Outsourcing video game design reduces nuclear threat, says UK gov

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

...... Forwarded Message .......
From: Rupert Goodwins <rupert.goodwins () zdnet co uk>
To: "'dave () farber net'" <dave () farber net>
Date: Fri, 03 Sep 2004 11:41:14 -0400 (EDT)
Subj: Outsourcing video game design reduces nuclear threat, says UK gov

Date: Thu, 2 Sep 2004 20:38:29 +0200 
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Hi, Dave

Here's a story you might like to pass on to the IP list - the UK =
Department of Trade and Industry is suggesting in all seriousness that =
outsourcing video game development to Russian nuclear scientists will =
help keep them from selling out to bad people.=20

Presumably we can expect hyper-realistic explosions in Duke Nukem XII.=20

(The UK has a very active and lucrative video game industry and it's =
curious that the DTI is so keen to deskill local workers and move work =
abroad.)


Rupert Goodwins, technology ed., ZDNet UK

--------------------------------------------------

http://news.zdnet.co.uk/business/employment/0,39020648,39165398,00.htm

"The DTI is hoping to keep Russian nuclear scientists from spreading =
weapons secrets by employing them as software engineers=20
 =20
The UK government is hoping an ambitious scheme to outsource UK =
software development to former Russian nuclear scientists will =
encourage the weapons experts to remain in-situ rather than seek work =
with foreign governments or terrorist networks.

As part of the scheme, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has =
flown over six of the former scientists to meet with UK game industry =
representatives at the European Games Network show in London's =
Docklands.=20


It is hoped the scientists' background in physics and advanced maths =
will attract UK companies after the cutting-edge programming skills =
required for many of today's advanced games.


"Games software designers today are looking for increasingly =
sophisticated programmers with backgrounds in physics and advanced =
maths. These are exactly the kind of skills these former nuclear =
weapons scientists have who need to find ways to use their skills in =
peaceful pursuits," said trade and industry minister Nigel Griffith.


Mark Allington, business manager for AEA technology, the company =
charged by the DTI to mediate between the scientists and the UK =
companies, claims the Russian's software expertise is a direct result =
of the 1996 Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty which forbade any nuclear =
testing -- forcing the governments to rely on software simulations.


"Coming from Russia, these guys have been used to using quite low-spec =
kit so are very adept at creating super-efficient code with lots of =
clever short-cuts," said Allington.


Flying over the six scientists is part of the DTI's =A36m UK-Russia =
Closed Nuclear Cities Partnership (CNCP) programme which forms part of =
larger $20bn initiative by G8 countries to counter proliferation of =
nuclear material.=20


According to the DTI, changes in Russian defence policy is expected to =
lead to around 15,000 job losses in 10 of the country's so-called =
closed nuclear cities over the next five years, with more likely to go =
in the next decade.=20


The cities - Seversk, Sarov, Zheleznogorsk, Zelenogorsk, Zarechny, =
Novouralsk, Lesnoy, Ozersk, Snezhinsk and Trekhgorny - once home to =
some of the finest mathematicians and physicists in the country, have =
faced severe unemployment problems following the collapse of the Soviet =
Union in 1990.





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