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WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

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Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#191

Post by geofft »

dankohn1 wrote: post #174
geofft wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here's one from just yesterday: the password reset form for sched.com, which the Linux Foundation uses for schedules, is HTTP. I had to follow this link to upload my slides for a talk I'm giving at a LF conference next week. Yes, the ideal, which we should all be actively working towards, is HTTPS. That doesn't mean that the world is already there.

Note that Let's Encrypt, which is making universal https possible, is also part of the Linux Foundation. I was going to complain to sched.com for you, but I can't replicate the problem: https://ossna19.sched.com/password-reset is the default and http://ossna19.sched.com/password-reset redirects to it. (I work for the Linux Foundation.)

The email you get in your inbox when you do that is http. It starts with http://a.sched.com/track/click/.

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#192

Post by dwd »

wodenokoto wrote: post #190
freehunter wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it would be amazing to see a co-working brand have locations absolutely everywhere, like 24 hour gyms. One price gets you into any of them and they're all the same. It would help with customer retention because they've already paid $300/mo to get in, so if they move or travel they're not paying someone else. They're sticking with you. I'm surprised WeWork locations are so few and far between, while Snap Fitne…

While not as prevalent as gyms, regus let’s users use all their locations. Regus is old school from before coworking space was a term. They call themselves an office hotel, if I remember correctly. But they do have an area with coffee and tables where you can plug in a computer and work.

Was in a Regus office years back and you could pretty well book a desk/office for a day anywhere in the world - some of which are in pretty cool locations (if you're into architecture).

https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x48761cad0a69294...

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#193

Post by denton-scratch »

decafninja wrote: post #82
TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But we don't call, say, banks tech companies. A huge portion of their business requires sophisticated technical infrastructure they create themselves, but we just call them banks. And there are plenty of normal taxi companies with similar systems to Uber's.

One description I’ve heard is that “tech companies”, as the term is often used nowadays, are organizations where software engineers and their work are respected and considered first class citizens. As compared to a company that might heavily use tech, but only as a necessary evil cost center. Never mind that the company would absolutely fall apart without its tech. As someone who has worked in banks most of my career…

Hmm. I worked for a web development company; it called itself a "digital agency". It was once pointed out to me by a director that the purpose of the firm was marketing, not making websites. The developers were generally treated as fungible resources; graphic designers, on the other hand, were stars.

This director was a smooth salesman. He fancied himself as a graphic designer, of course; his major technical accomplishment was the ability to make Flash websites.

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#194

Post by mamon »

jasode wrote: post #60
TazeTSchnitzel wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But we don't call, say, banks tech companies. A huge portion of their business requires sophisticated technical infrastructure they create themselves, but we just call them banks. And there are plenty of normal taxi companies with similar systems to Uber's.

>But we don't call, say, banks tech companies. A huge portion of their business requires sophisticated technical infrastructure they create themselves, but we just call them banks. I understand your criteria for classification but I'll attempt to explain why others think of Uber as a "tech company". Others' viewpoint: Yes, virtually every company uses technology but not every company is birthed by technology: - the U…

>> - the Uber founders (Travis K and Garrett C) were software programmers, not taxicab owners.

And if a software programmer opens ice cream cart on a beach, would you call that "tech startup"?

>> the product they worked on was a smartphone app instead of buying a car with a taxi medallion and driving around for fares.

Smartphone app is something a bright high schooler can make, I would expect a company to do some more advanced tech before we call it "tech company"

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#195

Post by OJFord »

notatoad wrote: post #146
OJFord wrote: post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So if Uber's model was subscription-only software that enabled ~unlimited~ fair usage many rides, it would be a tech company, but as it is it isn't? I'm not disagreeing with the conclusions about WeWork and Uber, I just think it's hard or not possible to define what it is, and what does it really mean anyway: to varying degrees any company in any sector is enabled by 'tech'.

>if Uber's model was subscription-only software that enabled ~unlimited~ fair usage many rides I have no idea what this sentence means. But if Uber was a company that sold software to taxi companies then they'd be a tech company. As it is they sell car rides, not software, and so are a taxi company more than they are a tech company.

I mean that if Uber provides the same service, but the pricing model is such that you pay for the software instead of the car ride directly, it's suddenly a 'tech company'?

If pricing model is how we categorise a company as a 'tech company' or not then I don't see that it's a useful category.

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#196

Post by fragmede »

jedberg wrote: post #144
freehunter wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it would be amazing to see a co-working brand have locations absolutely everywhere, like 24 hour gyms. One price gets you into any of them and they're all the same. It would help with customer retention because they've already paid $300/mo to get in, so if they move or travel they're not paying someone else. They're sticking with you. I'm surprised WeWork locations are so few and far between, while Snap Fitne…

> I'm surprised WeWork locations are so few and far between, while Snap Fitness has a location on every other corner. There can't be that much more overhead to a co-working space versus a 24 hour fitness center. Different business models. The gym gets you to pay your monthly fee based mostly on the aspiration that you'll go to the gym. Most people would ditch their coworking subscription if they don't use it almost e…

Are they so different though? There must be more than a few "wantrepreneurs" renting space from WeWork, and at the other end of the spectrum, Equinox and other high end gyms are a couple hundred dollars a month, and I'm sure they're underutilized by some members, same as a regular gym.

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#197

Post by dankohn1 »

geofft wrote: post #191
dankohn1 wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that Let's Encrypt, which is making universal https possible, is also part of the Linux Foundation. I was going to complain to sched.com for you, but I can't replicate the problem: https://ossna19.sched.com/password-reset is the default and http://ossna19.sched.com/password-reset redirects to it. (I work for the Linux Foundation.)

The email you get in your inbox when you do that is http. It starts with http://a.sched.com/track/click/ .

I worked with Sched.com this week based on your feedback and that link is now https. Thanks.

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#198

Post by tim333 »

unreal37 wrote: post #34
par wrote: post #28

Incredible scam pulled off by Adam and Rebekah Neuman. Color me impressed.

Enabled by Softbank. An investor who just throws an unlimited amount of money at things.

Unlimited amounts of the Saudi's money in this case so who really cares?

Re: WeWork isn’t a tech company; it’s a soap opera

#199

Post by quickthrower2 »

dankohn1 wrote: post #197
geofft wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The email you get in your inbox when you do that is http. It starts with http://a.sched.com/track/click/ .

I worked with Sched.com this week based on your feedback and that link is now https. Thanks.

Awesome work
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