Module 8

The Computer Education Era!!!

For the last 13 years, since I graduated high school, I have notice many trends in which computers have increasingly helped people better educate themselves. There are far too many examples to be fit into a two page essay, especially being that I am an I.T. student. I think a more appropriate question would be, “How doesn't my computer help in my education?” Since there are so many things I could write about, I will discuss what I feel to be the two biggest educational advantages that students of today have over there predecessors. The first one being the search-engine, the second being word-processing software.

Now is the time of the information era. People have so much power in the palms of their hands and most of them have yet to realize the magnitude of it. For example, in high school I had to do this huge research assignment to fulfill the needs of my senior English class. From grades 1-12 I have been taught how to use periodicals, the dewy-decimal system, and of course the infamous card catalog in which you would have to open drawers full of cards that simply referenced the books that you are seeking. The process of getting the info could take hours, especially if you had to eye scan an entire book to extract a small yet important piece of inforamtion. This type of efficiency is no longer the norm, and would not be accepted in today's world as it simply takes too long to compile a project in this manner. So forget everything that I've learned in high school! There is a simpler, quicker process to retrieve information. Of this course is the search engine.

Lets say I wanted to do a research project on the Challenger Space Shuttle disaster. Before this era, I would have to go to the library and do a bunch a research just find some info. Heck, I couldn't even tell you what date it happened on unless I put 10 -15 minutes into research. But thanks to Google I can simply type “when did the challenger explode?” into the URL bar (assuming I am using Google Chrome),and bam there it is, Jan 28^th 1986! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster)! I found the answer in only the amount of time it took me to type the question!!! That is powerful! And I was excited when the card catalogs when to computers! That is nothing in comparison of today. Of course none of this is possible without the internet, another obvious educational tool.

Second, I would have to say that the word processor is another important computer tool that makes typing projects faster, and easier then ever before. Even as I am now writing, I can say that I have already used the back-space, delete, and copy n' paste options numerous times. Had I been using a typewriter I can guarantee that this essay would have been typed numerous times over before getting the final draft to perfection. Even the slightest mistake while using a type writer will cause havoc and force you to either use white-out, or even worse, you might find yourself typing the whole page over again.

Having said all that, I do find one draw-back to word processing software. It enables us to become stupid spellers as it auto-corrects or checks all your spelling errors. I consider myself to be pretty intelligent, however I am awful at spelling, and the fact that everything I type gets corrected for me does not help my spelling skills. Of course in this day and age is it really important to be a good speller? Or use correct grammar for that matter? Seems that text-lingo is taking over. I also know that English is always evolving and changing. So is this text-lingo the new evolved English? I really hope not. A part of me wants to maintain the integrity of the English language; but at the same time, I am wondering if it really matters that much. We all understand the new text-lingo, and understanding is really the only part that matters. Either way, I am constantly finding myself typing text-lingo into my essays only to have them removed (thanks to word processing software) after I proof read.

I seriously contemplate the whole text-lingo vs English dilemma all the time. So I ask all that read this blog please respond with your thoughts. Do you see the same trend happening? I would love to get a census on it, and thanks to blogs, word processing software, and the internet and am able to do so!

Module 7

Comparative Advantages are no longer defined by a country's national resources or its geographic location. This is in part due to the fact that in today's economy, ideas and innovations are just as important as trucks, apples or oil. There is no doubt that with the flatting of the world, some developing countries will tap into the worlds platform and improve its overall economy, while some will remain stagnate and suffer. Friedman gives four basic concepts in which developing countries will have to improve.

The first concept that developing countries will have to improve is infrastructure. This is the basic technology and bandwidth in which individuals and companies must have to collaborate on the worlds great platform.

The Second concept is the right educational system. One that promotes not only math and science but also arts and music. Not only is it important to be computer savvy, but it is equally important to be creative and innovative. This is especially true if a developing country lacks natural resources and relies solely on services and entertainment.

