Around here OCLC (Columbus, OH - where it's headquartered) is known as a place developers go to retire. Pretty good pay, flex time, good benefits and a sweet campus. Their time tables are also huge so it's a good place to go if you don't mind taking your good old time finishing projects. I cannot really comment on anything else, although the few people I've known to work there enjoy it. Personally I think the slow timetables would drive me up a wall.
one of your main issues has been addressed. As for the other, it's true that the OCLC shouldn't view itself as a for-profit entity that needs lock-in to survive when all of its member organizations are non-profits for good reason.
That all being said, I think WorldCat is a great product, and when you consider that most libraries use SirsiDynix or some other horrible on-line catalog, it's not too surprising that the people at OCLC don't trust libraries to make good IT decisions for themselves.
As far as your own product (Open Library) goes, I think it looks nice, but I guess I don't understand the benefits very well.
