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  3. Why are americans so good at software engineering?

Why are americans so good at software engineering?

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  • D [email protected]

    Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

    Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

    American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

    Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

    Why?

    jewbacca117@lemmy.worldJ This user is from outside of this forum
    jewbacca117@lemmy.worldJ This user is from outside of this forum
    [email protected]
    wrote last edited by
    #8

    Excuse me, have you ever heard of Microsoft?

    trinsec@piefed.socialT 1 Reply Last reply
    4
    • A [email protected]

      I'm not certain I agree that they are exceptional.

      Two-thirds of Silicon Valley tech workers are foreign-born, new report reveals

      • https://www.siliconvalley.com/2025/03/11/two-thirds-of-silicon-valley-tech-workers-foreign-new-report/
      nymnympseudonym@lemmy.worldN This user is from outside of this forum
      nymnympseudonym@lemmy.worldN This user is from outside of this forum
      [email protected]
      wrote last edited by
      #9

      This. I am a Silicon Valley manager, been hiring & managing teams for 25 years. For the same budget I can bring on 1 developer in California, vs 2-3 in Mexico or India.

      TBH the quality of engineer has very little to do with their nationality. It has a lot more to do with what school they went to. It depends most on how much fire 🔥 is in their belly.

      1 Reply Last reply
      1
      • D [email protected]

        Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

        Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

        American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

        Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

        Why?

        vanth@reddthat.comV This user is from outside of this forum
        vanth@reddthat.comV This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #10

        Could you please provide some examples of the software you have in mind that leads you to believe Americans are uniquely good at it?

        1 Reply Last reply
        1
        • A [email protected]

          I'm not certain I agree that they are exceptional.

          Two-thirds of Silicon Valley tech workers are foreign-born, new report reveals

          • https://www.siliconvalley.com/2025/03/11/two-thirds-of-silicon-valley-tech-workers-foreign-new-report/
          sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
          sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
          [email protected]
          wrote last edited by
          #11

          But how many are Americans (presumable some have gone out and gotten citizenship)? I think there is something to be said for the kind of people we attract to the country. Lots of them are really talented.

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          0
          • D [email protected]

            Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

            Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

            American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

            Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

            Why?

            R This user is from outside of this forum
            R This user is from outside of this forum
            [email protected]
            wrote last edited by
            #12

            Infrastructure is a domestic problem. Software is global.

            From what I understand, the US had poor transit infrastructure because of a combination of having most of the population scattered across a few metropolitan areas within a huge territory, problems with funding because transit-related decisions are made at a local instead of federal level, cheap gas (compared to the rest of the world), and lobbying from the automobile industry.

            The culture in the US encourages, or at least encouraged, entrepreneurship. It invested heavily in software research and development since the beginning and had access to brilliant minds from around the world to contribute to that, and they had the advantage of early entry to that market.

            Software affects the world beyond the US, and it follows that there is more profit to be made there than from investment in transit infrastructure. Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong or missing any points.

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            • D [email protected]

              Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

              Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

              American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

              Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

              Why?

              S This user is from outside of this forum
              S This user is from outside of this forum
              [email protected]
              wrote last edited by [email protected]
              #13

              Because we have or had a relatively free market that attracts talent and isn’t overly burdensome to operate a business in.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • D [email protected]

                Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

                Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

                American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

                Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

                Why?

                sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                [email protected]
                wrote last edited by
                #14

                Unpopular opinion: Immigration probably has a lot to do with it. Tech pays really well and they can recruit talent from across the globe (and bring them together in the US). You don't hear too much about infrastructure or manufacturing industries recruiting on top talent from across the globe (they do rely on them for staffing shortages, but they are not seeking them out the same way tech scours the globe for employees).

                sanctus@lemmy.worldS 1 Reply Last reply
                2
                • D [email protected]

                  Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

                  Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

                  American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

                  Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

                  Why?

                  7 This user is from outside of this forum
                  7 This user is from outside of this forum
                  [email protected]
                  wrote last edited by
                  #15

                  Are they?

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • jewbacca117@lemmy.worldJ [email protected]

                    Excuse me, have you ever heard of Microsoft?

                    trinsec@piefed.socialT This user is from outside of this forum
                    trinsec@piefed.socialT This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #16

                    My thoughts exactly, it's gone pretty much to shit lately. Even Google disappoints more often nowadays.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    1
                    • U [email protected]

                      That's the one strength the US has ever had, immigration. So many inventions and industries exist because of immigrants. Most times it was in the face of rampant descrimination, segregation, violence, and attempts to shut them down or take it from them. It was the only part of the civic religion they indoctrinated us with as children that wasn't complete bullshit.

                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      R This user is from outside of this forum
                      [email protected]
                      wrote last edited by
                      #17

                      So what you're saying is: ThEy ToOk OuR JaRbS!

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • sunbrrnslapper@lemmy.worldS [email protected]

                        Unpopular opinion: Immigration probably has a lot to do with it. Tech pays really well and they can recruit talent from across the globe (and bring them together in the US). You don't hear too much about infrastructure or manufacturing industries recruiting on top talent from across the globe (they do rely on them for staffing shortages, but they are not seeking them out the same way tech scours the globe for employees).

                        sanctus@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                        sanctus@lemmy.worldS This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by [email protected]
                        #18

                        Not even unpopular. Lady Liberty herself says so on her plaque. That whole thing about the melting pot, too.

                        Edit: it is less popular today amongst chuds

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        1
                        • D [email protected]

                          Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

                          Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

                          American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

                          Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

                          Why?

                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          T This user is from outside of this forum
                          [email protected]
                          wrote last edited by
                          #19

                          I don’t think they’re exceptional but I think they have the resources to try things other countries simply can’t. Individuals from different countries are particularly exceptional but if you look through history all the inventions are artistic creations have always come from the countries with the most disposable income / resources.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • D [email protected]

                            Americans are terrible at building transit infrastructure. They struggle to build basic metro extensions for the New York subway. California is still struggling to build high speed rail. Any infrastructure project is always extraordinarily expensive and slow.

                            Americans are terrible at urbanism. Their road design is a disaster.

                            American struggle at manufacturing. Their cars simply aren't reliable. They are a joke. They struggle to make computer chips. Intel is failing. Both Biden and Trump asked TSMC to come to the US

                            Yet americans are exceptionally good at software

                            Why?

                            C This user is from outside of this forum
                            C This user is from outside of this forum
                            [email protected]
                            wrote last edited by
                            #20

                            America makes doing real things hard, and imaginary things easy.

                            1 Reply Last reply
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