Ted Ashton wrote:
> You're welcome to your cynicism.  I'm not going to argue with
And others provided plenty of cynicism. To our cynics, I quote the saying
"Hold your friends close, and your enemies closer". One of the few logical
things about human behavior is the law of non-contradiction: if you say you
are a or will do a, and you then do non-a, I have pretty good grounds for
deciding that I've been lied to. Those who are cynical need to watch the new
hp very carefully. They say that they want your input. Give it. See what
results get published, and what results from that. And, all told, give them
the benefit of the doubt. Even the best of companies cannot please everyone.
And remember, the folks contributing their time to OpenMPE are your friends.
Don't forget to hold them close as well.

Me, I'm thinking of reviewing Kubler-Ross's five stages of grieving, from
"On Death and Dying". No, I don't like the predicament in which I find
myself, experienced in a specific skill which is now devalued, and
scrambling to come up to speed on other technologies. I recently read
someone's statement that learning some new syntax is primarily a waste of
time. I already know how to say what I want to say (write, code) in one
syntax. All I can do now is relearn how to do what I already know how to do
in another syntax. And while it may earn a paycheck, it IS a waste of time.
Furthermore, I have to waste my time in an arena for which my employer is
willing to pay me, and that may not be my first choice of other platforms.
It hasn't been so far, and it requires some additional discipline to work
without passion, if only not to get distracted or discouraged.

I only mention this, because I sense that I am not alone. I bet other
employees are having their 'new' direction mandated for them, with varying
levels of support and encouragement. Are we loyal to our employers, or to
certain technologies? For some of us, we have to decide that we are cheating
our employers, since they are getting less out of us than they are paying
for, and there is little choice but to move on. OTOH, right now, the
pickings are slim for places to move on to.

Greg Stigers
http://www.cgiusa.com

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