Re: [CPF0000] The globalization of COMMON, or is this the right direction? -- MIDRANGE-L

Steve,

Welcome to the new world - the one that is global.

Your narrow perspective is disappointing. I encourage you to read ThomasFriedman's book The World is Flat. IMHO, it is designed to educate peoplewith the same perspective you have. If you get one thing out of the book, itwould be that for every dollar invested in India - whether technology, jobs,infrastructure, etc - the returns TO the US are tenfold. With your inabilityto see beyond the borders of the US, your perspective can only be adetriment to the US of now and the future - the one that plays ~well~ in theglobal economy, and leads the way. Your narrow view would have the US as aneconomic follower - not the rightful place, according to recent history.

To add to that, your one-man personal view of the world does not sit well inregard to COMMON. Not being an active member, your view of COMMON is simplythat of an outsider. The current incarnation of COMMON is a global usergroup. People come from all over the world to be educated, to be updatedwith the latest technologies, to talk to the leaders in the System i world.By your assessment, it would be best for COMMON to ignore these people. Withsomeone like Rajan on the board, COMMON will have a first hand understandingof the new global economy, the place that System i has in that new globaleconomy, and how COMMON can attract people from all over the world to attendconferences and be part of the user community.

I am disappointed in your narrowmindedness in this regard. A personal hotbutton of a non-active member should not have an impact on a vote for aboard member. Slinging mud from the sidelines does nothing but stir the potof ignorance (and by that I mean, lack of knowledge, not stupidity). Steve,if you want this to change, I encourage you to become an ACTIVE COMMONmember, and if you think the board needs a change of direction, then runfor a board seat. This would at least be a pro-active stance, and you wouldbe someone who would be an activist for change and growth. At the same time,you would not be making personal attacks on a prospective board member whobrings real System i and management experience to the table, and who appearscommitted to adding value to the board. I would hate to think your narrowperspective and personal attack would result in a the election of a nomineewho is running for personal glory and has little to contribute.

I encourage you to read Thomas Friedman. I encourage you to become active inthe COMMON community.


Yours,
Trevor
tperry@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

----- Original Message -----From: "Steve Landess"Subject: [CPF0000] The globalization of COMMON,or is this the rightdirection?

All -
I have not been to a COMMON conference in quite a while, but I had heardthat the next conference is being held in Miami. As I was looking atCOMMON's web site yesterday, I happened to click on the link that showsthe candidates in the next board of directors election (http://www.common.org/about/candidates.html ).
As I read the candidate's statements, I noticed that one candidate (RajanNarayanan) is a senior VP for a company named Mindtree that promotes theoutsourcing of work to India ( http://www.common.org/about/rajan.html ).That, of course, immediately pushed one of my hot buttons. This candidateapparently earns his salary by taking jobs from North Americans and givingthem to workers in India. If this is not the case, I would surely like tosee his employee list!
In fact, a quick visit to his employer's web page to view current jobopenings ( http://www.mindtree.com/crs/opngs.php ) confirmed what Ialready suspected - that Mindtree probably does NOT hire technical peoplein the United States! Of 73 positions being advertised, only ONE is inthe USA - and it is for a "Manager of Business Development" in Schaumburg,Illinois.
It's no secret to anyone who subscribes to midrange-L or midrange-jobs howI feel about outsourcing American jobs overseas. Does anyone see anythingwrong with the message that COMMON seems to be sending with thisnomination?
COMMON purports to be an education provider, and it has programs designedto work with schools to bring young programmers into the midrangecommunity. It even has a group calling itself the YIPS (Young iSeriesProfessionals). Ostensibly, this education is intended to benefit theiSeries community in North America. The last time I checked, COMMON wasstill based in Chicago, Illinois, and not in Bangalore, India.
I have heard that not many people vote for the board candidates becauseonly those with individual memberships and the member representatives fora company are entitled to vote. It is my understanding that with peoplemoving around in the industry and within their companies, COMMON has hadtrouble figuring out exactly who the member reps actually are.
If I am allowed a little conjecture here, a candidate with a large ITlabor force could actually "buy" a seat on COMMON's board by telling hisemployees to purchase individual memberships and that the company wouldprovide reimbursement. Also, the prospect that COMMON's membership listcould then be available to an outsourcing firm really bothers me.
I am planning to buy a membership so that I can stand up for what Ibelieve. If you also see a problem with COMMON's direction, I urge you tojoin COMMON and vote too.
By the way...I'm sure that Rajan appreciates IBM for their ongoinginvestment in India. Seehttp://news.com.com/IBM+to+pour+6+billion+into+India/2100-1014_3-6080346.html?tag=st.ref.gooor http://tinyurl.com/eengr
On that note, I'm wondering why IBM doens't just pull up and move theirheadquarters to India! They could get rid of hundreds (or thousands) ofoverpaid executives in Armonk and Rochester and replace them with farcheaper workers in Bangalore...
Thanks for your time,
Steve Landess
Austin, Texas
(512) 423-0935