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Andy Grove has died

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Re: Andy Grove has died

#71

Post by samstave »

gogopuppygogo wrote: post #32
jmspring wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like early Intel and HP higher ups were more in tune with egalitarianism as well not being aloof or unapproachable. The Moore foundation has been an amazing charity. Here in Santa Cruz, Andy Grove built a house out on one of the streets near the beach between Santa Cruz and Capitola. He worked with neighbors (according to local press) to not be out of place in the design, etc. Contrast that with Zuckerberg a…

Gates also is known for having built a home that stood out. It's not about the era its about the person.

In 1994 when I lived in Seattle I recall hearing how gates place in Medina was reviled by craftsman as he had hired some of the top of their field to do various things but was too picky. I recall that his entry way to the house was built by some master wood crafter, but gates was not happy with this mans work on several iterations; the guy was basically doing "once-in-a-lifetime" work and gates would have him tear it out and restart... More than twice.

I don't know how true that is, but that was the story at the time.

Other than that, I got a speeding ticket for going 26 in a 25 mph zone very near his house and was super upset at how lame that was.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#72

Post by setpatchaddress »

jmspring wrote: post #50
gogopuppygogo wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gates also is known for having built a home that stood out. It's not about the era its about the person.

There was much fan fare over all the technology Bill Gates put into his house. It was interesting to read, especially in the context of home automation these days. I worked with people who helped Jim Clark with some of his home automation in the early/mid 2000s. My point in general was I think the Silicon Valley elders of old, Grove, Moore, Packards (I know multiple individuals who benefitted from the Packard Childre…

I think this is viewing the past with rose-tinted glasses. I recall the same exact complaints being leveled at the 1980's tech generation.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#73

Post by mooreds »

applecore wrote: post #36

Grove's High Output Management is highly recommended. It's a masterpiece of management theory and practice. http://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp...

I am enjoying reading High Output Management as well. If you like that, you might enjoy this intro to the new version from Ben Horowitz:

http://www.bhorowitz.com/high-output-management

Re: Andy Grove has died

#74

Post by Grishnakh »

p4wnc6 wrote: post #35
jacquesm wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're taking a sympathetic act and you're twisting it out of proportion just so you can promote your hobby horse. I don't personally like cubicles either but I'd far prefer the managers of the company to dogfood what they believe is best for their employees rather than that they create a better situation for themselves. If you don't understand why if every manager did that you might actually achieve your goal then t…

Bloomberg, a company famous for an executive who expressed this same "down in the trenches" preference for cubicles, famously does not have offices. Far from their "egalitarian" culture leading to acceptable working conditions over time, it has only enshrined the idea that no one, ever, may have an office. It is much better that some people have offices even if not all do, for then at least there can be a path to ear…

I think you're missing the point with Bloomberg. The whole idea with that place is that they don't like offices: they don't want anyone to have one because they think offices are a bad thing. They think people work better in one big giant, open, noisy room. A bunch of companies these days have bought into this philosophy, and a bunch of young hipsters think it's great.

So Blooomberg hasn't eliminated offices to try to oppress people as you're implying, or because of any egalitarian ideals, they've done it because they genuinely think it improves productivity. You and I probably agree that this is incorrect, but we're not Michael Bloomberg. I know that I would hate working in that environment, but I know about it so I don't apply for any jobs at Bloomberg. Many of the people who work there probably actually like it that way; extroverted people like very different environments than introverts.

I used to work at Intel back when we had 8x9 cubicles, and now, after various different jobs and different working conditions, I now think it was one of the best work environments I've ever had. I briefly had a walled office at one place and that was nice too. But the 8x9 cubicles were pretty good; we had "do not disturb" signs we could hang across the entrance to keep people from bothering us, and things were generally pretty quiet and I could concentrate and work and not have to see people all the time. After that, things went downhill: cubicles got smaller, then the walls got shorter, they went away altogether, as companies jumped on the "open plan work space" concept to various degrees.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#75

Post by rdli »

klenwell wrote: post #70
applecore wrote: post #36

Grove's High Output Management is highly recommended. It's a masterpiece of management theory and practice. http://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp...

I was going through a difficult period at work last year and picked up High Output Management on the recommendation of a thread I came across somewhere here on HN. It didn't help save my job. But it did help me see what competent management looks like and helped me preserve a bit of my sanity. One thing that struck me as emblematic of Grove's generous and effective management style is that nowhere in the book does he…

Ben Horowitz talks about letting people go in The Hard Things About Hard Things. Really a great book in its own right.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#76

Post by jmspring »

cant_kant wrote: post #64
jmspring wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems like early Intel and HP higher ups were more in tune with egalitarianism as well not being aloof or unapproachable. The Moore foundation has been an amazing charity. Here in Santa Cruz, Andy Grove built a house out on one of the streets near the beach between Santa Cruz and Capitola. He worked with neighbors (according to local press) to not be out of place in the design, etc. Contrast that with Zuckerberg a…

"Maybe it was just a different time." Ellison's 200 million dollar house set on 23 acres, suggests that selective memory might be playing a role.

I didn't say all. Ellison likes to engage in public endeavors like the America's Cup. One reason Jim Clark wanted Netscape to go public was to cover the cost of his Yacht being built at the time.

There are certainly those that benefitted from the 90s boom that aren't particularly ... humble... in the sense as I mentioned Moore, Grove, Packards, etc.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#78

Post by mratzloff »

samstave wrote: post #71
gogopuppygogo wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gates also is known for having built a home that stood out. It's not about the era its about the person.

In 1994 when I lived in Seattle I recall hearing how gates place in Medina was reviled by craftsman as he had hired some of the top of their field to do various things but was too picky. I recall that his entry way to the house was built by some master wood crafter, but gates was not happy with this mans work on several iterations; the guy was basically doing "once-in-a-lifetime" work and gates would have him tear it…

It's Medina. You got a ticket for being in Medina and not being a resident. The speed was merely incidental.

Re: Andy Grove has died

#80

Post by PakG1 »

johnnyg wrote: post #22

High Output Management has dramatically improved the culture, communication and output of our company. I live a better life because of what this man learned and passed on. Thanks Mr. Grove, you are a giant.

Your comment just made me go purchase the book. Thanks.
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