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Why I left Google to join Grab

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Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#151

Post by distances »

18pfsmt wrote: post #126
kinkrtyavimoodh wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It sounds like unions are the new Rust on Hacker News.

I've got many friends in unions (e.g. pipefitters/welders) and based on the stories they tell me, unions need a 21st century reboot. They need a simple platform to organize/communicate digitally. Do you know of anything that exists like that?

I feel there's a clear difference how people see unions in the US vs. in Europe. I don't have much insight in to the differences, but it would be nice to hear why that is so.

I'm a proponent of strong unions with generally binding collective agreements (= collective agreements defining legally binding minimum terms for the whole industry), but I suppose the model won't work everywhere for one reason or another.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#152

Post by cromwellian »

Innovation these days happens around the edges, not necessarily in big step-function creation of new product categories. We remember those, they suck up all the oxygen and inspire a year of me-too funding of fast followers. You hardly notice it the daily innovcation, when it's happening in small steps. Just look at photo/image search, or improvements in low light photography or portraits, in translation, or voice.

I think Yegge suffers from the same affliction that actually afflicts Google: a reward structure for new launches, not for perfecting what already exists. Google's problem is often not innovating, it's trying to hard to do something innovative, rather than the boring stuff that actually matters to a lot of customers. I think Google Photos is a perfect example of innovation focused on solving the boring stuff. You can say it's an iPhoto clone, but photo storage and backup is a commodity, it's organization and maintenance that's the real consumer pain in that regard.

And as many noted, the irony of the complaint about copying competitors and lack of innovation, and then a feverish, almost religious pitch for yet another O2O gig-economy clone, like the numerous that already exist in China.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#153

Post by sumeno »

mindcrime wrote: post #128
purplezooey wrote: post #13

The only way to stop labor practices that involve abusing workers, not paying a living wage or for healthcare, is to say (as a customer and voter) that you will not tolerate this type of business existing. In other words, if company X can only deliver your low price pizza and Diet Coke via abuse of its workers, then that business should not exist. It's a hard leap to make for many people, but a necessary one.

And for the workers for whom that "abuse" is better than the other options? If I have a choice between dying in the street of starvation, or working in a hot kitchen for $2.00 /hour, no healthcare, no breaks, etc., would you deny me that chance to make $2.00 / hour? If so, all I can say is "who the hell do you think you are?"

As a society we shouldn't make people choose between the two. That's why we have things like a social safety net and minimum wage.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#154

Post by AzzieElbab »

gamblor956 wrote: post #114
AzzieElbab wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You must have never visited a kitchen of a small restaurant if you honestly think hygiene regulations are something real and enforceable

Hygiene regulations don't require visible cleanliness (i.e., clean dishes and sparkling floors), they require hygienic practices and workplaces. The big things are storing and cooking food properly, making sure that employees clean themselves and the kitchen in a proper manner, and controlling pests like rats and roaches (which is 90% accomplished by the first two). Everything beyond that is negotiable. LA County, fo…

what about cutting meat and occasionally some salad on the same board? that never happens in a busy kitchen, right? totally enforceable too

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#155

Post by shoover »

reuven wrote: post #23

Steve Yegge's writing, whether on technology or business (or both), is always delightful to read. If he can start to write more now that he's no longer at Google, then I'm happy not just for him and his new job, but also for the rest of us, who can (hopefully) hear his voice much more often.

My hope, as well. I don't care what he writes about. It's all fun and I will carve out the time it takes to read. The longer the better.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#156

Post by zeveb »

mindcrime wrote: post #134
lazerpants wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with you, mostly, but the profit motive does incentivize riskier behavior here. Example: If I am having people over for dinner and accidentally leave out shellfish for too long, I can toss the expensive ingredient and just order pizza or anything else. If I depended on that shellfish to make a living, I would almost certainly risk using it.

Fair enough, but there's still a limit to how far you're going to push that line, no? Because a. deep down you're a human being and you don't really want to kill anybody and b. pragmatically you know if you get a reputation for killing customers (or making them sick) your customers will go elsewhere.

Well, Typhoid Mary was an actually woman who didn't care.

But yes, most of the time most people care enough.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#157

Post by crispinb »

crispinb wrote: post #20

How depressing. Our living planet is collapsing at a dizzying and increasing pace, and not only do our 'best and brightest' (if that's what they are) work largely on trivia designed to accelerate the collapsing trend, they advertise their superficiality with this crude purported messianic zeal. Froth and bubble atop the dank turbid waters.

For the record, I slightly regret my tone here. I stand by an extremely negative opinion of hypergrowth ideology (and the role played in it by tech). But this needs to be seriously argued for (which can’t be done in a comment para or two), and personal attacks are only irrelevant and unpleasant noise. Not that Mr Yegge will know or have any reason to care, but it does pollute the atmosphere on HN.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#158

Post by DonHopkins »

mindcrime wrote: post #124
pavel_lishin wrote: post #113

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does the word-of-mouth reputation system still work if you're using a phone app to order food from someone who isn't necessarily local? Now, everyone's competing against everyone in a much larger geographical area. Sure, you can go by reviews, but now you've got a negative-comment war.

Reputation seemed to largely work for The Silk Road. I mean, there might have been isolated incidents, but I don't seem to recall a broad trend of people dying from buying bad drugs. At the end of the day, I think it always remains the case that "killing your customers is bad for business".

Ferengi Rule of Acquisition #10: "A dead customer can't buy as much as a live one."

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#159

Post by praneshp »

crispinb wrote: post #141
manigandham wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You made it sound way more depressing. Who says they are the best? Maybe you are - so change the world the way you want to.

> Who says they are the best? Maybe you are Maturity comes with losses and gains: amongst the latter is understanding (and becoming content with) one's limitations.

Further maturity is to accept the best people will work on what they want to, not what us commoners want them to.

Re: Why I left Google to join Grab

#160

Post by [deleted] »

praneshp wrote: post #159
crispinb wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Who says they are the best? Maybe you are Maturity comes with losses and gains: amongst the latter is understanding (and becoming content with) one's limitations.

Further maturity is to accept the best people will work on what they want to, not what us commoners want them to.

[deleted]
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