Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#11

Post by rxin » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:06 PM UTC

skarayan wrote: post #6

Not sure if this is true, but I heard that Google takes ownership of any IT projects that you work on your spare time. If this is true, then I certainly wouldn't want to work for them. Is this true?

It is not true. Google is actually fairly open about this. For projects that fall into the grey area, there is a committee of engineers and lawyers that you can submit your (personal) projects to, and they can give you a clear answer that the IP is owned by you. From anecdotes I've heard, the committee is very friendly to employees.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#12

Post by St-Clock » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:07 PM UTC

Sure, but in Montreal :-)

Google seems to be busy in many challenging areas, and after a Ph.D. in C.S., technical challenges look like a rare commodity in Montreal.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#13

Post by albertzeyer » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:07 PM UTC

I'm still studying right now, so if the question means 'right now', I would of course answer 'No' because I want to finish my studies first.

If the question means 'right after I finished my current degree', I also would say 'No' because I planned to start a PhD.

If the questions means 'after I have finished all studies', I'm not sure yet. If whatever I am doing at that time is less interesting than working for Google and I'm not bound somehow to my current location, I probably would say 'Yes'.

So maybe there should be another option like 'Not now but maybe at some later time'.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#14

Post by cryptoz » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:10 PM UTC

kylemaxwell wrote: post #5

I wouldn't, primarily because I don't care to relocate. Family reasons keep me in Dallas.

It appears Google has a Dallas office: http://www.google.ca/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&#38...

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#15

Post by 1010011010 » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:12 PM UTC

skarayan wrote: post #6

Not sure if this is true, but I heard that Google takes ownership of any IT projects that you work on your spare time. If this is true, then I certainly wouldn't want to work for them. Is this true?

In my experience, all computer/technology corporations do that. But Google lets you open-source your personal stuff with essentially no friction.

edit: added "in my experience".

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#16

Post by dstein » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:14 PM UTC

rxin wrote: post #11

skarayan wrote: post #6

Not sure if this is true, but I heard that Google takes ownership of any IT projects that you work on your spare time. If this is true, then I certainly wouldn't want to work for them. Is this true?

It is not true. Google is actually fairly open about this. For projects that fall into the grey area, there is a committee of engineers and lawyers that you can submit your (personal) projects to, and they can give you a clear answer that the IP is owned by you. From anecdotes I've heard, the committee is very friendly to employees.

I find the idea of bringing a personal project into the office and having a committee decide whether I own it or not, to be rather distasteful.

The obvious course of action is for developers to universally stop signing over their rights willingly like this. Nobody should ever have to sign these invention clauses to be employed.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#17

Post by moonlighter » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:16 PM UTC

No, Google is a behemoth now, too large, too many processes, too much red-tape. I guess it's inevitable that such things start to exist in large companies due to neccessity; it's just that I don't want to deal with that.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#18

Post by metajack » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:17 PM UTC

1010011010 wrote: post #15

skarayan wrote: post #6

Not sure if this is true, but I heard that Google takes ownership of any IT projects that you work on your spare time. If this is true, then I certainly wouldn't want to work for them. Is this true?

In my experience, all computer/technology corporations do that. But Google lets you open-source your personal stuff with essentially no friction. edit: added "in my experience".

No they don't, and you don't have to settle for it.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#19

Post by cagenut » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:18 PM UTC

90% no, in that its a very large company and therefore you will deal with very large company issues no matter what.

But if I could get in on the RE < C or electric-vehicle stuff, hell yeah, I'd take a pay cut.

Re: Poll: Given the opportunity would you work at Google?

#20

Post by uladzislau » Mon, Jul 04, 2011, 8:24 PM UTC

It would be fantastic for me to work for Google for several reasons: Corporate culture - everything I read about it seems fun. Environment - it's great to be among so many smart people. Scale - Goggle influences life of so many people on a daily basis.