I read that some time back and its complementary to much of what I
wrote in 'Why I am not a Professor'. The social analysis stuff is
quite accurate. There's a lot you can argue over. Two passages ring
true.
It's very difficult for creative programmers in the academic CS world
to compete with those in the free-software world. Academics have one
advantage: money. Free-software programmers have another: freedom.
Ideally one would have both, but if you have to pick, pick freedom.
That's it in a nutshell. Qi would never have been finished if I'd
stayed in my job. But the no money bit is a PITA. In the long run
you need both. And a creative stimulating environment. Unis are
supposed to provide freedom+stimulus+creativity+security; actually
they provide none of these except £ (and not a lot over here). Its a
dead-end that destroys many able minds.
I'm working on s solution to that one.
Also see Kent Pitman on unis being overpriced for their product.
Mark
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