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Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

theregister.com

81–90 of 303 posts

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#81
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the latest trend is Dubai. High earners in Europe moving to Dubai because they double take home salaries when they drop the european government mafia

The upside is lower tax, but the downside is that you have to live in a boiling hot construction site where the main form of entertainment is going shopping. It's not a simple decision.

I can think of a few more downsides, especially if one considers more factors than personal material gain and comfort.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#82

Yeah, that Military-Industrial Complex thing that we hated? Well, now we want one.

The dislike is for the influence, not the existence of a military industry. See Eisenhower's original speech:

> we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military–industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#83
Europe's problem in this area seems to be inability to build a mechanism to realize large, unprofitable projects. It looks like the whole continent operates on thin margins, and has no resources set aside to pursue strategic initiatives.

US is building its pile of resources by capitalising on its current advantage, but also by pushing larger and larger parts of society into poverty. Europe is maybe more fair, but ultimately unable to keep up and very vulnerable because of that.

Even Russia, a country with much smaller economy is able to concentrate its resources to affect politics and develop few important techs (missiles). Of course it achieves the goal even more by expoiting its own population. Few people benefit from it, but their wealth is immense. Before 2022 whole regions of Europe catered to needs of foreign millionaires, not few homegrown ones. Lack of large projects translates to little opportunities to become rich.

I have no idea how Europe can build institutions to develop large projects without impoverishing lots of its citizens.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#84
post #76

What’s the Google Sheets/Excel of Europe?

libre office lol

I switched 7 years ago and haven’t looked back; not because it’s good (it’s fine), but because the alternative is using Microsoft products.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#85

I mean, ok, fine guys but this is just more empty gestures from a club of empty heads in the GroenLinks/PvdA clown-car. I don't recall that they were against (in fact they were in favour) of the removal of the 30% tax rules intended to attract expats in, among other things, tech businesses. I don't recall that they've ever done or said anything to make the country a more attractive place to start or grow a business o…

The move from home grown solutions to Google/Microsoft cloud services happened under the VVD government some 10 to 15 years ago. The "pro-business", somehow always end up being the "pro giving a big contract to the most compelling lobbyist from the US".

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#86

> Dutch MP Barbara Kathmann, author of four of the motions, told The Register. "If we continue outsourcing all of our digital infrastructure to billionaires that would rather escape Earth by building space rockets, there will be no Dutch expertise left." This kind of casual anti-technology attitude among European politicians is part of the reason we are in this mess.

No. The main reason we got in this mess is because the US is a better market for startups, simply because of the amount of available money, and the fact that it’s easier to start in a market with 340M people who speak the same language.

> because of the amount of available money

And that capital was started by major government investment in semiconductor manufacturing.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#89
It always surprises me that people only act when a problem becomes undeniable, rather than preventing it in the first place. In a country with a voting system and power structure like US, where a single person can abruptly shift the entire nation's direction, this has always been a security flaw for others. It's the same as relying on Russian gas, people pretend the worst can't happen because it would be harmful to everyone, right up until it does.

Re: Dutch Parliament: Time to ditch US tech for homegrown options

#90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Where in the EU?

rn I'm in Poland, where things are still sane. I have tried in Germany as well, and that's just impossible.

Oh, it’s possible in Germany. What problems do you have in Poland?
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