philosophical question about sharing information
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From: Mark on 20 Apr 2008 11:43 I have a fundamental philosophical question about sharing information here on Usenet with people that are in effect competing with us for our jobs. I am an electrical engineer in the US. In the past, I have always felt that sharing information is a good thing. It is good to be a teacher. In the past, I would read the posts in ALT.HVAC where the HVAC pros would be very rude to homeowners seeking information to fix their own furnaces and A/C. The pros would refuse to give them information and instead advise them to call and pay a pro. I thought this was wrong. I would also read the posts on COMP.DSP and SCI.ELECTRONICS DESIGN and see folks tripping over each other trying to give the best most helpful information. I thought this was right. But now I am starting to wonder. The situation reminds me of the old joke about the engineer sentenced to die in the guillotine. The executioner tries to do the deed but the blade gets stuck on the way down. Instead of taking the opportunity to leave with his life, the engineer reaches up makes an adjustment to the mechanism and proclaims, "Wait, I think I see the problem, try it again." So...is the sharing of key technical information on Usenet with others in competition with us a good thing or a bad thing. Are we cutting our own throats? Thoughts? Mark
From: Mark on 20 Apr 2008 11:44 On Apr 20, 11:43 am, Mark <makol...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > I have a fundamental philosophical question about sharing information > here on Usenet with people that are in effect competing with us for > our jobs. I am an electrical engineer in the US. > > In the past, I have always felt that sharing information is a good > thing. It is good to be a teacher. In the past, I would read the > posts in ALT.HVAC where the HVAC pros would be very rude to homeowners > seeking information to fix their own furnaces and A/C. The pros > would refuse to give them information and instead advise them to call > and pay a pro. I thought this was wrong. > > I would also read the posts on COMP.DSP and SCI.ELECTRONICS DESIGN and > see folks tripping over each other trying to give the best most > helpful information. I thought this was right. > > But now I am starting to wonder. > > The situation reminds me of the old joke about the engineer sentenced > to die in the guillotine. The executioner tries to do the deed but > the blade gets stuck on the way down. Instead of taking the > opportunity to leave with his life, the engineer reaches up makes an > adjustment to the mechanism and proclaims, "Wait, I think I see the > problem, try it again." > > So...is the sharing of key technical information on Usenet with others > in competition with us a good thing or a bad thing. Are we cutting > our own throats? > > Thoughts? > > Mark I meant to cross post this to sed as well.
From: MooseFET on 20 Apr 2008 12:05 On Apr 20, 8:44 am, Mark <makol...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > On Apr 20, 11:43 am, Mark <makol...(a)yahoo.com> wrote: > > > > > I have a fundamental philosophical question about sharing information > > here on Usenet with people that are in effect competing with us for > > our jobs. I am an electrical engineer in the US. > > > In the past, I have always felt that sharing information is a good > > thing. It is good to be a teacher. In the past, I would read the > > posts in ALT.HVAC where the HVAC pros would be very rude to homeowners > > seeking information to fix their own furnaces and A/C. The pros > > would refuse to give them information and instead advise them to call > > and pay a pro. I thought this was wrong. > > > I would also read the posts on COMP.DSP and SCI.ELECTRONICS DESIGN and > > see folks tripping over each other trying to give the best most > > helpful information. I thought this was right. > > > But now I am starting to wonder. > > > The situation reminds me of the old joke about the engineer sentenced > > to die in the guillotine. The executioner tries to do the deed but > > the blade gets stuck on the way down. Instead of taking the > > opportunity to leave with his life, the engineer reaches up makes an > > adjustment to the mechanism and proclaims, "Wait, I think I see the > > problem, try it again." > > > So...is the sharing of key technical information on Usenet with others > > in competition with us a good thing or a bad thing. Are we cutting > > our own throats? > > > Thoughts? > A lot depends on what your long term goals are. If you think in terms of the betterment of mankind, then the sharing is more likely than if you think of the betterment of yourself and your children. In either case there is a balance to be made. When you share some information you help yourself indirectly more than the sharing can harm you. It is hard to predict the outcome of sharing information but history seems to show that in general sharing does good things for everyone.
From: Didi on 20 Apr 2008 12:43 Mark wrote: > ... > > So...is the sharing of key technical information on Usenet with others > > in competition with us a good thing or a bad thing. �Are we cutting > > our own throats? Certainly not. Contributions over the net can only accellerate development of mankind, not stop those who are good enough to stay ahead. If someone needs to protect knowledge other than that he himself has created (and thus has full control of) in order to stay ahead, it is better for all (except perhaps himself) that he is overtaken. And frankly, those I have watched being secretive about what they know never knew anything worth my interest. Dimiter ------------------------------------------------------ Dimiter Popoff Transgalactic Instruments http://www.tgi-sci.com ------------------------------------------------------ http://www.flickr.com/photos/didi_tgi/sets/72157600228621276/ Original message: http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.design/msg/6bdf74810e522f07?dmode=source
From: Vladimir Vassilevsky on 20 Apr 2008 13:15
Mark wrote: >>So...is the sharing of key technical information on Usenet with others >>in competition with us a good thing or a bad thing. Are we cutting >>our own throats? There is no such thing as the sacred knowledge or the "key technical information" But the one who asks a question should be at least at the level so he could understand the answer. Vladimir Vassilevsky DSP and Mixed Signal Design Consultant http://www.abvolt.com |