There used to be IBM and everyone else. Then there was IBM versus Apple, then IBM versus Microsoft. Eventually (we’re talking only about fifteen years here) Microsoft became so big that it was Microsoft versus the world. When Microsoft showed up wanting to “partner” with a startup or competitor, they didn’t know whether to thank your lucky stars that their ship came in, or prepare to have the roof collapse around them, or both.
And then something else happened. The software crazies at Gnu, who believed in “free” software, free as in speech, if not always free as in beer, became almost the only competition left. And in the form of Linux and other Unix variants become the major alternative to the Microsoft ecosystem. And Google, and Facebook, and cell phones, etc., etc.
And none of that matters to Brent Ozar. He makes his money off of the 21st century Microsoft version of big iron, and is completely comfortable recommending open source servers.
As far as I can tell, he is all about transparency, because keeping secrets makes him no money. Worse, it makes his clients more dysfunctional.
It is clear after this election, if not before, that as a society, as a people, and especially in our organizations, big and small, that we have become so concerned about making sure that nobody knows our shit doesn’t stink, that we have forgotten where we have had to stick our heads to get that job done.
Western Civilization is at a crisis. You can tell because it is now disreputable to talk about Western Civilization. The world as we know it has stopped working.
We used to understand that with all the politicking, big and small*, somebody still had to make sure things worked. Somebody had to make sure that the pot holes were filled, that the borders were safe, and that children were not afraid that the “wrong” person got elected.
We are no longer there.
When the people in charge decided that their job was to look good, and get the kudos, retiring rich through doing good for the world, something changed. Because making sure things worked became somebody else’s job, somebody less smart and less well paid, Somebody less important.
Things have started not working. People have lost their trust**.
Our only way out of this is to start telling the truth. We can call it transparency. We actually have laws mandating it. And the people in charge have started using the laws mandating it to reduce it. I don’t know anybody that both says they believe in it, and does it personally.
Funny how that works.
I see a new day coming. There’s a new paradigm dawning.
Dennis Clay 