The third is the right Governance. This includes a wide array of things. It is very important that a person be able to launch a business fast and cheap. This in large as a lot to do with the local laws. How easy and expensive is it to get your business up and going? How well protect are your employees? Are they too well protected? And how friendly are your countries macroeconomic policies, or what Friedman calls “reform wholesale?” All these things need to be considered.

The fourth is the right environment. Its the countries that preserve their green spaces that will attract the best workers. I surely can relate to this. I must find my roots with mother Earth on a weekly basis or I'd go crazy.

When all is said and done, the winners will be the countries that have the right infrastructure, best people, and practice “reform wholesale.” This explains why China and Ireland have been so successful.

Shifting gears, a coupe of months ago I helped a friend buy a computer online. We went to HP's website and started looking. The thing that really surprised me (never having bought a computer online) is how customizable each laptop was. I was under the impression that after he picked his particular model, that would be the end. Well, I was wrong! That was when the fun just got started. My friend was able to customize practically every component on his machine, from his hard drive, to his ram, the size of the screen, and color of the body. To the best of my knowledge this is the only time I have ever been a self-directed costumer, and even then I wasn't the consumer my friend was. However, I thought this to be pretty cool. I understand what Friedman was talking about when he says that Big companies should make them-selves small. It almost seemed as if we were dealing with an individual who was taking our order, like at a restaurant.

Finally, will globalization mean Americanization? I will have to respectfully disagree with

Friedman and say yes! Friedman presents some good arguments of why he believes Americanization will not happen. However, I can find rebuttal within his own concepts and observations that he has made through out his book.

If I may, I will take you back to India. By Freedman's own accord, there are numerous Indians EARGLY learning to speak English just so they take part in the jobs that are offered by American outsourcing. So is that not Americanization? I believe it is. Also, Friedman puts great emphasis on free-trade and frictionless supply-chains. He teaches that in order to have frictionless supply-chains, standards have to be established, ie. computer protocols, and software. Seems to me that human language should also be standardized as well for maximum efficiency. And lets face it more people speak English then any other tongue. I can very well see English as the worlds language in the very near future, at least from a business stand point..

Basketball is yet another example of Americanization in progress. Lets not make any mistake about this, basketball is 100% American. It was invented in Massachusetts in the late 1800's and has been perfected through-out American Universities ever since. No wonder why Americans have had the edge in basketball for most of the 1900's. Not because we have better athletes, but because America has many resources to teach this wonderful sport. No wonder Friedman chose to mention Greece beating us Americans in the 2006 Basketball World Championship as an example of globalization. Suddenly Greece has great basketball resources, just as America! However I think Friedman neglected the idea that when any person who isn't American practices basketball, Americanization is taking place as they are practicing a part of our American culture. Also note that there are more international NBA players then ever before; and there are more basketball teams and leagues in Europe and across the globe then ever before. Lets take a look at the NBA's newest star who's talent is sweeping America by storm! His name is Jeremy Lin, and he is not from here, he is from China!!!!If that isn't Americanization then what is it?

Finally, Friedman symbolizes the internet as a pizza in his attempt to solidify his case that Americanization is not happenning. I find this very odd as I think to myself, “Man that's some pretty vertical thinking for someone who is trying to teach that the world is flat.” I don't buy into his symbolism. The internet is something logical and intangible. If the Japanese were to put it piece of sushi (as Friedman puts it), on the pizza that is the World Wide Web, then that piece of sushi isn't sitting on top of Japan alone, it is spread across the world. The same no matter what country you are from, or what type of food is placed upon the pizza. At the end of the day, American will have put more food on top of the pizza then any other country. Sure this casserole pizza will have a little bit of everything in it, but it will be American dominate having more hot dogs and hamburgers then anything....

