Let's not forget that Google's innovation in search has had (and will continue to have) the most profound impact on the world's poorest people... the people for whom information is least accessible via other means.
Workers Leaving the Googleplex
281–290 of 421 posts
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#282Earlier quoted context omitted.
I would have preferred to see your response up there instead of his. More substance. Less abuse.
You are absolutely right about my poor tone and I apologize. I should have taken a deep breath, counted to 10 and wrote when I was calmer. While I stand by the substance of what I wrote, on reflection, my tone was rather poor. Thanks for calling me out on it. It was unbecoming of the kind of discussion we want to see on HN even if I did find the entire OP wildly offensive on numerous fronts. Chalk it up to an embarra…
Takes balls to admit it. Group hug!
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#283Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm an American (but grew up in Panama). My experience in the U.S. is that Americans tend to believe a company has no moral responsibility beyond maximizing profits and not violating laws. Even when companies do violate the law (Enron, Horizon, Chevron, etc.) there is a segment of society that rushes to minimize the wrongdoing. My anecdotal experience on HN is that a lot people on the site defend the pursuit of money…
Thanks for taking the time to offer a balanced opinion. I find myself largely agreeing with your sentiments. I think there must be a better balance to be struck between the approach taken in Europe (seen as too difficult to fire people, which isn't conducive to a healthy business environment) and to the American approach (you can be fired at-will). I myself like to watch US-based documentaries like Gasland, Food Inc.…
I like your rephrasing of my statement on the love of money. You wrote:
"My take is that the blind pursuit of money, to the detriment of other considerations, is the root of (some/all) evil."
My feeling is that as you get more money, as it becomes more of a goal to you, the more likely it is that you will pursue money to the detriment of other considerations.
I'll have think about your last statement. The one about the lack of money. My initial response, without really thinking about it, is that I don't agree with it.
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#284Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think it's highly concerning that a badge has a number for employees to call if someone starts asking questions. The last three companies I've worked for are very big heavy hitting technology industry names and every single one had a policy that employees are not to give interviews and that if anyone asks you questions, you should refer them to the PR department or other relevant division within the company.…
Okay, so do the standard Google employee badges have the same instructions?
It's in their contracts IIRC. You can't talk to the press about confidential Google projects or operations. So they probably expect their software engineers to talk to their manager before giving an interview or writing a blog post for fear of being fired. They have a lot more to lose than a yellow badge.
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#285[deleted]
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#286Earlier quoted context omitted.
Wow. Is this what HN is getting reduced to, that the top-ranking comment is filled with ad hominem attacks? Whether you agree or disagree with the author's motivations, at least be civil. "Nitwit", "liar", "What are you 8?" ... ugh.
But the author is clearly delusional. He doesn't seem to understand the difference between being an employee for a company that was hired by Google and being a Google employee and instead concocts this story about class warfare and injustice.
He doesn't seem to understand the difference between being an employee for a company that was hired by Google and being a Google employee
He differentiated between being a red badge contractor and getting many of the on-site perquisites, versus being a yellow badge, who gets no (visible) benefits whatsoever.
He also clearly states that Google leaned on his employer to fire him, not that Google fired him.
I don't see how your statement is correct.
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#287Large companies work by inertia. Google is actually more agile for its size, but it's still a big company and ruled by inertia. In a large company, the majority of people don't know each other, and don't communicate on a daily basis. This means that things of interest get passed from person to person, usually by email, and so the original intent of the message tends to get lost due to the 3rd or 4th reader having no…
Discrediting the source or his delivery doesn't change what this looks like on face value:
People of color coming out of a building who have no access to the same perks as other employees and where the intention is clearly to avoid publicity of their low cost labor.
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#288I take it the video was made from the tape "he couldn't find"
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#289I don't think he understands how contractors work (Google didn't hire you you git, Google contracted your company and your company placed you there to fill the contract) or hourly labor works (you don't get privileges or benefits), so he turns it into a ridiculous conspiracy. Breaking news! Google has hourly employees! - You don't say?! Google has contractors! - Really?! Let's explore the narcissistic exploration of…
Downvoted because of the ad hominem attacks; the author did not "secretly" videotape anyone, he asked his supervisor's permission first. Furthermore, he never said he resented the fact that his red (contractor) badge didn't give him full company privileges; rather he was documenting how many of them he did get to contrast them with the lack of privileges of the yellow (also contractor?) badges.
Re: Workers Leaving the Googleplex
#290If I call a plumber, I want my plumbing fixed. I don't care about the plumber's work benefits, problems, or anything else about his personal life; I want my plumbing fixed; that's why I called a plumber. I don't have plumbing problems enough to hire one personally; that's why plumbing contractors exist.