By Robert K. Fullerton, Senior Software Engineer at Raytheon
COMMENTARY--In a recent column, Developers feel the big squeeze, author Charles Cooper, wistfully recalled the early days of the Internet and bemoaned how much harder it is today for small, innovative developers to make a big splash.
I can't argue against the fact that small to mid-sized developers are getting squeezed -- especially when it comes to getting press coverage or attention from distributors. But we risk overlooking some of the new and exciting opportunities staring us in the face. Even in the aftermath of the crackup and subsequent disintegration of many high profile dot-coms, the Internet remains a very low-cost way for someone with an idea or product to reach a wide public.
A great example is this column. Prior to the Internet, I wouldn't have had any way to express my point of view to this large an audience. Now I can. A software developer with innovative ideas can similarly market directly in ways unheard of 20 years ago.
Small-to-large brick-and-mortar companies that ran good businesses before the arrival of the Internet are now taking advantage of the marketing and customer service aspects offered by this great communication medium. Catalog operations have been most successful in using the Internet to market because they had the experience and infrastructure to succeed early. But as other companies catch up -- and have no doubt that they will -- the ensuing competition will surely create opportunities for small to medium software developers to write more software to fit the needs of those businesses.
I disagree with Cooper's contention that computers control us more than we control them. Look back to the time when there were no computers at all. Does anyone remember how hard it was back then to draw up an amortization schedule by hand, let alone write a column using a typewriter?
Sure, the computer occasionally triggers wrestling matches (and sometimes emerges the winner), but it has become an indispensable part of our lives. I marvel at how computers have shaved hours off everyday tasks. The computer is regularly used for research, information storage, photography, music and entertainment. All tools have problems -- sometimes lingering years, or even decades. But that's why dreamers and doers are so important.
The computer world is loaded with individuals with new, inventive ideas who are not afraid to trot them out. There are still many outlets for individual creativity. The whole Linux world, which is based upon that very premise, shows increasing promise. The open source movement is gathering proponents and appears increasingly viable -- even thriving. New companies will arrive to cash in on innovation; some will fail, a few won't. But that's no different than any other economic endeavor.
Development tools are relatively inexpensive and for the price of a good boom box, the young genius can develop programs for whatever market he or she targets. An entire generation of children is growing up with no fear of the computer and they will help improve things even further. The days of stagnation are hardly upon us.
Working in the computer and software field from its inception, I found it to be moved by a spirit of innovation and experimentation. The dot-com meltdown changes nothing. Computers and the Internet will continue to present opportunities for people with ideas. All is not lost.
Robert K. Fullerton is a Senior Software Engineer for Raytheon and currently working at a remote radar site in the South Pacific. He has been involved in software for real-time control and data acquisition systems for more than 25 years.
