Fear Factor
Tim Bray spoke to a packed room (highlights) about what best to do in times of financial worry in order to stay happy and prosper. It basically comes down to agility, and being able to quickly adapt. For companies, that means no large up-front expenditure, no long-term projects (with nothing to show until the end). For individuals, and in particular developers, it means not tying yourselves religiously to any particular technology or niche - in his words ‘web developer’ is enough of a classification, getting any more specific is dangerous.
He thinks that there will be a lot of demand for improved regulatory technology, as well as a continued (or even increased) need for apps that help people with the things they can’t help but do - their basic needs.