David Van Couvering 's Blog

Technology as a positive force

You may have read my blog about my concerns around technology. At the same time, I also believe that if you are conscious and committed and vigilant about how you use it, technology can be a huge enabler for helping make a difference in people's lives. That was actually one of the key reasons I chose computers as a career path when I first started in the mid-eighties.

I think I'm not alone in this belief, nor in the desire to make a difference and not just working for The Man.

One person who is on this wavelength is James Governor of Redmonk. A few weeks ago he blogged about Shai Agassi leaving SAP to work full-time on providing an infrastructure for electric cars. In it he says

Shai may have just tired of the shackles of SAP’s success. The future of the planet is surely a more important Dip than the success of SAP. Like many in the emerging green economics Shai is setting out to save the world or get rich(er) trying.

This blog got me thinking about how more and more people at fairly high levels in the tech industry are seeing they have a duty and obligation to try and turn things around, while not sacrificing the more mundane goals of keeping bread on the table.

Then last night at the Apache Derby BOF, James was telling some of us about his plans to kick off a social networking site dedicated to helping the environment, and today he announced it!.

This is great stuff, and I think we'll see more of this as we in the tech industry become increasingly aware of the gravity of the situation we're in. I know I'm thinking about this, and I hope to find some way to use my skills to make a difference while still fulfilling my (very joyful) duties as the provider for my family. So, stay tuned, and maybe some day you'll see me make an announcement like James' :)

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