Module 6

 Simply put free-trade is the ability for companies from different countries to do business with each-other without the friction of governmental regulations, taxes, or tariff's. It is quite clear that Friedman is 100% pro free-trade and gives great examples of why I should be too. The biggest debate on going in America concerning free-trade is the “visible” mass amounts of jobs that are being outsourced to foreign countries for cheap labor. As Americans, we are angered to see jobs lost to other countries so that the “American” outsourcing company can get its labor done cheap. However, the part that goes unnoticed is the small companies hiring in the 10's and 20's. For every job that is outsourced, there are more jobs being created. It's important to note that these once poor individuals of the nations receiving the outsourcing are now buying American made products. Also the price of these products, thanks to the same outsourcing, off-shoring and free-trade, are cheaper then they have ever been. Its a win-win situation. Friedman is right! If free-trade, offshoring, and outsourcing, is so damaging to America's economy, then employment rates would be much higher then 4.5%. I am a logical man, and I admit I didn't hear too much of the protectionist/anti-outsourcing school's side of things, however Friedman's reasoning sounds logical to me. Therefore, I too see great advantages for both America and the world as a whole if free-trade is the norm. However, Americans have some serious waking up to do if we are going to be able to compete in the world of tomorrow.

American has had the luxury of being the biggest economic power in the world for the last half century. We were the innovators of most things, and we were at the top because we really had no competition. After time, we Americans began to take this for granted and became stagnate and lazy. Friedman notes that it's not entirely good to be mediocre in a vertical company, however before globalization 3.0, it was possible to survive in that situation. Whereas today you'd get eating up alive, due to the high amount of highly skilled competition in the world; and it's the America's middle-class that will be hit the hardest.

It is going to require a lot of changes and self-ambition, for the middle class to survive! Friedman breaks down the “New Middlers” into 8 categories by skills. They are:

First the “Great Collaborators and Orchestrators.” These are the guys that can run a supply chain, at a local level on a global process.

The 2^nd are “The synthesizers.” These are the guys that are remarkable at creating one job from two or more skills.

The 3^rd are “The Explainers.” These are the people that can see the complexity of “The Synthesizers,” but can explain it with ease.

Fourth are “The Great Leveragers.” These guys can leverage every possible bit of productivity out of new technology.

The 5^th are “The Great Adapors,” the Swiss Army Knives, a jack of all trades kind of guy that's very savvy in a variety of info systems as well as politics and business.

The 6^th are “The Green People.” In a world where fossil fuels are becoming more expensive, less abundant, and bad for the environment it is important to have S&E people constantly trying to discover renewable energy sources.

The 7^th are “The Passionate Personalizers.” These people put there own little personalized special touched that can not be duplicated or outsourced.

Eighth are “The Math Lovers!” This is simple enough. They are people who love math; and in this day and age of digitized everything, they are becoming as important as air.

Finally are “The Great Localizers.” These are the people that have a great understanding of the global platform and uses it's tools to offer localized demands.

Now that Friedman has outlined the “New Middlers,” I notice one important constant in which they each share, education! And not just any education, the right education. In chapter nine, Friedman talks about how Americans were inspirited by JFK's speech of landing a man on the moon. Americans went crazy with science trying to out do the Russians. He talks about how Americans need that same kind of leadership and inspiration that JFK provided, and how Bush has failed at it. Not only in inspiration, but also the fact congress cut funding for scientific and engineering education during Bush's terms; the exact opposite of what should have happened! President Bush was a joke, with alterior motives. The last thing Bush wanted was smart people developing renewable energy resources, he is in the oil business!!!! No further explanation needed!!!!

However, America does have a great leader today! This book was written before Obama and Friedman says nothing about him. Well, I'm going to! I admit that Pres. Obama isn't the best president in the history of America, but I see in his speeches and actions that he understands the importance of education, as well as the flattening of the world.

Back in '06 while Bush was in office, I applied for a Pell Grant and was denied. I once again tried after the Obama and behold, I am here taking this class in my last semester before graduation! Thanks Obama! Now if America will just realize that he inherited Bush made problems, he probably wouldn't seem like such a bad person.

