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DigitalOcean S-1

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Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#311

Post by Closi »

yte14 wrote: post #112
derefr wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps it wasn’t their own mental model of the landscape at all, but just what they considered to be the most expedient way of getting the message across in terms customers would understand. Hypothetical analogy: if I were describing my very-first-ever PaaS service, to competitors who’d only ever heard of IaaS services — and this wasn’t the point of the conversation (i.e. I wasn’t trying to sell them on the benefits…

Again, I’m not basing what I’m saying solely on the conference example . I’m not arguing over the psychology of multiple conference conversations from ten years ago any further because it’s completely immaterial to my point (and one example of many; the point of the example was that it was openly discussed among competition, not “let’s go to the mat on what constitutes an actual opinion with the assumption that I don…

Have you ever watched Kitchen Nightmares? Bad chef's are often surprised to get told their food tastes bad because everyone always tells them how good their food is!

If you know someone is from a particular company, you don't badmouth the company in front of them, but you might badmouth the competitors.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#312

Post by stanmancan »

jamroom wrote: post #141
stanmancan wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was a huge Linode fan for years. I used them exclusively. DO showed up and slowly but surely started being the better deal. Lower entry points, better specs, and then finally a more robust product line. I slowly found myself going to DO for new servers and eventually moved everything there for simplicities sake. Linode still has a special place in my heart, but they have some work to do if they want to remain compe…

Wow - really? I use both Linode and DO extensively and Linode is better on almost all fronts in my experience. Faster servers, better network, Linode's Object Storage is way better than DO's "spaces" and Linode's support is hands down the better of the two. If you're going to spend $5 on a server why would you go with DO unless you're already there?

Linodes support is great; I can't say much about DO because I haven't had to use them.

Around the time I switched there was a lot going on. DO had released their $5 droplets. Linode was still stuck on their old, clunky UI, and the migration to the new "Cloud UI" wasn't executed well. Then there was a few DDOS attacks that took stuff down, and the multiple serious security vulnerabilities that they did a -horrible- job managing.

I've been at DO for a number of years now and it's been solid. I have a few dozen servers and take advantage of a few of their services. Their Managed Databases are incredibly well executed.

I've been happy over all so no reason to look elsewhere.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#313

Post by ksec »

jmull wrote: post #206
emgo wrote: post #165

The biggest threat to DigitalOcean is that AWS, Google, and Microsoft are all going vertical by designing and manufacturing their own chips. Over times they'll be able to get hardware for cheaper, and also more specialized hardware that uses less power. DigitalOcean will have to buy CPUs from Intel or Nvidia/ARM at a higher cost, and eventually maybe even from AWS or Microsoft, essentially giving money to their compe…

I think there's a lot of doubt whether, in the long run, doing your own hardware makes sense for a cloud provider. If you work yourself into a performance dead-end, you can spend billions and end up with a chip that isn't particularly competitive. Whereas if your supplier does that, you can switch suppliers. You could spend $X billion, end up with a chip that isn't particularly competitive and just have to eat those…

Copying a reply [1] I did on HN some time ago. Which should add some perspective on the point being discussed.

AWS are estimated to be ~50% of HyperScalers.

HyperScalers are estimated to be 50% of Server and Cloud Business.

HyperScalers are expanding at a rate faster than other market.

HyperScaler expanding trend are not projected to be slowing down anytime soon.

AWS intends to have all of their own workload and SaaS product running on Graviton / ARM. ( While still providing x86 services to those who needs it )

Google and Microsoft are already gearing up their own ARM offering. Partly confirmed by Marvell's exit of ARM Server.

>The problem is single core Arm performance outside of Apple chips isn’t there.

Cloud computing charges per vCPU. On all current x86 instances, that is one hyper-thread. On AWS Graviton, vCPU = Actual CPU Core. There are plenty of workloads, and large customers like Twitter and Pinterest has tested and shown AWS Graviton 2 vCPU perform better than x86. All while being 30% cheaper. At the end of the day, it is workload / dollars that matters on Cloud computing. And right now in lots of applications Graviton 2 are winning, and in some cases by large margin.

If AWS sell 50% of their services with ARM in 5 years time, that is 25% of Cloud Business Alone. Since it offer a huge competitive advantage Google and Microsoft has no other choice but to join the race. And then there will be enough of a market force for Qualcomm, or may be Marvell to Fab a commodity ARM Server part for the rest of the market. Which is why I was extremely worried about Intel. (Half of) The lucrative Server market is basically gone. ( And I haven't factored in AMD yet ) 5 years in Tech hardware is basically 1-2 cycles. And there is nothing on Intel's roadmap that shown they have the chance to compete apart from marketing and sales tactics. Which still goes a long way if I have to be honest, but not sustainable in long term. It is more of a delaying tactics. Along with a CEO that despite trying very hard, had no experience in market and product business. Luckily that is about to change. Evaluating ARM switch takes time, Software preparation takes time, and more importantly, getting wafer from TSMC takes time as demand from all market are exceeding expectations. But all of them are already in motion, and if these are the kind of response you get from Graviton 2, imagine Graviton 3.

