New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects • Hacker News Board

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#191

Post by cccc4all » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 7:56 PM UTC

giantg2 wrote: post #165

bryant wrote: post #163

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For unsteady contracted project work, this doesn't sound off the mark for high-value niche skillsets at a senior or principal level. I wouldn't expect FAANGs to pay it for steady work, though. Well, Netflix might come close. I can count two principal-level architects pulling north of 700k/y, but I doubt they work just 40 hours a week.

I just have trouble wrapping my head around how someone can be that valuable. I'll never even hit $75/hr (excluding inflation).

For 1099 contract work, $200/Hour is the sweet spot for in demand fields, javascript, React, FE, etc.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#192

Post by johncena33 » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 7:56 PM UTC

ignoramous wrote: post #98

ryandrake wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unashamed MBA checking in here! MBAs are the classic punching bags for HN. It seems we’re willing to bend the “civility” rules a bit here in order to have a nice hearty MBA-bash. I’ve seen all sorts of awful generalizations posted here about MBAs that would get you flagkilled if made about other professions or degrees. Some of us actually have tech/coding backgrounds and aren’t the stereotypical pointy-headed-bosses,…

If it helps, all those MBA-bashing cool tech startups busy giving away a percentage of their revenue to Amazon, don't realise that AWS was the brain-child of a Harvard MBA.

Yes, the "idea man" deserves all the credit and everyone else is just a drone there to execute their vision. Sounds like classic MBA culture to me.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#193

Post by volta87 » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 7:58 PM UTC

sradman wrote: post #78

In my estimation, Intel has four categories in which it is being outperformed by key competitors: 1. TSMC/Samsung - fabrication 2. AMD/Amazon-Graviton - Cloud Server 3. Apple-M1/AMD - Laptop 4. Nvidia/Amazon - Cloud ML/DL Accelerator Intel has made giant blunders in the past (e.g. Itanium [1], Atom [2], WiMAX [3]) but I'm not sure that any of these past challenges were equivalent to the current four-front war. I woul…

In which category is Intel not being outperformed by competitors?

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#194

Post by cbozeman » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:02 PM UTC

95014_refugee wrote: post #42

clubdorothe wrote: post #4

They've probably lost[1] few months ago their most talented chips engineer, Jim Keller[2]. Ironically, Jim suggested to outsource the manufacturing of their chips, what the new CEO just did [3]. [1] https://www.anandtech.com/show/15846/jim-keller-resigns-from... [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Keller_(engineer) [3] https://www.extremetech.com/computing/319301-report-intel-wi...

“Losing” Keller is a net win. Hinton, OTOH, is the real deal. I had the privilege of spending some time with him and the gang back in the Nehalem days. Hinton and Keller don’t belong in the same conversation.

I take it Jim fired you at some point in your career.

Unless you're arrogant enough to look back at everything Jim's designed, from the DEC Alpha 21164, 21264, VAX 8800, K7, A4, A5, Tesla Autopilot hardware, and of course Zen, and then say "Yeah this guy that did Nehalem is more talented..."

I would work for Jim Keller for free. Lightning strikes everywhere he goes, that's not by accident. No one is that lucky - no one. I said on my investing blog that Keller would get pushed out by Intel's shit corporate structure and I was right. Intel isn't rotten, its gangrenous, and there's a lot of tissue that needs to be excised if the patient is going to be saved.

Everyone who listens to Jim Keller ends up with better products and more sales. Every time. Without fail.

If you think that isn't being the "real deal", there's something wrong with you, not Jim.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#195

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:02 PM UTC

hobofan wrote: post #115

ignoramous wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Calling me a moron is one thing, but accusing me of having an MBA is really too much." -pg, https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10670

Damn, that whole comment section is an amazing time capsule of sentiment regarding Microsoft and other tech companies! Well worth a read.

[deleted]

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#196

Post by johncena33 » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:03 PM UTC

alisonkisk wrote: post #27

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #9

This is an encouraging move. My secondhand understanding was that Intel was losing top talent due to pressure to pay closer to median industry compensation. Top engineers recognized they were underpaid and left the company. I've been part of a similar downhill slide at a smaller company in the billion dollar revenue range. To be blunt, once the [mediocre] MBAs start realizing that the engineers are getting paid more…

Steve Jobs, already legendary for avoiding paying engineers for their contributions, organized an industry-wide cartel to hold down wages, and he never had an MBA. It's a bad leadership thing, not an MBA thing.

