I'm chair of the vtSDA outreach committee, and I subscribe to the
VAGUE list. Couple points:
1. As far as FOSS software, vtSDA takes no position on whether our
members develop software using FOSS or non-FOSS technologies.
I suppose you could compare this view with the idea that the Vermont
Association of Home Builders does not take a position on whether its
member companies build using brick or wood.
2. vtSDA has received funding from the state; at this juncture you
could argue that we've received the majority of our funding from the
state. Funds have come from the Department of Economic Development,
and the Department of Labor.
About half of our state funding has been awarded through competitive
grants..that is, the state agency has gone out and said..."we're going
to spend XXX dollars on YYY thing... please write a proposal on how
you would spend these dollars if received."
These grants have funded things like a portion of the Vermont 3.0
Creative/Tech Jam, and an initiative to rewrite the entry-level
curriculum for computer applications which is offered to high-school
freshmen. These efforts, as well as the grant application process
itself, represent hundreds of volunteer hours by our members.
The other half of our state funding has come from haranguing our
legislators, writing to our newspapers, traveling to Montpelier, and
generally attempting to make our case that software has a potential
for economic benefit several times the order of magnitude as "legacy"
industries such as tourism and maple syrup, which, although part of
the Vermont mind-set, do not as a rule contribute high-paying jobs or
much in the way of added monetary value by comparison.
The state funding that we have received is a tiny fraction of what the
state puts into things like agriculture and tourism. We'd like to
think it was a good investment, and that we are spending our taxes
wisely in promoting this business segment...one of three top projected
areas of growth in the U.S. Frankly, with the economy the way it is,
it is hard to say whether our efforts to reinvent Vermont's economy
will stick, but we are fortunate to be able to say that we're really
trying to bring about necessary change, and that we very much
appreciate the support we've received through the state. We hope
Vaguers will join us in these efforts.
More about selling. Can the development of Open Source software
become a cottage industry in Vermont with a state sanctioned closed
source monopoly product orientation that extends into state
sponsored trade associations?
I hope that the above dispels these concerns, but if not.. please
advise.
Also:
Come to the Career Tech Jam tomorrow!
Come join us at vtSDA!
--- Larry
Lawrence Keyes (chair, vtSDA Outreach Committee)
Microdesign Consulting Inc.
PO Box 194
Colchester VT 05446
802.863-9587 -- office
802.656-4960 -- lab
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.mxdesign.net
www.techfornonprofits.com
