Economists talk the talk but if engineers don't walk the walk they're just tinkering.
Problem solving is about optimal allocation of constrained resources. If all resources were unlimited and free to obtain, everyone could have everything and choices would not have to be made. Real engineers solve the problem of maximising the number of choices available for most people.
Software has a curious history; in theory and often in practice it is a major tool for solving real engineering problems. Too often however, it has been designed to disable what economists call the network effect, and has been used as a barrier to minimising the cost function.
Open source is the only software engineering approach that overcomes these obstacles. It's not about the technology or the brand, it's about the politics and the economics. This talk will attempt to explain why. The speaker has been confirmed as Gerry Gavigan, chair of the Open Source Consortium.