The way I see MBA in business is like condiments in cooking. You need condiments to make delcious meals, but condiments are never the meals by themselves. The problem arises when you treat condiments as meals. In similar vein, when MBAs are seen as sole value creators and other professions are seen as some drones to execute their vision.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#197

Post by Unklejoe » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:03 PM UTC

MaxLeiter wrote: post #113

pvarangot wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it is. I got approached by consulting companies and recruiters to work on embedded development for Intel, including on-site work in Santa Clara, CA and travel to Asia. The hourly rate was 60 and days in Asia were 250 each plus accommodations. I've never done a trip to Asia were I was working less than 10 hours per day.

Amazon software development interns (undergrad) in SF get $65/hr + a housing stipend. 60/hr seems far too low

That's what I make at my full time job in NJ with 7 years of experience. Damn.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#198

Post by cccc4all » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:04 PM UTC

lmilcin wrote: post #54

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #9

This is an encouraging move. My secondhand understanding was that Intel was losing top talent due to pressure to pay closer to median industry compensation. Top engineers recognized they were underpaid and left the company. I've been part of a similar downhill slide at a smaller company in the billion dollar revenue range. To be blunt, once the [mediocre] MBAs start realizing that the engineers are getting paid more…

I left Intel years ago to get almost 3x the salary as a software developer at... a bank. At Intel engineers are paid supposedly similar rates at similar levels and similar locations. And given my level (two levels above Senior Developer) I estimate I was paid better than at least 90% engineers. Where I worked in R&D the doors were constantly revolving and many people admitted they wait to register enough of prestigio…

The best way to get a raise or a promotion is to find a new job at another company. Look for a company that actually values the tech stack skillset and are willing to pay actual competitive salary.

It is much easier now with remote work being prevalent.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#199

Post by baybal2 » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:06 PM UTC

fermienrico wrote: post #153

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #9

This is an encouraging move. My secondhand understanding was that Intel was losing top talent due to pressure to pay closer to median industry compensation. Top engineers recognized they were underpaid and left the company. I've been part of a similar downhill slide at a smaller company in the billion dollar revenue range. To be blunt, once the [mediocre] MBAs start realizing that the engineers are getting paid more…

Ex-Intel perspective: There is also a lot of work that needs to be done at Intel which requires mediocre engineers by the thousands. Intel does pay well to their top engineers which climb up in the ranks. The engineer working on CAD, layout, specs, RFQs, Suppliers, Equipment, etc are hardly going to revolutionize anything. Their work is valuable but they’re entirely replaceable. For every top engineer, you need 20 mi…

> The engineer working on CAD, layout, specs, RFQs, Suppliers, Equipment, etc are hardly going to revolutionize anything. Their work is valuable but they’re entirely replaceable.

You just named all specialist who would get N-times the salary outside of the industry.

That's the problem of the industry.

A man who can "just write a CAD plugin" in semi industry would probable be an instant senior hire in any CAD vendor.

A mid-level semi PM would be a senior PM, GM level manager, or a COO anywhere else.

Analog IC designer is by default a top-tier EE.

A fab "junior technician" is likely an engineering, or physics master, or more likely a PhD in Taiwan.

And so on, and on.

Re: New Intel CEO rehiring retired CPU architects

#200

Post by cbozeman » Thu, Jan 21, 2021, 8:06 PM UTC

fermienrico wrote: post #190

cbozeman wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

His point is, when you go from being practically the only game in town in 2014, to being a joke-ass also-ran "competitor" being trounced by the underdog processor company[0] who damn near went bankrupt and had to sell their fab just to stay afloat; and when your two biggest allies 1) make their own System-on-a-Chip that fucking slaughters your best offerings in a ton of benchmarks and real world tests, and also does…

This feels like a distraction from what I was driving at. Whether it’s Intel, AMD, etc. any large company needs a lot of work to be done. You don’t need top engineers for that.

> You don’t need top engineers for that.

Top-tier companies have to pay top-tier compensation.