[p2p-research] OSS did not create any substantial number of jobs in the IT-sector.

[M. Fioretti]

On Tue, Jan 12, 2010 12:05:51 PM +0700, Michel Bauwens (michelsub2004 at gmail.com) wrote:

> Gehrard Wagner here below makes the very strong claim that:
> 
> OSS did not create any substantial number of jobs in the IT-sector.
>
> Do you have any documentation on this topic that we could share,
> given your involvement in the FLOSS studies?

For the record, the URL where Gehrard actually makes those claims is this:

http://vancouvercommunity.net/lists/arc/ciresearchers/2010-01/msg00024.html

I am sending this email also in BCC (so he isn't swamped by replies,
unless he _wants_ to receive them), to a friend of mine, Roberto
Galoppini (http://robertogaloppini.net/) who studies just these
things. If he's interested, he may write about Gerhard claims on his
blog.

Personally, I must say that:

- Gerhard is right to claim that patent *investigation* (that is,
  checking that what you want to do doesn't infringe on any patent) is
  not an amateur job. Using an expired patent "as is" is not an issue,
  patents expire just to allow anybody to use the patented idea. But
  modifying something expired and still be sure you're not exposing
  yourself to legal troubles... good luck.

- while I have NO real data to back this up, just a feeling, I would
  not be so surprised if really "OSS did not create a substantial
  number of jobs". What OSS can do is to _move_ those jobs from under
  control of a big corporation (the control granted by software
  patents and proprietary licenses) to whoever can and wants to do
  them, wherever they live. But if there is not much work to do
  anyway, as is the case in this period...

  	     Marco
-- 
The Online Loser Guide, 2010 edition
http://stop.zona-m.net/node/66