Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#1

Post by whack » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 6:18 PM UTC

Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google
quora.com

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#2

Post by jmathai » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:16 PM UTC

  my software was insanely successful. Why is that? Well 
  the answer is not in the realm of computer science.
  I have always had a user-experience focus to my software.
  Homebrew cares about the user. When things go wrong with 
  Homebrew it tries as hard as it can to tell you why, it 
  searches GitHub for similar issues and points you to them. 
  It cares about *you*.

I love that he calls out Homebrew not being a technical marvel and attributes its success to the fact that it does what users care about.

His skills align better with product management at Google more than software engineering though.

It's clear when software is written or designed by someone who cares about the user. Homebrew really is a great example of this.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#3

Post by ucaetano » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:25 PM UTC

But ultimately, should Google have hired me? Yes, absolutely yes. I am often a dick, I am often difficult, I often don’t know computer science, but. BUT. I make really good things, maybe they aren't perfect, but people really like them. Surely, surely Google could have used that.

No, Google shouldn't have hired him, and he made it very clear why: he's a dick.

Related discussion:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15474893

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#4

Post by swayvil » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:31 PM UTC

To read the responses to Max's post, Quora wants me to sign on with Google. And then, when I sign on with Google, "Quora wants to manage your contacts".

Fuck that, Quora.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#5

Post by swayvil » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:33 PM UTC

ucaetano wrote: post #3

But ultimately, should Google have hired me? Yes, absolutely yes. I am often a dick, I am often difficult, I often don’t know computer science, but. BUT. I make really good things, maybe they aren't perfect, but people really like them. Surely, surely Google could have used that. No, Google shouldn't have hired him, and he made it very clear why: he's a dick. Related discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1…

If dickishness was a crime then most of our software engineers would be in jail.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#6

Post by kazinator » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:34 PM UTC

Isn't inverting a binary tree just this? (That's what some people seem to think, when I search for the problem.)

  1> (defun invert (tree)
       (if (atom tree)
         tree
         (list (invert (cadr tree)) (invert (car tree)))))
  invert
  2> (invert '(((1 2) (3 4)) ((5 6) (7 8))))
  (((8 7) (6 5)) ((4 3) (2 1)))

Here I modeled the binary tree using two-element lists as the nodes (thus using two cons cells where one would do) for the sake of presentational clarity.

What are the real requirements?

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#7

Post by _m8fo » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:46 PM UTC

The real question is why people care so much about working for Google. If you're good, then you'll find success with or without Google, and if you're not good, then why would one complain about Google not hiring them when you don't even believe in your own ability.

It's bizarre, really.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#8

Post by cblock811 » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:48 PM UTC

swayvil wrote: post #5

ucaetano wrote: post #3

But ultimately, should Google have hired me? Yes, absolutely yes. I am often a dick, I am often difficult, I often don’t know computer science, but. BUT. I make really good things, maybe they aren't perfect, but people really like them. Surely, surely Google could have used that. No, Google shouldn't have hired him, and he made it very clear why: he's a dick. Related discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1…

If dickishness was a crime then most of our software engineers would be in jail.

That it's not a crime doesn't excuse dickishness.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#9

Post by nl » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:49 PM UTC

swayvil wrote: post #5

ucaetano wrote: post #3

But ultimately, should Google have hired me? Yes, absolutely yes. I am often a dick, I am often difficult, I often don’t know computer science, but. BUT. I make really good things, maybe they aren't perfect, but people really like them. Surely, surely Google could have used that. No, Google shouldn't have hired him, and he made it very clear why: he's a dick. Related discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1…

If dickishness was a crime then most of our software engineers would be in jail.

You need to find a new place work if that is true.

Re: Max Howell's take on getting rejected by Google

#10

Post by kmicklas » Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 8:51 PM UTC

nl wrote: post #9

swayvil wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If dickishness was a crime then most of our software engineers would be in jail.

You need to find a new place work if that is true.

I quite working at Google largely because I found many more dicks there than average. So maybe Max would be a perfect fit. (Although let's not forget that admitting you are a dick at times takes a certain amount of humility.)