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Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

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Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#31

Post by david927 »

abijlani wrote: post #24

Let's stop focusing on the fact that he quit. And focus on WHY he quit. I'm sure we all can relate with what he's saying at some level. He's talking about tackling hard problems and not just low hanging fruit that might (emphasis on might) make a buck. And most of all he's leading by example. I haven't seen this much bravado from anyone in our industry in a long time.

Let's organize this: http://digitalauteur.wikispaces.com

- We will work on projects that make the world better, not to get rich.

- We will study different subjects to better tackle existing, important problems.

- We will work as a community, sharing our findings, learning from each other

Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#32

Post by david927 »

ZackOfAllTrades wrote: post #29
[deleted] wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[deleted]

I took a look into Hacker News hotness algorithm a month or two ago, and it is way more complicated than just points and time. Youtube videos probably don't rank that high compared to other websites. People could be colluding, but I think it is more likely there is more to ranking than we can understand from what we see. [Edit: This was in response to someone asking why it wasn't on the front page.]

It got 20 to 30 votes in the first hour but was buried at around 50. Whatever algorithm they use, I'm not impressed. Maybe Arc just can't handle complex expressions. :-)

Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#34

Post by AndrewTerry »

abijlani wrote: post #24

Let's stop focusing on the fact that he quit. And focus on WHY he quit. I'm sure we all can relate with what he's saying at some level. He's talking about tackling hard problems and not just low hanging fruit that might (emphasis on might) make a buck. And most of all he's leading by example. I haven't seen this much bravado from anyone in our industry in a long time.

While I applaud his motives for change, we should also focus on HOW he quit, too.

IMHO, his boss deserves the professional courtesy of being told personally (be it face to face, or by letter of resignation), rather than finding out via a YouTube clip...

Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#36

Post by wccrawford »

Am I the only one that fails to be inspired by this? I think I'm not inspired because it's something I've already thought about. We've always had the option to go make money, or go try to fix the world... And whatever that brings us.

I am very clear on my chances of making big changes to the world: Almost nil. Instead, I decided long ago that I'd do my best to make money and improve my own life.

I'm not saying I don't do little things to help the environment, but there's no chance that I'm going to be on the team that cures cancer. There are too many people out there that are both smarter than me and more learned in the topics needed. The best I could do would be to get in their way.

Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#38

Post by VladRussian »

david927 wrote: post #6

Please change the title to: Stevey gives up the being part of the chase for the superfluous (in money), and calls for us to do something about the necessary No one needs a million dollars. No one. Why are we chasing it and dying of heart disease -- heart disease we can cure if we start chasing that instead? Our priorities are absolutely messed up and it's time we start realigning them. This isn't a speech; this isn't…

>No one needs a million dollars. No one.

food, roof (with internet connection reaching under it), freedom. In Bay Area, if you have a mortgage, it is half a mil bare minimum and even a million may not take you far enough. There have been experiments to build societies with decreased degree of connection between food, roof, freedom and money - somehow it always went like this one http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/dprk/dprk-dark....

And you can't build SpaceX without a bucket of millions (Copenhagen Orbitals are beyond wonderful, yet they are in Virgin Galactic league at best, even in their furthest plans. They show the possibilities for the future and at the same time how far yet that future is)

Re: Steve Yegge quits Google in the middle of his speech [OSCON Data 2011]

#40

Post by rdouble »

wccrawford wrote: post #36

Am I the only one that fails to be inspired by this? I think I'm not inspired because it's something I've already thought about. We've always had the option to go make money, or go try to fix the world... And whatever that brings us. I am very clear on my chances of making big changes to the world: Almost nil. Instead, I decided long ago that I'd do my best to make money and improve my own life. I'm not saying I don'…

No, you're not the only one. He's a bit naive if he thinks he's going to cure cancer by quitting his job and reading some undergraduate math textbooks. However misguided his plan may be, it's heartwarming that his wife agreed to be his study buddy, instead of divorcing him.
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