Finally, CQ + PQ > IQ means that the Curiosity Quotient plus the Passionate Quotient is greater then the Intelligence Quotient. I believe this statement to be true. A high IQ person doesn't know everything, and if they don't know a certain subject they might not be interested in learning it. Opposite are the curios and passionate. Curious people want to learn, passionate people will never give-up; put the two together and you'll have someone who will WANT to fix or innovate anything, even if the going gets tough. A high IQ person might or might not, you just don't know. Even greater, is a group of CQ/PQ people collaborating on the world's platform together. When this happens the laws of synergy start to take affect. One plus one is not two, its three! Yes, I buy into the CQ+PQ>IQ formula!!!!

Module 5

The lessons learned from Friedman's “The World is Flat,” are starting to blossom before my very eyes! A couple days ago I got into a deep discussion about Google, the flattening of the world, and yes, outsourcing, with one of my friends who had just acquired a tech-support job for Google. I was amazed at his use of terminology as he used the words “outsourcing” and “flattening”. I admit when I first started reading, “The World is Flat”, I was under the impression that, Friedman did know what he was talking about, I just assumed he was making up some of the terminology he uses in. Due to my conversation with my friend I am now 100% of Friedman's validity. I admit I dread reading this book, however I have learned so much from it. I truly a have a deeper understanding and appreciation of globalization, and I can better play my newly founded knowledge to my advantage. I feel as if I have intellectual property that I can offer the world. I feel the world is my oyster, and because of this boring book I can now operate on the worlds platform with less friction and more innovation then I ever could.

Triple Convergence this the three major processes/events that happened during a short period of time to make what Friedman calls globalization 3.0. The first convergence, happened slowly. This convergence was actully the realization of the new possibilities that came with the new technology. When computers first came out, there was not much of an improvement in efficiency within companies. These companies had yet learned to adapt, and make most of what was available to them. Companies were still thinking vertically, and every dept. within a company was a sub-company all to themselves.

The second convergence was the adaptation; a new way of thinking, so that the world could take advantage of the resources they had. Companies started to think more horizontally, and could connect better within themselves and the rest of the world. People began to use flow soft-ware technologies to be more efficient. The worlds ten flatters finally were starting to complement themselves.

The third convergence is the addition of the rest of the world to the worlds flatting platform known as the internet. It is the ability for just about everyone in the world to be able to put there ideas and innovations out for the whole world to see and converge on. It seems to me that this kind of power can solve just about any problem. While this is a good thing, us Americans should take note of accomplishments set by other individuals in different countries. Many parts of the world; India, China, and Russia just to name a few, have had people who come from different rich educational heritages. These people are born to this world with the great self-desire and motivation to learn. However, in the past these people have been hindered by their own governments and were unable to freely market themselves or their ideas. This is no longer the case, and now that these extremely smart individuals have the ability to communicate and collaborate with anybody or anything at any given moment, puts pressure on us Americans to improve our own education. We DO NOT want to fall behind in our own game. I find it crazy to think that China, just couple years ago, was a closed market society and its government shun their citizens from some of the glories of the internet and its precious gifts. Now, China has more cell phones in use then the number of people in America. Talk about learning to think horizontally quickly!

Reading more about the India vs. Indiana part of this module I come to conclude that neither Indiana nor India had exploited each other. They exploited themselves. As I have fore mentioned, India had all these highly talented, and computer/science savvy persons, while their own country hid them from the world The end result was that these smart individuals were taking taxi cap driving positions and other odd jobs that they were clearly over qualified for.

Indiana exploited themselves because there own government had the inability account for the future of things. The Indianian government was so blinded by the fact that jobs were being lost to people who weren't even Americans, that they didn't think of the consequences of their own actions. That state lost 8.1 million dollars in tax money that could have easily went to build schools or other governmental agencies that would have in turn provided more jobs then the ones lost due to outsourcing. But, the biggest kicker of this whole fiasco is that the jobs that Indiana did save, more then likely only helped the rich get richer. There is a great deal of sorting out to be done in our own home country. People need to learn the true meaning of outsourcing and understand that a world exists beyond what they see.

