[WhompingWindows]

Do technologists truly operate in a free market? There are rampant anti-competitive practices across tech, I think it's a SV libertarian fantasy that they are in a free market, a fantasy they tell themselves to paper over their squashing of rivals.

[AnthonyMouse]

The job market is very competitive. You don't need anyone's permission to enter it, all you have to do is do good work. Salaries are high due to a combination of massive demand and the fact that it takes a long time to get good at it. Even their stupid collusion attempts are basically fruitless, because the tech market isn't just four colluding companies, there are thousands. You don't have to go from Google to Apple, you can go to Amazon or Red Hat or numerous others, or create your own startup. That number of companies could never secretly collude -- they couldn't even get away with four. Which is why salaries are still high.

The true threat is companies crushing smaller rivals, because that's how in the long term you end up in a situation where there aren't thousands of tech companies because no one can compete without the assent of one of the major ones, and they prefer to destroy you or compete with you or buy you out than let you grow independently. And that's how salaries could fall in the long-term. But you tell people that supporting walled gardens and closed proprietary services could lower their long-term salary and they don't hear you, because they're after the quick buck today.

[scarejunba]

We’re on this forum because we, as little guys, can often beat the big guys at things. It’s more of a free market than most things. Though nothing is a completely unregulated market.