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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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  • 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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    • 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.

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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?

          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?

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            • 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.

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              • 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!

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                • 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

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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?

                    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.

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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?

                      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.

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