Finally, intellectual property is the creations, thoughts or ideas of someones mind. Some of the worlds finest innovations have come someones intellectual property. The debate is, however, how much reward should one  reap of of their ideas or work? Individuals should be rewarded for their hard work or ideas. But, how can their intellectual property be collaborated on and refined to perfection if that person is unwilling to share his/her idea? Think about Volvo, the car company that is famous for its safety innovations. I remember reading a couple years ago that Volvo had come out with some highly sophisticated safety mechanisms for cars. Sure, they could have patented that and make money on it, but they thought that this type of intellectual property should be shared to keep everyone safe. So they let other car makers in on there innovations for free. In a nutshell this is a moral issue, and its not shared mutually across the world.

Another thought I have on the subject of intellectual property would be the whole Metallica-Kazaa ordeal. I love Metallica! I also believe Metallica should be paid for their talent, yet I have downloaded most of their albums for free. So am I a thief? Am I immoral? A lot of people would say that I am. However, these same people listen to anything they want on youtube or other sites without paying a dime. So aren't these people thieves and immoral as well? If you want to get right down to it, the world is so flat it doesn't matter if I'm listening to music streaming from my hard drive or music streaming from somewhere in cyberspace, point is we are ALL accessing the same intellectual property, for free.

Module 4

The Job Interview:

The company I choose to research is Prohosting.com. Prohosting.com is a web hosting company that offers a variety of web hosting services. They have been in business since '97, which is very early for a web hosting company. They started out of San Jose, California, and have since relocated to Dallas, Texas. They are also in the process of setting up operations in Provo. I am fortunate know a friend who knows the owner of the company Lance; and thanks to another flattener of the world, Facebook, I was able to contact Lance. He was more then happy to help me with this project and give me a phone interview.

To begin, I asked a bit about his background. He informed me that he does not have a college education, but what he lacks in 'Education', he more then makes up with experience and pure motivation. Upon making the the phone call I call could immediately tell this guy was incredibly smart, not only with computers, but in business as well. He knows multiple programming languages and multiple Operating Systems. He has setup many different business and even mentioned how he suffered during the dot com bust. I thought this to be kind of funny because I did not bring up subject, he did. He re-assured me that it did in fact happen, and a lot of people did hurt from it.

After learning about him, he then flipped the table and proceeded to learn about me and what my qualifications were. I preceded to tell him all the certs that I either have, or that I am working on. A+, Net+, MCSE, Linux+, and security+. I think he was most impressed with the fact that I was learning an operating system other then Windows. Not that he said Windows was bad, but it good to have diversity. He was impressed with the fact that I was studying Linux. This is good news to my ears because now I feel that all my time invested into the OS is validated. I feel real good about my educational background, I have made some right choices there, but Lance gave my some pointers that could help me obtain a job.

The first being typing speed. He told me that in some cases, a persons typing speed will be the difference maker. There are two reasons for this. First, the obvious, anyone that can type fast is more efficient. But secondly, he told me that anyone that can type fast obviously spends a lot of time around a computer. Hmm, this is useful info. His remarks on typing speed caught my attention by surprise. To be honest I have no clue how fast I can type, so off I go to take a typing test on Monday.

Another couple of points of observation he taught me were about perspective and attitude. He asked if I could make an iphone app? I immediately responded no because my knowledge of scripting languages is very limited. Lance, laughed and told me that he could make any app that he wanted to. Yet he isn't very knowledgeable in those languages either. He told me that even though it might take him a year to make that app, compared to a couple weeks for someone who is experienced is really not the point. The point is that with all the knowledge available to him, he could make an iphone app and that won't be a lie; and I could to.

