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A comment on Consumer Software Is Expected to Be Next Fast-Growing Segment (1994). Parent comment

Re:Consumer Software Is Expected to Be Next Fast-Growing Seg... by indymike on Saturday July 22, 2023 @06:54PM (#36830745)
> and many software developers and startups actually think that their skills are worth so much. Sigh?

Supply < Demand.

That is why developers are paid well. When demand softens, or supply increases even more, what developers are paid will change. The difference between software developers and other highly paid positions is that there is not enforced, artificial scarcity, such as licenses, advanced education requirements or required tests.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Consumer Software Is Expected to Be Next Fast-Growing Seg... by smokel on Sunday July 23, 2023 @01:09AM (#36832712)
I agree completely, but note that demand can grow extremely high due to the very low cost of reproducing (and recently also distributing and marketing) software.

Supply can be limited severely by an early mover advantage, as the cost of software development can become extremely high due to the even more extreme demand. In a way this results in artificial scarcity.

Add in open source (free) software as building blocks, and venture capital, and things become even more complicated. I am sure that we need better economic models to avoid some companies to grow excessively big.

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