Changing Times

Dear Linux Magazine Reader,

Pollsters, pundits, economists, taxonomists, hackers, trackers, analysts, and panelists have all suggested that maybe the economy isn't doing so well. No one is really sure how long it will last, but many of us have the feeling we've seen this before. Just when you think you've figured it all out, the business cycle swings around again.

The fact of a surge or a downturn is only part of the story – actually, it is a very small part. The real story is, what does everybody do now? How will businesses react, and how will this reaction affect other businesses? The tendency is always to assume catastrophe, but in every crisis is opportunity. Our curious corner of the IT field will be especially interesting to watch in the coming year.

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