Re: OSS and getting money for it (was: [tlug] Re: Why Vista Sucks)

[Edward Middleton <emiddleton@example.com>]

Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:
> Attila Kinali writes:
>
>  > I don't know how much irony is in that mail, but from my
>  > experience in SMB but also to some extend in larger companies,
>  > people have certain knowledge or skills that noone else in
>  > the company/team has which is hard to find because either
>  > people don't usualy have it or it isn't something you normaly
>  > put onto a CV.
>
> Sure, there are exceptions to every rule.  My point is that you'll do
> much better on average if you assume that people can cover for each
> other, and worry more about ensuring sufficient amounts of resources
> that are not so flexible.

I know this is the case in some industries, but is it really the case in 
the software industry in general.  Several years ago I listen to a 
presentation by Martin Fowler on offshoring agile development[1].  One 
of the things he said, was words to the effect that "it was not that 
agile development works terribly well in this situation, it is just that 
the general expectations are so low just about anything would be better 
then the status quo".

> It's also often the case that having a
> particular person be crucial to the organization constitutes bad
> planning on management's part.  How often do we hear stories of
> somebody with a crucial skill who leverages that into a much higher
> salary or into getting away with shirking most work because management
> believes that person is irreplacable, and they won't train anybody in
> their skills?
>   

Skills and knowledge transfer is an essential part of any software 
professionals work, companies that don't recognize this end up in the 
situation mentioned above.

Edward

1. http://martinfowler.com/articles/agileOffshore.html