why we have nothing to hide

In my last blog text I promised to tell you more about my new video-rig. After I wrote that, however, I started to think that my technical solution is so good that I shouldn’t put it on a public site, instead I should keep it secret to get a competitive edge. But this line of thought made me realise something that I have observed in my line of business: its impossible to hide your technical solutions because you rely on too many people knowing and using it.

As a freelance-engineer I work for different companies, and often I do the same job for competing companies. If I work for a company who has found a unique way to produce a concert or event, how can they avoid that I steal their ideas and use it in my next job for a competing company? Im not sure they can, and Im not sure they want to either: its probably better for them to get their ideas spread so that they are more likely to get hold of a freelancer who can get the job done. And if a competitor buys the same equipment it may not be so bad for business: then they have another place to sub-hire when they get a big job which requires more equipment. This leads to a situation where a lot of the same equipment is used everywhere, and the way I work as a freelancer doesn’t really change much depending on which company I work for.

I see therefore no reason to hide my video-setup. In another blogpost I will tell you all about it.