31–40 of 161 posts
IT Made in Germany is a disgrace to the brainpower in Germany.
The problem is not a lack of funds. The problem is bureaucracy and a lack of startup infrastructure. My feeling is that the people in charge have absolutely no effing clue about how to most efficiently deploy this money so they will do what sounds good on paper but will have 0 effect in reality. If it goes how it usually goes the largest part of this money will likely to to universities and other research institution…
- hires devs with extremely low salaries
- gives 0.004% equity at best
- is run by people that are "better than anybody else"
- expects constant overtime and 24/7 employee reachability
- has managers with issues saying "thank you"
- hires friends/family to higher echelons of company
Does this sound like a recipe for success?
With no good analysis, there can’t be a good strategy (2). This money won’t change anything.
(1) https://www.bundesfinanzministerium.de/Content/DE/Downloads/...
(2) https://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/...
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Because Germmany like most other European countries doesn't really have any local FAANG like companies and you can see than in the job market. Most dev salaries at local companies are garbage compared to what FAANG companies pay in their EU offices.
News for you: FAANG companies pay garbage salaries in their EU offices (Switzerland is not EU). Source: glassdoor.com
The problem is not a lack of funds. The problem is bureaucracy and a lack of startup infrastructure. My feeling is that the people in charge have absolutely no effing clue about how to most efficiently deploy this money so they will do what sounds good on paper but will have 0 effect in reality. If it goes how it usually goes the largest part of this money will likely to to universities and other research institution…
A typical Berlin startup: - hires devs with extremely low salaries - gives 0.004% equity at best - is run by people that are "better than anybody else" - expects constant overtime and 24/7 employee reachability - has managers with issues saying "thank you" - hires friends/family to higher echelons of company Does this sound like a recipe for success?
Doesn't that conflict with German labor law?
Edit: Definitely agree about credentialism ("people that are better than anyone else"). Germany takes that to the extreme. Career change in your 30s? Not possible.
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It's an interesting thought. Does German really have a prayer in this space? Making breakthroughs in this space isn't something just any trained student can do. The best all work for American tech companies... German co's don't believe in paying well. This can be extended to most European nations.
Those are really ignorant statements. Bosch, Siemens, BMW etc. definitely pay well and employ plenty of talented people.
Virtually every "How much do you earn?" thread that pops up on HN has loads of comments with Europeans being surprised at the amount of money Americans make in tech.
Further - right now America is close to uncontested in the amount of technology it is producing and exporting. The only widely used European software I can think of is SAP. America is winning the talent war. I've only had a few friends who moved from US to Europe for tech work - and in all cases it had nothing to do with the job. Had more to do with wanting to "explore new places". On the other hand, I know tonnes of Euros, Indians, and Chinese who have come to US to work.
The problem is not a lack of funds. The problem is bureaucracy and a lack of startup infrastructure. My feeling is that the people in charge have absolutely no effing clue about how to most efficiently deploy this money so they will do what sounds good on paper but will have 0 effect in reality. If it goes how it usually goes the largest part of this money will likely to to universities and other research institution…
A typical Berlin startup: - hires devs with extremely low salaries - gives 0.004% equity at best - is run by people that are "better than anybody else" - expects constant overtime and 24/7 employee reachability - has managers with issues saying "thank you" - hires friends/family to higher echelons of company Does this sound like a recipe for success?
One could call it cute or funny, if it was not to the detriment of actually needed digital technology in the country, like broadband or support of IT startups. But I am sure Deutsche Telekom will be quite happy about more state money, which is probably why they whispered this AI nonsense into the politicians ears. We can just write it up as another German success story, IT made in Germany. When has that ever not work…
>> When has that ever not worked out in our favor? Would you explain a little more? I'm ignorant about the history of German government investment in IT. But here in America, federal investment has helped ignite new industries. And as a data science engineer, I'd love to see more German code.
This is why firms like Google are hiring in Switzerland and the United Kingdom instead of France and Germany.
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It's an interesting thought. Does German really have a prayer in this space? Making breakthroughs in this space isn't something just any trained student can do. The best all work for American tech companies... German co's don't believe in paying well. This can be extended to most European nations.
Sure, but they are smart at the industries of the past. Will bureaucratic Germany be able to adapt? I don't think so. Take electric cars for instance. Much simpler than traditional cars. Will devastate the Mittelstand.
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>> When has that ever not worked out in our favor? Would you explain a little more? I'm ignorant about the history of German government investment in IT. But here in America, federal investment has helped ignite new industries. And as a data science engineer, I'd love to see more German code.
"Investments in IT" by the german government means we somehow funnel money to the big companies to make sure they dont fire people. Deutsche Telekom daughter T-Systems decided in september to cut 6000 jobs in germany (10k worldwide) to save 600mio €/year. Now the Government spents 3B on "AI". Coincidence?
what does it mean if Angela Merkel wears green underwear on tuesday?