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Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

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Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#111

Post by klyrs »

elroyjetson wrote: post #66
ss1996 wrote: post #2

On a side note - has anyone applied to Canonical for a software job? Their first step is a written interview which requires as much, if not more, effort as a graduate college application.

I applied a while back. Made it through months of tests, interviews, all the way to an interview with Mark Shuttleworth. I respect what he has built, but the interview only really focused on what I had done in high school. I graduated 36 years ago - I just don't see the relevance. I am glad he passed on me given all the news coming out since.

As I recall, high school was a big focus of the essay questions when I applied, too. Like you, that was a lifetime ago, and my growth since then is much more important. If I was a lawyer, I might try to round up a few grayhairs that have had similar experiences for a class action suit.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#112

Post by klyrs »

anaisbetts wrote: post #39
ilayn wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Immediately withdrew after seeing the high school grade questions.

A friend of mine, a person with a Master's degree and multiple years of extremely relevant work experience, dropped out of their process after multiple interviews because they would not continue without having her high school report card. Absolute clown town.

Report card??? This utterly stinks of ageism. I wonder if my school district even has that, approaching 30 years later...

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#113

Post by klyrs »

monocasa wrote: post #32
ss1996 wrote: post #2

On a side note - has anyone applied to Canonical for a software job? Their first step is a written interview which requires as much, if not more, effort as a graduate college application.

Oxide was similar. Something like 12 pages written just to be ghosted.

I saw that too. I mean, I didn't submit anything because too much of my work is hidden behind NDA. But at least with Oxide, it doesn't surprise me that they want to be a startup full of superwizards. Canonical? No. Just no.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#114

Post by mdekkers »

kundaru wrote: post #73

Canonical HR is the worst. They use a discredited "personality test" company. Sample report https://www.docdroid.net/3hDIf3Y/perform-sample-report-may-2...

> Canonical HR is the worst. They use a discredited "personality test" company.

They also have a really weird focus on your education history when applying, to the point that when I was considering applying there, their application form made me realise I don’t want to work there.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#115

Post by fsckboy »

sitzkrieg wrote: post #76
twic wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you thought about having one machine plus a hot spare, and swapping out hard drives? If it gets subpoenaed for job X, put the job X drive in and give it to the lawyers, then put the drive for the current job in the spare, order a new spare, and carry on. Of course, if you can bill the machines through to the clients, why bother!

swapping out hard drives in modern laptops sounds like an easier time for you? even w nvme sticks im gunna go with "no way"

with linux? i swap hard drives all the time

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#116

Post by fsckboy »

gumby wrote: post #70
manifoldgeo wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know many other jobs that work this way. Imagine getting a construction job and having to supply your own jackhammer or take out a temporary loan to buy one. Doesn't the company have some they should supply you with? Gig-economy jobs work this way, e.g. Uber and Lyft, but those are problematic for the same reason (and a lot more reasons imho). As another commenter said, you're adding wear and tear to your own…

Chefs bring their own knives. Many skilled laborers in construction bring their own hand tools, especially at the high end (cabinetmakers, finish plasterers, etc). In many industries workers must pay for their uniforms and safety equipment (the uniform part seems particularly egregious to me -- it is company specific yet you have to pay for it and look after it). Lawyers and salespeople have to pay for their fancy su…

automechanics own their own tools, easily $10,000 or double or more worth.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#117

Post by jlokier »

anaisbetts wrote: post #39
ilayn wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Immediately withdrew after seeing the high school grade questions.

A friend of mine, a person with a Master's degree and multiple years of extremely relevant work experience, dropped out of their process after multiple interviews because they would not continue without having her high school report card. Absolute clown town.

What a strange requirement. I can't imagine how I'd get that card. I'm guessing the record doesn't exist anywhere. Another commenter talked of how this is not ok for people who lose their paper records in a disaster. But is "high school report card" even the sort of record people have and keep? I have nothing like it in my personal records. I don't think I have anything at all from my school days.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#118

Post by BaseballPhysics »

MR4D wrote: post #101

“ As I’ve told colleagues and upper management, Canonical isn’t the company I excitedly joined back in 2011 and it’s not a company that I would want to join today ” Pretty damning comment. I don’t know the backstory here, but it seems aimed at management not doing a good job given the praise he lavished on the tech teams. Can someone here fill me on the issues they’re facing?

Yeah, tbh I was a little shocked he put that out there. Speaking for myself, I know I wouldn't publicly burn a bridge like that for what seems to be no good reason, and I'd advise anyone leaving a job to try to do so on reasonable terms if possible.

If Canonical is really that bad, people already know (and judging by the comments... yeah... not great).

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#119

Post by jes »

manifoldgeo wrote: post #55
HumblyTossed wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mechanics tend to bring their own tools.

That's true. And for new mechanics that don't have their own tools yet, there are vendors like Snap-On that drive tool trucks to different garages will sell them tools on a payment plan. This creates a situation where a person in a new job starts out in the red, being indebted from the start simply because they need new tools. At least it's not as bad as the gilded age where workers got paid in company-store scrip an…

Snap-On tools are great. They also cost an arm and a leg. Yet if you put a 3' pipe on your 1/2" ratchet and break the ratchet, the tool guy will fix it or replace it on his next visit.

Re: Stéphane Graber has left Canonical

#120

Post by asadotzler »

manifoldgeo wrote: post #41
lbhdc wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It also struck me as a red flag that Canonical is 100% BYOD (Bring Your Own Device), and they do not provide a work computer. You can apply for a _loan_ to buy a computer for work, but they will not pay for one. If a company is too cheap to provide a computer at a job where you work remotely and exclusively on a computer, I don't want to be a part of that company. That doesn't seem so bad to me. I have always prefe…

I don't know many other jobs that work this way. Imagine getting a construction job and having to supply your own jackhammer or take out a temporary loan to buy one. Doesn't the company have some they should supply you with? Gig-economy jobs work this way, e.g. Uber and Lyft, but those are problematic for the same reason (and a lot more reasons imho). As another commenter said, you're adding wear and tear to your own…

As a house painter I brought my own boots, cap, and whites, my own paint brushes and rollers (and poles) my own 5-in-1, and my own caulking gun. Spray rigs and and other power tools as well as ladders and scaffolding were provided by the boss.
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