The biggest theme I took from this whole conversation however, was motivation. It was very clear to me that Lance is very self-motivated, and continuously strives to improve himself and his companies. He explained that even though he was the owner, he is constantly doing grunt work to make things happen smoother. He is always learning more about computers and technology. Being in I.T. Is an ever learning process. So ok, I do have the education, what I need to do find it is find it within myself to shift to a higher gear and be more motivated, just as Lance.

Module 3

Mod 3:

The more I read “The world is Flat”the more my perception changes about the world. Not only does globalization 3.0 require businesses to intervene with each other and develop standards so that they can easily and efficiently interface, but it also challenges countries and individuals alike to think deeper then there personal pocket books. To collaborate with another country and help their economy will in return help our own economy and help build international relations. I now realize that better the world's economy is flowing, the better America's economy will flow as well. Think about this, if we as American's can outsource or offshore jobs to Mexico, the better the Mexican Economy would be, thus greatly reducing the number of illegal Mexican aliens sneaking into our country to work under the table and take away jobs from us Americans. Consequently, if that was the situation, it wouldn't matter if the Mexican was working in America or Mexico because both economies would be thriving and there would be job opportunities for everyone.

When I first started reading about outsourcing I was filled with a sense of greed until reading further and learning how it actually helps and not hurts. Well, once again, Friedman has taught me how offshoring can actually be beneficial. The main difference between the two is; outsourcing is a specific function that your company is doing and sending it to another location to be done by someone else. Offshoring on the other hand is moving the whole factory to another location. This is beneficial because we can take advantage of the low cost, high quality products that saves the consumers a considerable amount of money, which in turn effects the Federal Revere helping to keep interest rates low so Americans can afford to buy home at a reasonable rate. Another fact Friedman pointed out is that many people forget about all the offshoring coming to America. This is great for the world's economy.

Another important flattener of the world is the supply chain model, and Wal-Mart for its major role in refining the supply-chain to an almost prefect science. In a nut-shell a supply chain is a method of delivering, sorting and keeping track of inventory with information systems. This requires common standards, just like a computer network so that different supply companies can keep caught up with the demand of their products. If I was to walk into Wal-Mart and buy a banana, as soon as I purchase this said banana, Wal-Mart's computer system will then record the transaction to its database so that  Wal-Mart knows the banana has been sold and needs to be replace. The genius of Wal-Mart is they allow there supplier companies access to their database, and thanks to the common standard developed between Wal-Mart and the supplier, the supplier knows immediately that they need to ship another banana to the Wal-Mart supply-chain, which then will be shipped to the correct Wal-Mart store.

Wal-Mart has the most efficient supply-chain in the world, and they use it to their advantage by passing the savings to the consumer. Once the consumer figures out that not only is Wal-Mart cheaper then other stores, but has the same quality of product, Wal-Mart was able to spread like wild-fire and become the giant corp. that it is today.

Finally, Google (and other search engines) are, in my opinion, one of the biggest flatteners of all. I can remember being in high school and having to go to the library to do any research, no matter what the subject.  Well, if the internet is the information super-highway, then Google is not only your navigator, but also your vessel in which gets you to get the information that you are seeking. I don't think I have been to a library since Google took off. I no longer need to.

From a business stand point, Google has improved the way we shop in two ways! With help from Google's PageRank Technology, a person can find what they are looking for with great accuracy, allowing an individual to do their own outsourcing, supply-chaining, and offshoring. But even more important, is the database that Google builds around your query's. This allows for companies to target only the people that are interested in their product. (Last thing I want to see is an ad for tampons).

Yet, while Goggle was the brain behind personalize ads, other companies have taken the same idea. Facebook is a good example of this! Say I'm on Facebook and push the like button for the 'Dallas Cowboys'. Immediately I see ads about Dallas Cowboy sports wear and other Cowboy memorabilia. Sure companies benefit from Google because Google is the number one search engine in the World, making it the most visited website in the world. However, Facebook is actually just as good or better then Google because people spend more time on Facebook and input more personal information then Google; I know this to be true because I goggled it!

