[H-GEN] Rob Pike on (Operating?) Systems Research

Frank Brand fbrand at uq.net.au
Mon May 1 21:48:18 EDT 2000


[ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and ]
[ Unix-related topics.  Please observe the list's charter.          ]

On Mon, 01 May 2000, you wrote:
> [ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and ]
> [ Unix-related topics.  Please observe the list's charter.          ]
> 
> http://plan9.bell-labs.com/who/rob/utah2000.ps
> 
> Some interesting views on the effect of UNIX's success well worth the
> read.

The recognition of the advances made by and the superiority of some aspects of
MS software might get up a few people's noses. An interesting read but , as the
author acknowledge in the early part, a quite pessimistic view.

Some interesting views on the effect of the US venture capital industry and
IPO's....everyone is looking to the quick buck. Interestingly comments on the
timeframe for developing new systems is relevant. The venture capitalists use a
discounted cash flow model in determining appropriate funding and (given the VC
industry stance of wanting a 50% p.a. return - although a VC friend of mine
says that such a figure is the sort of stuff they scrape off matador's shoes
and the true returns are closer to 25%) discounting future returns by, say,
even 25% means that anything of a longer term nature must be massively
profitable otherwise the net present value means that it is not a commercially
viable project.

I dont know how many CS or Engineering graduates have studied the raising of
funds and funding of projects but it could be an interesting chat for
Humbuggers. Can be quite an eye-opener if you have not struck it before.


-- 
Frank Brand
E-mail:- fbrand at uq.net.au
Home Page:-http://www.uq.net.au/~zzfbrand

--
* This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
* Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
* lists 'general' or 'general-post'.



More information about the General mailing list