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Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

nytimes.com

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Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#51

Post by kolbe »

twblalock wrote: post #46
kolbe wrote: post #41

Sorry to be crass, but fuck this. I hate Travis's attitude as much as anyone, but no man who has achieved something as great as Uber deserves to go out like this--at the hands of some board members who rode his coat tail to riches. Reminds me of Apple marginalizing Steve Jobs. Fuck that. I want to see Travis face up to his immoral bullshit as much as anyone, but by Lyft pummeling Uber into the ground, not some coward…

The board didn't ride his coattails -- the board's money is the reason the company still exists. Your argument about "coattails," and your Steve Jobs example, make it seem like you believe that a company exists for the benefit of its founders. That's true if the entire company is the founders in a garage making things, but it all changes once the company takes outside investment -- after that, the company exists for…

If you think my argument is that the board doesn't have the legal right to do this, then you're very much misinterpreting my rant.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#52

Post by stingrae »

wayn3 wrote: post #44
eropple wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So this isn't snark: explain to me what Uber's done that's "great"? They burn VC money in a trash bin in pursuit of a business model that looks totally nonviable unless one achieves a monopolistic position or pays below-minimum-wage rates (as that seems to be what the race to the bottom is for drivers). I'd bet that the overwhelming majority of those board members were rich before Uber and will be rich after Uber dis…

their drivers are the training set for their self driving cars. thats how they want to become profitable.

drivers could be helping make better maps, but I doubt that uber is able to use a cell phone to really create a usable training set for self driving. If every drivers car had cameras and lidar, that would be different.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#53

Post by klfasdf77 »

product50 wrote: post #5
dboreham wrote: post #2

Something wrong about this: someone in power being held accoutable for their incompetence and bad behavior. Or did he just loose some rich people too much money?

What incompetence? This guy built $70B company from scratch in markets which had regulations and very active taxi unions lobbying against the very existence of the company. More importantly, Uber has helped improve the lives of hundreds of millions of commuters across the globe. What have you done lately which is anything close to what Travis built vs. just commenting on a tech forum at his incompetence? Also, it is…

"This guy built"

All on his own, too, yeah? No one else had a hand in it.

"You'll earn what our algorithm says is the appropriate rate."

He basically abused people's need to eat and put a roof over their head. It's more neoliberal capitalism. How incredible!

I'm so glad this guy in SV is fixing problems in my town! In whatever way he decides is appropriate! I fear that when he dies we'll not have a hero knight to come along and save us from the oppression that is taxi service!

Societies oppressors have been defeated!

It's one thing to call people out for straight up nonsense. It's another to peddle nonsense in its place.

Hot forum troll on forum troll action here.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#54

Post by [deleted] »

kolbe wrote: post #47
eropple wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So this isn't snark: explain to me what Uber's done that's "great"? They burn VC money in a trash bin in pursuit of a business model that looks totally nonviable unless one achieves a monopolistic position or pays below-minimum-wage rates (as that seems to be what the race to the bottom is for drivers). I'd bet that the overwhelming majority of those board members were rich before Uber and will be rich after Uber dis…

You can say it's a great waste if you'd like. But it is huge. Ubiquitous. World-changing. Uber will be in history books, whether or not it pans out as a valuable company: we'll see. But it has already earned its greatness, even if said greatness was just burning billions of dollars to transform our world.

[deleted]

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#55

Post by tawawern »

kolbe wrote: post #41

Sorry to be crass, but fuck this. I hate Travis's attitude as much as anyone, but no man who has achieved something as great as Uber deserves to go out like this--at the hands of some board members who rode his coat tail to riches. Reminds me of Apple marginalizing Steve Jobs. Fuck that. I want to see Travis face up to his immoral bullshit as much as anyone, but by Lyft pummeling Uber into the ground, not some coward…

> I want to see Travis face up to his immoral bullshit as much as anyone, but by Lyft pummeling Uber into the ground

Why? What immoral bullshit?

Lyft is basically free-riding off Uber. Uber does the heavy lifting taking on the entrenched taxi companies who have insulated themselves from competition via local politics and regulation and Lyft swoops in once the hard work is done, trying to convince customers who have bought into the media narrative that they are the ethical alternative to Uber. I don't buy this narrative. These journalists have a vendetta against Travis that is not in my view reasonable. I will continue to use Uber if only to spite the press.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#56

Post by kolbe »

frgtpsswrdlame wrote: post #50
kolbe wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can say it's a great waste if you'd like. But it is huge. Ubiquitous. World-changing. Uber will be in history books, whether or not it pans out as a valuable company: we'll see. But it has already earned its greatness, even if said greatness was just burning billions of dollars to transform our world.

