Ben Russell on Tue, 8 Jan 2002 11:56:01 +0100 (CET) |
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[Nettime-bold] new oroville "U.S. Tech Town Rises in India" |
http://www.acm.org/technews/articles/2002-4/0107m.html#item2 "U.S. Tech Town Rises in India" Wall Street Journal (01/07/02) P. A13; Swisher, Kara A group of former Microsoft programmers has embarked on an ambitious project to build a self-sufficient community of software makers in rural India. Formed in 1999 by Swain Porter, Catalytic Software has had to contend with the usual problems of securing funds, employees, and outsourcing contracts while also dealing with the quirky environment of its southern Indian locale. The community, called New Oroville, aims to provide bargain software using a combination of less expensive Indian labor and high American standards. New Oroville, located near the tech center of Hyderabad, is designed to feature thousands of geodesic domes for programmers, a recreation center, and an electric-recycling communications grid. About 12 domes are almost complete, and the company currently boasts 35 employees. Former Microsoft executive Eric Engstrom has contributed over $1 million in principal funding to the Catalytic project, while his U.S.-based software ventures have supplied the fledgling company with its first contracts. Some $2 million has been spent on Catalytic so far, with an additional $2 million in funding expected. The company is on track to turn a profit despite the economic downturn, but the next challenge will be garnering work from companies not associated with investors. Ben www.headmap.com location aware devices . nomads . mapping sex . future architecture [life without buildings] . human geography . hyp(g)nosis . esoteric energy intelligence . community schisms . waypoints . psychogeography . community and spatial interfaces _______________________________________________ Nettime-bold mailing list Nettime-bold@nettime.org http://amsterdam.nettime.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/nettime-bold