As for the downturn, I've been through these
before, and tempermentally may be more suited to a downturn than an up.
Linux just keeps getting stronger through all of this, even as a
business. I'm promoting it as a cost-saver. ;-) The business is the
same; but the clients have changed. The start-up culture is dead but there
is so much inefficiency and overspending still for software et al in so
many places, that there is plenty of business for the enterprising free
software zealot. If I were not so dedicated to contemplation, I would have
a roaring business.
It will take years for the smoke and mirrors culture of the big
proprietary vendors to die, and until then lots of little free software
business will make money off of clearing the air. And doing a good thing
at the same time. Fancy that.
I've been reading quite a bit as usual, and have been exploring some very
interesting things, both on and off of Linux.
The new Enron clouds are going to be particularly devastating to a round
of already on the ropes companies who have used "creative" accounting to
keep themselves afloat, so the bloodbath will continue. Fascinating.