Uber is going to burn billions of dollars and what change have they affected with it? That taxi companies now have phone apps?

You mean that we can now relaibly summon them to our location? That we can share rides via similar routes? We can cut out the medallion scam, where capital owners can rent seek off of driver's labor? Optimize routes to more efficienly move people and save energy?

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#57

Post by klfasdf77 »

thanksgiving wrote: post #11
jeffjose wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What have you done lately which is anything close to what Travis built vs. just commenting on a tech forum at his incompetence? At the risk of going on a tangent - isn't this ad hominem? Imagine for a second, someone profoundly successful made the statement OP made. Does your outlook change then?

I'd say no because nobody, not even Sergei and Larry, not even the devil incarnate at the database company, not anyone in silicon valley has done what Travis and his team have done. I was never a fan of ubers because like Dropbox I thought it was too simplistic and too easily replaceable. I've become more wary of the anti uber propaganda lately. I'm more suspicious of the press than ever. When I read some news all I…

Oh please. There's a economic framework here that gave him a huge leg up. And the company wasn't built overnight by himself. How hard is it to prop yourself up on stimulants and push other people to achieve your goals?

I've worked alongside CEOs like this. They're not doing anything that's key to the process. They're just a blowhard personality everyone respects out of fear.

It's required the same old story: exploitation of people with less. In this case drivers who have little leverage to negotiate. "You'll be paid what our secret algorithm says is the proper rate and like it!."

This isn't some miracle. It's "more capitalism". The hero worship in this thread is creepy.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#58

Post by rtx »

watwut wrote: post #28
dismantlethesun wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does all this begin with the premise that law-breaking is by necessity immoral?

No, I don't think that all law-breaking is by necessity immoral. People who broke the law and printed illegal literature in soviet block are heroes. Or people who helped runaway slaves. Eduard Snowden broke the law and I find it perfectly fine. If you don't stop at stop sign on bicycle, I don't find it particularly immoral. However, law-breaking in order to get ahead of business competition is far away from the above…

People saving me from being scammed are also heroes.

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#59

Post by klfasdf77 »

noway421 wrote: post #20
watwut wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would much rather celebrated people who having choice between gain and morality choose morality. Uber behavior made it harder for less law breaking less immoral to succeed for a time. "Being ruthless" is not double edged sword - it is simply unethical behavior that gives you advantage. That is all there is to it. More ethical CEOs face challenges too, pretty much the same challenges.

It's not necessarily that Travis acknowledges that he acts immoral. After all, he was always talking about fighting unjust and greedy taxi companies who are robbing their customers. Surely he slipped with the whole UberX and driver's pay going way to low, but that was a necessary measure against Lyft taking up the untapped market. Would be interesting to hear how he feels about that whole thing and whether he regrets…

"After all, he was always talking about fighting unjust and greedy taxi companies who are robbing their customers."

Thank God this hero has shown up to put an end to the source of institutional oppression in our society!

How did he come by this marvelous victory, I wonder?

Oh, by being a manipulative, misogynistic, selfish asshole. How wonderful!

Re: Uber Board to Discuss CEO Absence, Policy Changes: Source

#60

Post by rtx »

SimbaOnSteroids wrote: post #30
thanksgiving wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say no because nobody, not even Sergei and Larry, not even the devil incarnate at the database company, not anyone in silicon valley has done what Travis and his team have done. I was never a fan of ubers because like Dropbox I thought it was too simplistic and too easily replaceable. I've become more wary of the anti uber propaganda lately. I'm more suspicious of the press than ever. When I read some news all I…

For what it's worth anti-Uber propaganda wouldn't have rung true for me nearly as well had a friend not driven for Uber and reported back how little he got payed. I know my story is an anecdote but I can't help but feel that it's not an uncommon experience for drivers to feel taken advantage of or that the anti-Uber propaganda wouldn't be nearly as effective if their most visible public faces didn't feel used by the…

Can you share some numbers, what did your friend make.
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