[thelist] rentacoder.com

[James Parsons]

Tony sez...

>> I don't know what this means as far as coding work goes
>> for those of us in countries where $5 an hour won't pay
>> for anything.
>> Nan
>
>There are only a few possibilities:
>
>* Taxation on services imported electronically (an end to the free
>internet)
>
>* Global parity on cost of living (eventually, but likely not in my
>lifetime)
>
>* Gradual narrowing of the differential when the $5ph market is
>saturated (I've seen Indian software companies seeking staff in the UK!)
>
>* Gradual education of buyers regarding hidden costs of overseas
>development work (such as you have identified)
>
>* a mass movement of locally skilled workforce to either: - somewhere
>where $5 per hour buys a lot, or: another trade.  (I hear plumbers get
>paid well and are in short supply!)
>
>Hmmm....

I looked at rentacoder.com and wasn't sure whether to snicker or break up
some innocuous piece of nearby furniture and hurl it out the window.

Where low-cost coding/development services in other countries are
concerned, I'm conflicted. Legitimate and gainful commerce is a big part of
the antidote to a lot of what ails us in many countries world wide. Because
I think commerce and properity are the antidote to tyranny and oppression,
I think we want to see skilled trades and commerce prosper and flourish in
developing countries. But if the net result is that these services are
delivered at something way under anything resembling fair market value, it
kind of shoots the whole thing in the foot.

I'm all that positive I like the idea of a tax or tariff on services or
code or customized software applications imported electronically or not,
but it strikes me that something along those lines might be implemented
without major legislation. It may be possible to develop some kind of
schedule of what those services would or should be worth if provided in the
US market and imported products taxed based on that, rather than the actual
cost paid? I see a lot of potential problems in making that work, but it
may be feasible. I think I've got a fairly decent line of communication
with my congresscritter and I might even write him on that one. As Chairman
of the Budget Committee, he's got some influence.

Otherwise, I doubt if any kind of global parity on cost of living or the
other things (education of buyers? -- hah! hah!) are going to happen
anytime in the forseeable future.

I do think I'd like to see a country of origin declaration in web and
software applications required. Something like "Website and content
produced, developed, and hosted in the USA." Or, "Website and content
produced and developed in the USA, hosted in the UK." Whatever. Where so
many organizations don't even seem to even see fit to mention their actual
location, that's probably not going to happen on any wide scale basis
without legislation. With or without a declaration of country of origin, I
wouldn't mind seeing some US companies/corporations/entities/organizations
"outed" for using offshore developers/services.





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