[mdlug] IBM plants Linux on the desktop

[Michael Corral]

2007-02-14, Monsieur Robert Adkins a ecrit:
> Michael Corral wrote:
>> Wow, how can I get a job with your company? Sounds pretty cushy. I'd get
>> to whine that "I don't wanna learn nuttin' new", and not only would I
>> keep my job but I'd actually get my way! With pushovers like that in
>> your management, I say sign me up for that, I want to live the easy life!
>
>    It was a crucial position that the whiney guy was working in. Not a
> job that can be quickly/easily filled by some Joe off the street.

No one is irreplaceable, whether it's in IT, engineering or some other
field. There are of course some prima donnas who *think* they're
irreplaceable, but there are lots of people out there who could fill
their spot if need be, despite what they'd have you believe. Even
someone with a skill that is supposedly highly specialized could be
replaced. At my job we had someone like that, and guess what...when
that person left, sure enough a replacement was found. Think of it
this way: if that person got hit by a truck one day, what would your
company do, just fold up and call it quits? Not unless they were
complete idiots, or completely unprepared for that situation (and
shame on them if they are). Again, it's a management issue.

>    As for the Management, some of them believe that "Free software is
> shit". Only through great reluctance and my uncompromising view when it
> comes to paying for and licensing all software we use did they allow
> Free Software to be used.

I hear ya on that. It is definitely an ongoing battle to allow OSS in
the door. The funny thing is how much OSS stuff is being used now in
the *commercial* products that companies prefer over the OSS equivalent.
I always point out at work all the GNU, Jakarta, and other OSS products
included in the super-expensive stuff we end up buying. It surprises a
lot of people to see that. Makes them think.

Michael