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25808856

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#314

Post by Closi »

jacurtis wrote: post #180
sdflhasjd wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually think their UI is too form over function. One particular annoyance I had recently was with the DNS zone editor. It truncates both the record contents and the domain name, which means that if you've got a bunch of long domains with TXT records, telling them apart means copying the contents into a text editor to see the truncated text. e.g somekey._dkim.subdomaina.domain.com k=rsa; t=s; p=MIGfAAAA somekey._d…

I agree. I think their UI is actually a little too creative at times. It has lots of whitespace and a single color and that means people will say "clean", "minimal", "modern", "artsy fartsy". But I agree, that with something that coins itself "the developer cloud" it should provide critical information first. It is ok to kill some whitespace or put some monospaced fonts in there. You aren't trying to sell me an iPhon…

I actually like their UI - I think Azure or AWS looks fairly scary to me, someone not that familiar with cloud architecture.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#315

Post by jtdev »

1f60c wrote: post #288
jtdev wrote: post #286

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you’re downplaying the “Other” category, which literally gives DO carte blanche in cancelling those they don’t approve of, or worse who the mob pressures DO to cancel. Do you not see how problematic this is? I agree with all of the other categories wholeheartedly, but even then, application of the policies of these organizations should be uniform, i.e., if both right wing and left wing websites publishes “Vio…

> Do you not see how problematic this is? Their platform, their rules.

“Their platform” has become the public square. If you think allowing unfettered control of such a utility by a small number of mega corporations - with political biases that change to suit their bottom line - is a good thing then I’m not sure we’re on the same page, in the same book, on the same planet.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#316

Post by temp667 »

Ansil849 wrote: post #305
kevinoconnor7 wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember interviewing with DO back in late 2014 and it was nuts! The entire interview process took ~3 months and it was clear that they were defining the process as they went. The entire process was basically: 1. initial call with recruiter 2. homework project 3. call with engineer to discuss said homework project 4. two phone screens with engineers 5. onsite interview with 6 engineers Finally I had was at the fina…

Not to hijack this sub-thread, but just a general question: how does one deal with unethical 'homework projects'? I've had a case during an application where I was given a 'homework project' that seemed to me very much not like a theoretical scenario, but more like the company wanting me to do free work for an actual real-world issue they had. Have people had situations where you suspected the same? How do you deal w…

We give new hires a homework project that is directly work related. We don't consider it unethical. It's really a fantastic way to sort out who can deliver. We used to have it be part of the onsite interview - they could sit for a few hours and do it.

I like these because they are not games. If you want something done, you'd ask an employee to do it. So just ask someone to do something you need done.

In our case at least by the time it was something that was part of an interview, it had already been implemented on the business side. Our projects were usually 2 hours tops?

The idea that this is unethical is wild.

We also do paid internships and have folks actually work on stuff that way -> do a good job, pretty good line up for a full time position.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#317

Post by jdavis703 »

Ansil849 wrote: post #305
kevinoconnor7 wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember interviewing with DO back in late 2014 and it was nuts! The entire interview process took ~3 months and it was clear that they were defining the process as they went. The entire process was basically: 1. initial call with recruiter 2. homework project 3. call with engineer to discuss said homework project 4. two phone screens with engineers 5. onsite interview with 6 engineers Finally I had was at the fina…

Not to hijack this sub-thread, but just a general question: how does one deal with unethical 'homework projects'? I've had a case during an application where I was given a 'homework project' that seemed to me very much not like a theoretical scenario, but more like the company wanting me to do free work for an actual real-world issue they had. Have people had situations where you suspected the same? How do you deal w…

This happened to me in am interview. It was my first software engineering job, so I was a junior. Wound up solving a problem one of the senior engineers had been struggling with for days. It’s probably what got me the job. Assuming the company is actually hiring for the role I think it’s perfectly fine to do this. It identifies people who can fill in gaps.

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#318

Post by temp667 »

webmobdev wrote: post #266
fastball wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your point makes sweeping claims that "the entire incumbency" thought of DO as a Linode clone. Can I see your survey results from 10 years ago, or is this an opinion formed by a Linode employee from a handful of conference conversations?

As a user, I agree - DO was seen a cheaper clone of Linode / Slicehost when they launched. I used to usually recommend Pair and Linode to my clients and, later DO to my more cost-conscious clients. At that time, I preferred Linode over DO, because the support was better and the prevalent practice than was to look suspiciously at new hosts because a lot of them folded up. You looked to older hosts, like Pair (and late…

I loved pair! Never followed what happened to them!

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#319

Post by [deleted] »

Ansil849 wrote: post #305
kevinoconnor7 wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember interviewing with DO back in late 2014 and it was nuts! The entire interview process took ~3 months and it was clear that they were defining the process as they went. The entire process was basically: 1. initial call with recruiter 2. homework project 3. call with engineer to discuss said homework project 4. two phone screens with engineers 5. onsite interview with 6 engineers Finally I had was at the fina…

Not to hijack this sub-thread, but just a general question: how does one deal with unethical 'homework projects'? I've had a case during an application where I was given a 'homework project' that seemed to me very much not like a theoretical scenario, but more like the company wanting me to do free work for an actual real-world issue they had. Have people had situations where you suspected the same? How do you deal w…

[deleted]

Re: DigitalOcean S-1

#320

Post by xedeon »

umvi wrote: post #307
Ansil849 wrote: post #305

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not to hijack this sub-thread, but just a general question: how does one deal with unethical 'homework projects'? I've had a case during an application where I was given a 'homework project' that seemed to me very much not like a theoretical scenario, but more like the company wanting me to do free work for an actual real-world issue they had. Have people had situations where you suspected the same? How do you deal w…

If it were me I would be like: "here is proof I completed it and that it works, source code contingent on my being hired ;)"

I like the way you think!
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