Re: [OT] Re: Troll Tech [was Re: Sco vs. IBM]

Larry McVoy (lm@bitmover.com)
Wed, 25 Jun 2003 14:09:44 -0700


On Wed, Jun 25, 2003 at 01:35:09PM -0700, Robert White wrote:
> That is very sad. The fact that I know that I am not the kind of salesman
> one needs to be to run a business does not magically disqualify me from all
> business knowledge.

I'm a pool player, or used to be. In pool, as with many competitive sports,
you get better by playing against people who are better than you. You learn
from their actions, etc. It's perhaps more short term fun to play someone
less skilled but you don't learn anything doing so.

The fact that you aren't someone who has run a business doesn't, as you
say, necessarily mean that you are less skilled but it certainly, without
any room for disagreement, means you are less experienced. Experience is
a valuable thing, to me if not to you. A very valuable thing. I'm not
discounting your words, I've read them, thought about them, and decided
that I value them less than I value information coming from people with
experience in running a business.

Please remember that I'm an engineer first and a business guy second.
I already know how to do software development, build and ship a product,
build and grow a team, etc. Of course I can be better at that, I'm just
saying that this isn't some business drone telling you how the world works.
I've also started and grown a business and that has taught me an enormous
amount that I do not believe you understand. Why? Because I used to think
just like you and running the business changed my mind. What are the
chances that running a business would change yours? In my opinion, very
close to 100%. We can argue forever about this and it's pointless, you
aren't arguing from a similar set of experiences so it's never going to
work.

It's not personal, it's just an observation that experience counts for
a hell of lot more than theories.

-- 
---
Larry McVoy              lm at bitmover.com          http://www.bitmover.com/lm
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