[thelist] rentacoder.com

[David Bindel]

bruce wrote:
> are you willing to pay more for the things that you get that
> cost less because they come from beyond the US, than what
> they would cost if made here....

Regardless of someone's 'yes' or 'no' answer to this question, you must
keep in mind that for many people, it comes down to the quality of the
product being bought.  I'm not saying that the US produces better
products than offshore companies, or vice-versa.  People will buy from
whoever provides it the cheapest, and due to different costs of living,
many offshore companies can "afford" to offer their services at a mucher
cheaper cost to buyers.

To even the playing field, countries with higher costs of living could
impose tariffs on imported digital goods.  That would make buyers think
more about sending work to offshore companies; it wouldn't prevent it
from happening, but it would even the playing field between more
developed nations and lesser developed nations.  Companies in lesser
developed nations aren't going to raise their prices significantly any
time in the near future because doing so would destroy the advantage
they have over more developed nations.

> just remember...one could also take your argument and argue
> that someone should really "pay" fair value for
> Apache/Linux.... but who gets paid... or should we write a
> check to microsoft when we get a copy of linux because they
> were "hurt", given that we didn't buy Windows!!!!

Importation tariffs are payed to the government, not to "hurting"
companies.  Your example of paying Microsoft when people use Linux isn't
similar, so it's irrelevant.

> and remember, that i could arguer, that since i can get some
> apps from someone for $8.00/hr.. that developers have been
> overcharging me for awhile!!! who wins in the argument....

Wow, good for you... But don't you see that there is a problem when
developers are working in a technological field for less than minimum
wage?  If prices are relative to the cost of living in a country, then
prices are "fair."

> and while we're at it... if you impose a higher fee on goods
> that come into the US... what would happen if a foreign
> country made you lower the cost you charged for your
> software..... as implausible as it sounds..you'd be pissed...

A tariff wouldn't force anyone to lower their costs.  If "low cost" is
the *only* advantage to taking work to foreign markets, then changes
ought to be made to make the foreign costs comparable to domestic costs
in order to protect domestic  developers.

Also, IMHO, an international "Made in X" law would be practically
ignored by practically everybody.

Giving my two cents,
David

--
    David I. Bindel
  Website Development
 dbindel at austin.rr.com
  www.davidbindel.com