[Yr7-10it] Re: [Year 12 IPM] ICT in the Essential Learning Standards

[Con Zymaris]

On Mon, Jun 27, 2005 at 11:18:08AM +1000, Victor wrote:
...

> Post dotcom boom I saw many traditional software development jobs going
> overseas to cheaper labour suppliers. In an increasingly globalised
> economy this trend will continue. As a society we are increasingly
> becoming consumers of ICT products, as opposed to producers of ICT
> products. 

...

There is a serious problem with this country being satisfied with merely 
being a consumer of ICT products, rather than a generator of same. And 
that problem is this:

 ICT trade deficit rises to $19 billion
 http://www.ferret.com.au/articles/41/0c030a41.asp

This figure is $4 billion up from last year, which was $3 billion up from 
the year before, which was $2 billion up from the year before etc.

The rate of growth is accelerating. Our ICT consumption patterns and 
lack of production capabilities is quickly sending us as a country broke.

And in case you didn't grok the extent of the problem, our ICT trade 
deficit constitutes 70% of the total national ICT trade deficit.

If we could somehow reduce our proprietary software buying spree by even 
10%, it would save our country $300 million per year.

Cheers,
 
Con Zymaris, Convenor
Open Source Victoria
http://www.osv.org.au/
-- 
___________________________________________________________________________
Con Zymaris <conz at cyber.com.au> Level 4, 10 Queen St, Melbourne, Australia 
Cybersource: Australia's Leading Linux and Open Source Solutions Company 
Web: http://www.cyber.com.au/  Phone: 03 9621 2377   Fax: 03 9621 2477