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Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

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Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#61

Post by dangrossman »

joshu wrote: post #56
enneff wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At Google your username appears everywhere. In mail, code reviews, chat, irc - everywhere. I know some of my colleagues by their username only, I don't even remember their real names. When we start we get to specify three usernames in order of preference. You are given the first one that is available. It means a lot to me to be adg@google.com.

do you really want your raw email available publically?

I've been posting my e-mail addresses in plaintext all over the web for a good decade and a half. I still use those same addresses. I see no spam. Spam filters work.

Why are people afraid of having their e-mail address out there without obfuscation?

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#62

Post by jandrewrogers »

jclulow wrote: post #12
crazygringo wrote: post #8

The monitors, I totally understand and agree with. That's about actual productivity. But choosing your own e-mail address? There must be a thousand little details like that in my life, every day, that I have no control over, like the color of my desk, or the sound of a coworker's voice. By all means, try to find a workplace that suits you the best, but if a seemingly tiny detail like that bothers you so much, unless…

It might not be important to you, but I don't think the article is saying that it has to be. I think it's a good yardstick, though, for taking the 'temperature' of the sorts of policies and the kind of work environment you're about to be standing in if you decide to take a job. As someone recently said to me when I asked if their e-mail address was "firstname.lastname@" -- "Please, we're still a startup; firstname@ i…

In some large Silicon Valley companies, "firstname@company.com" is a badge of honor because it indicates that you were an employee back when the company was small. New employees don't receive that option at some point.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#63

Post by enneff »

joshu wrote: post #56
enneff wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At Google your username appears everywhere. In mail, code reviews, chat, irc - everywhere. I know some of my colleagues by their username only, I don't even remember their real names. When we start we get to specify three usernames in order of preference. You are given the first one that is available. It means a lot to me to be adg@google.com.

do you really want your raw email available publically?

I don't care.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#64

Post by ww520 »

Actually on a related topic, do people know what's the typical ratio of capital spending vs revenue of a typical software company? Capital spending should include equipments, IT infrastructure, operation infrastructure, etc.

I was at one company with 1% cap/revenue ratio and it was horrible. People had to bring in their own big monitors if they wanted a bigger one. Of course the CEO was proud with such low ratio.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#65

Post by JamesLeonis »

kennu wrote: post #21
crazygringo wrote: post #8

The monitors, I totally understand and agree with. That's about actual productivity. But choosing your own e-mail address? There must be a thousand little details like that in my life, every day, that I have no control over, like the color of my desk, or the sound of a coworker's voice. By all means, try to find a workplace that suits you the best, but if a seemingly tiny detail like that bothers you so much, unless…

Nowadays web email services like Gmail set the minimum standard for how email should work. You should be able to choose your email address from what's available, and also create new email addresses whenever you need them (with self service). If the corporate email system cannot provide service that is as good, then people will start using services like Gmail instead. I see it happen all the time. Personally I also re…

I have heard it many times here and elsewhere, but customized email addresses are a huge boon for having your own domain that I'm discovering.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#66

Post by raldi »

crazygringo wrote: post #8

The monitors, I totally understand and agree with. That's about actual productivity. But choosing your own e-mail address? There must be a thousand little details like that in my life, every day, that I have no control over, like the color of my desk, or the sound of a coworker's voice. By all means, try to find a workplace that suits you the best, but if a seemingly tiny detail like that bothers you so much, unless…

May I ask how many letters there are in your last name? Mine has nine letters, and it killed me to work somewhere that my username was "mschiral" and I had to type most of it but then stop two letters early.

It's like Shave and a Haircut without the "two bits".

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#67

Post by five18pm »

ajross wrote: post #4

I think the meta-point sort of makes sense. Places that don't skimp on resources which are a comparatively small fraction of salary (monitors, fancy coffee makers, catered food, etc...) are more likely to value their employees. That said: I use a single 15.6" laptop on a stand (or, of course, in my lap) for pretty much everything I do. I find the added productivity of always having everything I work on in front of me…

At my previous work we used docking stations for the laptops. So at desk I had my big 22" monitor, mouse and regular keyboard connected to my laptop and whenever I am away I still had everything that I worked on with me.

Then again I was a manager so all I had open most of the time was Thunderbird and Excel. I don't know if the extra pixels helped in my case ;).

In any case I would recommend that setup for work.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#68

Post by robryan »

benihana wrote: post #58

Want to know if a company has good engineering culture? Look up the company's engineers' facebook and twitter feeds and see what they're saying. Engineers who are happy tell everyone about it. Big monitors and choosing your email addresses are great; for a couple of weeks. Then after the big monitor honeymoon phase is over and the daily slog begins, the engineers realize that they have a big monitor that buries them…

Then after you have found that company ask for the equipment you need? Sure the culture is more than just a few monitors, but I think a company not giving you the optimal gear is less likely to have a good culture.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#69

Post by gnarizard »

jroseattle wrote: post #37

For the engineers I've hired onto my team, I insist they be provided the very things that I want as an engineer: - Two big monitors - New dev machine/laptop, running latest bits - A top-of-the-line chair - Some natural light (not to be confused with *natty light*) These are the non-negotiable items, and having taken a few senior mgmt positions, it's now something I state upfront: this is how we roll, no exceptions. T…

Natural light can't be emphasized enough. I just moved to a window-less fluorescent fishbowl shared by three analysts/developers, and I've never had so many headaches.

Re: Why Quit? Because the other company has bigger monitors.

#70

Post by JamesLeonis »

crazygringo wrote: post #8

The monitors, I totally understand and agree with. That's about actual productivity. But choosing your own e-mail address? There must be a thousand little details like that in my life, every day, that I have no control over, like the color of my desk, or the sound of a coworker's voice. By all means, try to find a workplace that suits you the best, but if a seemingly tiny detail like that bothers you so much, unless…

A friend of mine in college had a name that would be mildly offensive and embarrassing to him if it was his first initial and last name. Having your own username/email might be something to think about and would be a rather painless perk to offer to prospective employees.

Like you said, when was the last time you thought about your email address?

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