Exposure of Trade Information

[wolvarine]

Hey all, I just want to discuss the topic of exposing trade "secrets" regarding personal computers.

Not long ago, was it that only an elite few were able to build their own systems from the ground up,
and have them working in a plauseable manner. Nowdays, it seems more and more, that any average
joe can buy a bunch of hardware, throw it together and get up and running with a reliable computer
system.

My question to you, is do you think that this sharing of information; more specifically sharing of information
which could ultimately mean the difference between life, and death of system builders. Is right?
We don't see everybody taking up electrical engineering over the net, and making a go of it for either their
personal use, or for a career base; for example.

Why is it that people are making it available for everybody to know how to side step an important economical
building block? What happens if it so came that there really was no longer a need for system builders? Just like
with music sharing over the net .... once the big guys find out, they try to crush it ... in a sense, it's too
good to be true, only due to the fact that people can't keep their mouths shut and keep secrets which were
meant to be secrets.

Same goes with personal computers. Let the "smart" people build systems, but don't freely lend out information
to those who don't take the time to seek the answers themselves. I think this would create more of a balance,
and a need for consumers to keep going back to your large computer stores, and fuelling the economy.

Now parts of my statement may indeed be abit astrew, mainly because I'm not going to take the time to proofread
it and strengthen my points but what do you think? Is it right to share the knowledge of absolutely everything
freely? Or is it better for society to stop lending everybody information so easily .. personally I think we're becoming
the generation of lazy slackers ... just my personal opinion

Anyways, have a good day ...
i'm open for discussion

 

[BD231]

There will *ALWAYS* be a need for computer *specialists*. Even though building a comp is pretty simple, some people just arent as technicly inclined as others. On avrage, it takes a person at least 2 or 3 years to become completely comfortable with slapin a computer together, and even then, that person runs into a *rip your hair out* situation now and agian. Imagine if you will, an avrage Joe just geting through puting together his first comp. He plugs the power cord in and presses the power switch, BOOM, nothin....."Hmmmmm...., WTF is going one here!" he says in a fit anger. Since he has absolutely NO backround on building computers, it could be almost impossible for him to troubleshoot the problem. If one of his parts was dead, he would be completely screwd, while someone with 2 or 3 years expierence could say, "Ohhh, theres the problem, my PSU is dead" or "Oops, i cracked the CPU core while applying me HSF unit". No matter how much *free info* is provided by us *specialists*, nothing can replace years of hands on expierence.

 

[BD231]

personally I think we're becoming the generation of lazy slackers '

VERY TRUE!. I think a lazy person would much rather slap a computer together over at Dell in about 3 minutes, then build his own.

 

[wolvarine]

Very good point indeed.

I may argue though that he's more apt to find his more knowledgeable buddie
who lives next door to help him out with his problem, then call up some local
computer store for help with his problems though. The case of wanting something
for nothing may be applied here ... which is another point I may add to the freedom
of information controversy.

Perosonally again, I just think things are being taken too far in regards to what is
easily accessible.

 

[Jiggz]

If you're only concern is about the "economic balance" of it, then maybe we should not let foreign students go into our classrooms and worse yet train and sell them the technology. I can only see the sense of your point if we can only stop the whole world from doing what we are trying to do. Maybe you're in the impression that only us US are doing this. Try going to China, especially in Hongkong, Singapore, Western Asia, Australia and probably the entire Europe except for the old or ex-Eastern blocks are self buidling computers. If we don't do it in a decade we will be the only non-computer building citizen of the world! Maybe you need to take a trip to Taiwan and Hongkong and see a 13yr old sell you computer parts, built it and test right before your very eyes! Now if the question is sharing tech now that's a different topic.

 

[Mitzi]

There will always be a huge market for large computer manufacturers such as Dell. Most large companies prefer to buy pre-built systems complete with a warranty rather than have their internal IT staff doing the job. For this reason I can never see the likes of Dell faultering..even if every one builds their own PC for home the business industry is still big enough to support the OEMs.

 

[E3Art]

if we didnt share this information how would people ever get started in coputers? how did you get started, you wernt born with this knowledge were you? If it wernt for people giving me advice and answere to my problems i would never have gotten into coputers as a hobbie and an eventual career. I dont think there will ever be a time where were not needed, everyone dosent have the interest or technical knowledge to do this. There will always be people who need help putting in a harddrive, after you tell then what a harddrive is of course. I say share on! lets help anyone who has a question, after all what fun is it if you cant give someone your EXPERT advice

 

[bbates]

The computer market is just like the auto industry in a lot of ways. The ones that turned their cars into hotrods fueled the market and the manufactures. The same is happening in the computer field. Someone figures out how to "hotrod" their computer and spreads the info. It eventually makes it to the OEM who incorporates that into their designs. We are building a self supporting source for income. Just think of MS and how they have done it with windows. We, the users are doing it by passing out the info we have either learned the hard way or by asking the other experts for their advice. If it were not for all the exchange of information between users we would still all be useing CPM. Gee, an operating system that only required 63k of memory to run. Now we need 64 meg of memory just to crawl. Lets keep the exchange of information flowing. It will only help to achieve better products and more need for those with a little technical knowledge to help the MANY who have no idea whats happening once they turn on the power button.
Bill