This Weblog is Being Sent Overseas

Technology journalist Vivek Seal

For the next week, I've outsourced this weblog to Vivek Seal, 23, a technology reporter for Global Services in New Delhi, India.

Seal recently posted a comment here touting the benefits of outsourcing:

If a person from Bangalore is able to do a job in less than half the cost and with more efficiency then that rationally a best thing for all the parties around it. No matter what. ...
All I wanna say is give India a chance to improve this world.

We hear a lot of dire statements in the U.S. about how our jobs and our standard of living are being lost to workers overseas, especially in technology. Seal covers this trend and is in part an embodiment of it, working in journalism for a media company that's partially based in the U.S.

As a technology writer and programmer, I'm facing competition in both fields from Seal and the people he covers in India.

Since he believes in outsourcing, I decided to give him a chance to make his case directly to an American audience by outsourcing this weblog.

He's not being paid for the work and has full editorial license to write about anything he likes, since anyone who reads Workbench has absolutely no idea what I'm going to cover. If you have any questions for Seal, please use the comments on this weblog.

Programming · Politics · Outsourcing · 2006/05/30 · 11 COMMENTS · Link

Comments

"He's not being paid for the work..."

That's the problem with outsourcing...they do the work for FREAKING NOTHING, thereby undercutting my lazy American ass.

#1 · David K. · 2006/05/30

Rogers, is this part of some elaborate Mary-for-Shreya wife-swapping scheme?

#2 · Bourne · 2006/05/30

Love it love it love it love it. Love. It.

Vivek Seal, tell us a fuckin' story already. Make it weird.

#3 · Uncle Mikey · 2006/05/30

I think we all should invade the comments of Uncle Mikey's blog and wreak havoc.

#4 · Raj · 2006/05/31

Please do, I love me some havoc.

#5 · Uncle Mikey · 2006/05/31

As a technology writer and programmer, I'm facing competition in both fields from Seal and the people he covers in India.

I realize programming is being sent overseas, but the kind of writing you do as well -- the java books and the like?

#6 · Colin · 2006/05/31

"Prejudices are what fools use for reason."

#7 · Voltaire · 2006/06/01

I realize programming is being sent overseas, but the kind of writing you do as well -- the java books and the like?

The competition has been more significant in online training for computer programming topics than in books, thus far, but some of the work is moving overseas. You can write a computer book from anywhere.

I've had the prejudice that American readers respond better to American writers, especially on titles where you have more license to crack jokes and have some fun with cultural references and the like.

But I suspect that's what anyone tells themselves in the face of this kind of competition, regardless of profession.

#8 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2006/06/01

Well let's see what the kid has under his hood of writing for Rogers for a week.

#9 · Jeff · 2006/06/02

Outsourcing controversy aside, I think this is a first and a very interesting idea.

Good luck.

#10 · The Desi Nole · 2006/06/02

In the US, a CMM level 5 rating is rarely achieved by US companies; yet companies with that rating abound in India and it looks suspect. Also, a friend of mine from India, living here, is himself against outsourcing. When asked why he stated that it is very corrupt over there. You can buy certifications. So called degrees can be obtained by start up colleges which spring up everywhere. In my own job, we have had to complete redo the work done by a company in India. There is no code re-use and the code is barely maintainable. And they argue if you try to make them do it the correct way.

#11 · A Concerned Programmer · 2007/02/20