Module 2

Module 2:

 Admittedly “The world is Flat” is not the most exciting of books. None the less, Friedman continues to open my eyes to everyday processes that make up our era known as globalization 3.0. He continues to point out daily human-computer interactions that, despite my disposition as an Information Technology major, I take for granted. I never truly pay attention to the scenes, behind the works of my computer's doings.

Workflow software for example, is a technology that most of us unknowingly interact with on a daily basis. It is something that is quite complex and taken for granted. Friedman has actually been give us examples of workflow software since the beginning of his book. He is now just bring it to or attention. Workflow software is a software technology that enables the computers of the flat world to interact with each-other despite the platform they are operating on through standardized protocols and applications. For example, thanks to IMAP, POP3, and STMP I can access my email from an old AOL account or a new Google account despite the type of network I am on. But that's just the protocols. To demonstrate an example of workflow software together as a whole, I will incorporate something that I am truly fond of, my Utah Jazz!

My example of workflow software in action would be the steps, or process, required to purchase tickets online from the Utah Jazz web site. First you must log on to the Jazz website “http://www.nba.com/jazz/”. Once there, find the appropriate links to the online ticket sales page. Then you must enter data concerning your purchase (the game you want to see, your price range, the number of tickets, etc). This real-time exchange of information is accomplished by workflow scripts such as ajax or something similar. The Utah Jazz webserver then accepts your input and send a quarry to its seat-chart database server (most likely a different computer altogether) for seats available within the criteria you specified. Once that process has been completed, you must enter your credit card information for payment. Then the Jazz website will quarry your bank's database to validate your credit card and deduct the funds from your account. Once the approval process is complete, the Jazz website will not only send another message to the seat-chart database to ensure that those seats are reserved so no one else can buy them, but it also send a file to your computer so that you can print your tickets right at home. This whole process can usually be done and under five minutes and not a single human (other then yourself) has any intervention with any of the processes. Workflow software at its finest, you gotta love it baby!

Another eye opener for me was that of the open code software community. I am currently studying Linux myself so I am aware of what open source code is and the community thereof. Linux is much better refined then windows or Apple in my opinion. Linux and another open source code application have great advantages over Microsoft and Apple products. For example, if there was a problem with windows, true your computer could automatically take an evaluation of the problem and then send it to Microsoft to be fixed. However the problem that is that you have to wait for Microsoft to actually get of there butts to fix, test, and then the send the fix in the form of a patch or an update several months later. While on the other hand, Linux has a whole global community, brought together by the flattening of world, working on and refining the Linux kernel and applications all the time. This part I already knew. What didn't make sense was why someone would want to do all that work for free. Thankyou Friendman for pointing out it is the same reason that hackers in the hacking world pull of the incredible feats they do. FOR RECGONITION. Besides what company wouldn't want to hire an individual who's computer skills are awesome enough to accomplish a task like fixing bugs with the Linux kernel or writing applications for the same said kernel? It now all makes sense. Long live Linus Torvalds!!!!

Another aspect of globalization 3.0 which is very important is outsourcing. In a nutshell outsourcing the the digital transfer of work to another location, usually to the cheapest bidder. To me outsourcing brings the whole world together. It will help keep the world's economy flowing. It gives work to people who otherwise wouldn't have any. Also, it's my belief that if world peace is at all possible, outsourcing will be one of the underlying components. As Friedman points out, it sure brought America and India closer together!

Besides the newly developed American-Indian bond, I believe Friedman makes another important point. After the dot-com bubble burst, IT companies had to either file bankruptcy or at the very least cut spending to a bare minimum. Thanks to our ability to outsource, the same IT companies we able to get the smart people in India to do the grunt work at a fraction of the price it wold cost the same work to be done in America. Because of this, not only were they able to supply many jobs for the people of India, but even more importantly, many of the IT companies were able to save themselves. Its was a win-win situation for both countries!!!!!