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Technology Stocks : Applied Materials No-Politics Thread (AMAT) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Big Bucks who wrote (7560)	10/16/2003 4:45:10 PM
From: Ira Player	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 25522

BB, As frictions are reduced, the placement of manufacturing becomes more arbitrary to the business owner. "Frictions" as used above, are any costs or delays between manufacturing steps. Many components of "High Tech" equipment have high cost and value. Many systems houses use local sources for the components to minimize the cycle time. As transit times become shorter and more consistent, where something is made becomes less important and lower cost, but more distant, sources can be considered. The continued outsourcing to less expensive countries will accelerate, not reverse. Please note that "friction" has reduced for the higher level work as well. With improved software for requirement tracking/verification, it is becoming more reliable to outsource even the design aspects of these complex systems. Many of the jobs lost in this current downturn will NOT be returned to US Engineers when a turn around happens. This is a paradigm shift, not a short term aberration. Just my humble opinion. Ira

To: Big Bucks who wrote (7560)	10/17/2003 9:17:06 AM
From: robert b furman	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 25522

HI Big Bucks, You mean like they have in Mexico and Now S Korea. This is globalization. In the big picture,it assures leadership in the bigger market. Isolation may curtail the local decline ,but has terrible long term effects. Best example is domestic TV makers - there are none.They all were eliminated by union wage restrictions. I don't know about you,but I started working at the age of 19.My jobs were U.A.W. auto manufacturing jobs.They were dirty,loud and dangerous.This crap about manufacturing jobs being important is just that. If I had children they'd be darn sure headed for a quality education.One that would assure they wouldn't be headed for those "important "manufacturing jobs" you so dearly desire. Manufacturing is desirable only in lead tech situations.The growing third world will gladly take our historical role.This is a win win as they have lower costs of labor and the desire to damage their environment over our protected by legislation environment. Right or wrong our laws have made doing business in the U.S.A. cost prohibitive. You just can't have it both ways - It's not that easy. There are trade offs and we all need to adjust our thinking,cause the shift from manufacturing is inevitable. The news media likes to jump on this issue and make it sound alarming. It is not alarming - it is a very healthy and desirable evolution. Better get used to it - it is here to stay. JMHO Bob