incrediBILL - 12:47 am on Dec 27, 2009 (gmt 0)

I recently read this book titled 'A Whole New Mind' by Dan Pink. I would recommend it to anyone here who's concerned about Indians taking over their jobs. The author talks about how left-brained jobs have been outsourced to developing countries and how right-brained work is where the future is for the western world. You have little to fear that India will turn into a nation of internet entrepreneurs.

That's a little outdated thinking because I met a lot of good right-brain workers in India.

Having outsourced to India and been there in the mid-90s I can say that at the time the infrastructure in New Delhi couldn't handle it. Lights going on and off all day, people commuting way out to special work zones, computer gear being tracked by guys with guns at gates, it was a freaky experience.

The engineers were very sharp but nobody had computers at home, most couldn't afford them and those that could might not have phones. One guy had been waiting for a new phone at his new place that was promised in "6 months" and that was over a year ago when I was there. Also, The phones at that time were spotty and bandwidth was VERY slow, I don't even want to think about it.

Things are changing and when the infrastructure catches up where anyone can get a PC and get online it's going to be a new developer paradigm.

But until that fine day when India picks itself up and dusts itself off, the cab driver I had for weeks who was a PhD from the University of London will probably still continue driving a cab.

[edited by: lawman at 4:21 am (utc) on Dec. 27, 2009]