Re: "the costly issue of technical debt"
There is a current myth that it's cash debt ( borrowing) that lumbers the future generations with debts. Not that they won't have that debt, they will. But that the alternative somehow won't.
But a technical or infrastructure debt is still a debt. And often not paying for stuff now means much greater costs later, or along the lines.
Every computer or programme that is overdue for something more efficient is creating that debt. One day it will have to be paid for and it will likely cost more, as well as having been inefficient and wasteful in the meantime.
Every road unrepaired gets worse as well as slowing/damaging cars and increasing pollution.
Every school roof and leaky window left unrepaired will eventually need much more work, damage infrastructure.
Every hospital and school built on the cheap is a debt for the next generation, when they start to break down and need expensive repairs or replacement.
Every kid left hungry through poor benefits and crap school meals will perform worse, get poorer grades, have worse health and cost the country much much more because they are the next generation of workers and parents.
Cutting the NHS bursary for healthcare students isn't a saving, because the NHS will have to pay far more to recruit staff for decades to come.
And so on. All these are the debts that don't appear on balance sheets. But more to the point don't figure in any commentary that starts with "we can't pass on our debts to the next generation". Because we are passing them on to the next generation. just not in cash
Biting the hand that feeds IT
