Lawrence, Thank you for the introductory email, and some food for thought as to the value of the vtSDA.
Stan Brinkerhoff On Fri, Oct 24, 2008 at 3:49 PM, Lawrence Keyes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 >
