Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment • Hacker News Board

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#41

Post by ghaff » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:30 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #38

popup21 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will never stop. After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G. Watching them build legit software, gain users, and then dissolve those services over and over and over again had the effect of suffocating any further curiosity towards their products. Like a Skinner mouse, they literally train you not to give a shit anymore.

>After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G I never used Reader, but did anything else come along to fill the void? I ask as I am curious on the market when G kills a product. When G kills off a product, does the rest of the world just assume that if G couldn't make it work then it must not be worth doing? I know HN readers were vocal about the death of lots of G products, but HN readers are edge cas…

There are other RSS readers but RSS as a stand-alone thing that people use (where “people” was always somewhat of a niche) has largely withered in the face of social media. Much as the tech crowd likes to complain about Reader’s Denise, it was at least in part a response to RSS’s decline not the cause.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#42

Post by ftvy » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:31 PM UTC

abalone wrote: post #34

mantap wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems way more idealistic somehow. More likely, with a more standard corporate governance Google will begin to rot from within. Apple certainly made more profits under Cook than Jobs, but innovation has slowed to a crawl and he has failed to diversify Apple away from having one product (instead he just added a bunch of accessory products and services). The last thing Google needs is to double down on ads, it tak…

> innovation has slowed to a crawl This is so typical of Apple criticism. They did do well with the iPhone and Mac that now any new innovations seem boring in comparison. It’s wrong. The Apple Watch came out under Cook. That is more than an “accessory.” It’s a new platform, new OS variant, etc. It’s dominating smart watches. The AirPods are pretty innovative in terms of the fine grained details that have made them su…

They've been slacking in development, both software and hardware. Look at the MacBook keyboard problem, or all of the security exploits like pressing Enter numerously to escalate to root privileges.

You don't get these kinds of problems when you aren't trying to mass produce cyclical consumption.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#43

Post by giancarlostoro » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:32 PM UTC

tyingq wrote: post #31

basch wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why is it assumed they wont appoint a new Google CEO in the next 6 months to a year?

If I were Sundar Pichai, I'd probably view being the Alphabet Chief, and not the Google Chief, as a downgrade from just being the Google Chief. That was fine for Larry and Sergey with their founder's stock and deliberate desire to be somewhat disconnected. I don't think Sundar has either of those.

Unless the purpose is to just steer Alphabet into a new direction. But yeah I had not thought of that to be honest.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#44

Post by dylan604 » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:36 PM UTC

ghaff wrote: post #41

dylan604 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G I never used Reader, but did anything else come along to fill the void? I ask as I am curious on the market when G kills a product. When G kills off a product, does the rest of the world just assume that if G couldn't make it work then it must not be worth doing? I know HN readers were vocal about the death of lots of G products, but HN readers are edge cas…

There are other RSS readers but RSS as a stand-alone thing that people use (where “people” was always somewhat of a niche) has largely withered in the face of social media. Much as the tech crowd likes to complain about Reader’s Denise, it was at least in part a response to RSS’s decline not the cause.

So you're giving G credit for recognizing the world progressing before the rest of the world realizes? Or that the users just adapted to the loss of the product? Just trying to compare G killing software to Apple killing hardware. The transition away from SCSI and ADB to things like USB/FireWire/Thunderbolt, USB-A to USB-C, etc riles the masses during the transition, but ultimately it is the better decision.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#45

Post by popup21 » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:37 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #38

popup21 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will never stop. After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G. Watching them build legit software, gain users, and then dissolve those services over and over and over again had the effect of suffocating any further curiosity towards their products. Like a Skinner mouse, they literally train you not to give a shit anymore.

>After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G I never used Reader, but did anything else come along to fill the void? I ask as I am curious on the market when G kills a product. When G kills off a product, does the rest of the world just assume that if G couldn't make it work then it must not be worth doing? I know HN readers were vocal about the death of lots of G products, but HN readers are edge cas…

> did anything else come along to fill the void?

Yep. I'm using ol'faithful: Mozilla Thunderbird

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#46

Post by wh1t3n01s3 » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:38 PM UTC

abalone wrote: post #34

mantap wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That seems way more idealistic somehow. More likely, with a more standard corporate governance Google will begin to rot from within. Apple certainly made more profits under Cook than Jobs, but innovation has slowed to a crawl and he has failed to diversify Apple away from having one product (instead he just added a bunch of accessory products and services). The last thing Google needs is to double down on ads, it tak…

> innovation has slowed to a crawl This is so typical of Apple criticism. They did do well with the iPhone and Mac that now any new innovations seem boring in comparison. It’s wrong. The Apple Watch came out under Cook. That is more than an “accessory.” It’s a new platform, new OS variant, etc. It’s dominating smart watches. The AirPods are pretty innovative in terms of the fine grained details that have made them su…

All these products were previously imaginedand started by SJ. Cook is a marketer not a visionary or inventor of any sort.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#47

Post by topkai22 » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:43 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #35

endorphone wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The market cap of Waymo is $0 because it has no market cap. [edit: note that the parent comment originally spoke to the `market cap' of Waymo before an edit, giving context to this reply] An analyst independently made up a number, likely to justify an outsized Google target number. There have been rumors that Google will seek outside investments in Waymo that might legitimize some valuation, but they haven't. And for…

>And for now Waymo's revenue is estimated to be $5M. While Google's revenue is about $160,000M. Why the decision to write $160,000M vs $160B? Was it so the same as the previous $5M number? Even still, it seems unnatural to me.

I think it’s a good practice to keep the abbreviations the same when talking about in the same context. It makes clear the ratio being talked about.

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#48

Post by wnoise » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:47 PM UTC

dylan604 wrote: post #38

popup21 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It will never stop. After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G. Watching them build legit software, gain users, and then dissolve those services over and over and over again had the effect of suffocating any further curiosity towards their products. Like a Skinner mouse, they literally train you not to give a shit anymore.

>After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G I never used Reader, but did anything else come along to fill the void? I ask as I am curious on the market when G kills a product. When G kills off a product, does the rest of the world just assume that if G couldn't make it work then it must not be worth doing? I know HN readers were vocal about the death of lots of G products, but HN readers are edge cas…

https://theoldreader.com/

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#49

Post by wnoise » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:49 PM UTC

popup21 wrote: post #45

dylan604 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>After they axed Reader, I stopped using anything from the G I never used Reader, but did anything else come along to fill the void? I ask as I am curious on the market when G kills a product. When G kills off a product, does the rest of the world just assume that if G couldn't make it work then it must not be worth doing? I know HN readers were vocal about the death of lots of G products, but HN readers are edge cas…

> did anything else come along to fill the void? Yep. I'm using ol'faithful: Mozilla Thunderbird

Doesn't satisfy "synced history across any device".

Re: Google management shuffle points to retreat from Alphabet experiment

#50

Post by tootie » Sat, Dec 07, 2019, 3:51 PM UTC

melling wrote: post #6

Google’s attempt to be a modern day Bell Labs was the one thing that set them apart. Make a lot of money in advertising and spend some of it to invent the future. Without the second part, the entire company changes. We need another company to take the mantle: https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/opinion/sunday/innovation...

It's sorta what Elon Musk is doing except he's intending his moon shots to be viable businesses.