do this shit. You do it of your own free will because Mr. MBA has got a bunch of Indians working for him for a song.
  - eternalban 11y ago
    I've sat in meetings where decision to dismiss an entire floor of programmers in one of the nyc building of one bank included open and frank assessment of outsourced work ("4th iteration" "crap" ...) by one of the executives. ("Mr. MBA" is just another worker, like you and me.)
    - GnarfGnarf 11y ago
      I'm confused: is the executive dismissing outsourced work as crap, or is he advocating outsourcing because the entire floor of NYC programmers' work is crap? Did they make the decision to outsource the work?
      - eternalban 11y ago
        He noted that it was crap, but then again the meeting was about bringing in /more/ so the floor could be cleaned up. I'm sure this equation resolves at a higher interest level, but it did not make much sense at that table.
- jgmmo 11y ago
  Have you ever been to India? Do you know what they would be doing to survive if they couldn't program for U.S. businesses from across the globe? I saw people in India eating trash. I've been there. I have seen the other jobs in the area. Not everyone was dirt poor, but there were many. Meanwhile, there were also affluent people, with drivers and servants. Trust me, the people who work to become programmers in India are among the middle to upper class.
- hosh 11y ago
  This is not what was meant by "low economic value". Selling software itself will become increasingly untenable. What software enables will become increasingly more valuable. Your metaphor that "you happen to sit on a scarce natural resource" is not apropos. That metaphor still treats software like an economic, rather than a strategic advantage. If you feel like you're being exploited like someone in a sweat labor shop, then you're obviously not leveraging this changing reality to your advantage. You're probably still working at a place that calls whatever you do "IT". It's time to leave that burning ship. You're better off looking for a startup that is writing a SAAS that competes with whatever your current employer is doing. Your work (assuming it is good) will at least be respected by your peers and the leadership. If software has not eaten the space that your employer occupies, it will soon.
- ddingus 11y ago
  People who can create enablers are only increasing in value. The market for computer code is still growing exponentially. Selling software directly is seeing a decline, but incorporating software into other things, or delivering it as a service is on the rise. Anybody adding value by some other means, hardware, professional services, etc... is going to be looking for and willing to pay people who can apply software to add value.

by hosh 11y ago

x5n1 11y ago

Care to comment a bit further on exactly what you mean... I am interested. Why is Docker moving so fast?

cpeterso 11y ago
I think Docker is selling (or riding) an ecosystem, not "just software". If they don't claim major mindshare, their could be replaced by a competitor. For example, see Bocker, "Docker implemented in 100 lines of bash": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9925896 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9925896

eternalban 11y ago

> 'The economic value of software is declining even as the strategic value of software is rising.' Sometimes as a geek I feel a certain sympathy for 3rd world nations who happen to sit on a scare natural resource and are forced to give it away for a song when asked by merchants in military gear..

x5n1 11y ago
Nobody is forcing you to do this shit. You do it of your own free will because Mr. MBA has got a bunch of Indians working for him for a song.
- eternalban 11y ago
  I've sat in meetings where decision to dismiss an entire floor of programmers in one of the nyc building of one bank included open and frank assessment of outsourced work ("4th iteration" "crap" ...) by one of the executives. ("Mr. MBA" is just another worker, like you and me.)
  - GnarfGnarf 11y ago
    I'm confused: is the executive dismissing outsourced work as crap, or is he advocating outsourcing because the entire floor of NYC programmers' work is crap? Did they make the decision to outsource the work?
    - eternalban 11y ago
      He noted that it was crap, but then again the meeting was about bringing in /more/ so the floor could be cleaned up. I'm sure this equation resolves at a higher interest level, but it did not make much sense at that table.
jgmmo 11y ago
Have you ever been to India? Do you know what they would be doing to survive if they couldn't program for U.S. businesses from across the globe? I saw people in India eating trash. I've been there. I have seen the other jobs in the area. Not everyone was dirt poor, but there were many. Meanwhile, there were also affluent people, with drivers and servants. Trust me, the people who work to become programmers in India are among the middle to upper class.
hosh 11y ago
This is not what was meant by "low economic value". Selling software itself will become increasingly untenable. What software enables will become increasingly more valuable. Your metaphor that "you happen to sit on a scarce natural resource" is not apropos. That metaphor still treats software like an economic, rather than a strategic advantage. If you feel like you're being exploited like someone in a sweat labor shop, then you're obviously not leveraging this changing reality to your advantage. You're probably still working at a place that calls whatever you do "IT". It's time to leave that burning ship. You're better off looking for a startup that is writing a SAAS that competes with whatever your current employer is doing. Your work (assuming it is good) will at least be respected by your peers and the leadership. If software has not eaten the space that your employer occupies, it will soon.
ddingus 11y ago
People who can create enablers are only increasing in value. The market for computer code is still growing exponentially. Selling software directly is seeing a decline, but incorporating software into other things, or delivering it as a service is on the rise. Anybody adding value by some other means, hardware, professional services, etc... is going to be looking for and willing to pay people who can apply software to add value.