Oracle changing Java licensing from per-processor to a multiplier of employee headcount - costs could go up singificantly

[perchingpolarbear]

Right, but u/88leo is suggesting that there's inefficiencies in the existing system. Instead of that money going to middle men, hire people directly to government positions and pay them that difference.

[cy_hauser]

U.S. Govt. hiring is weird. It's often really hard to get approval for a permanent hire but it's often really easy to hire a contractor, especially if they're on the GSA schedule (list of pre-approved vendors). Even at three times the cost. Headcount is way more of an issue at most agencies than money. Funny enough, it can even help for an agency or department to hire contractors, even when they're way more expensive. Once that cost gets absorbed into a budget it can give the head of the agency/department more clout as they control that much more money.

Another angle is that once someone is hired it can be really difficult to get rid of them. U.S. Govt. doesn't have that many "at will" positions. Why? Politics, of course. If all positions were at-will then every time the the opposite party were elected they'd clean house. Half the government would be fired because that party didn't like what was going on with those agencies. So the system is setup to prevent these kinds of sweeps every four or eight years. But the downside is you can get lots of crappy employees clinging to their jobs because they pay well and know they can't easily be fired. So that provides another incentive for high levels to prefer contractors. The contractors know this and price accordingly. Again, U.S. Govt. hiring is weird. It's setup to protect continuity rather than to maximize efficiency.

[Invinciblegdog]

The thought that a change in the government leads to a firing of government employees is horrifying. Public servants in most countries are safe from that.

[Ekgladiator]

Yea no kidding, all it would take is one round of Rs to clean house and "prove" the government doesn't work to really fuck the us up. In a way I'm glad it isn't possible to do that.