Live data from Hacker News

Hide your real name in Open Source

medium.com

11–20 of 59 posts

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#11
> “we are suspicious that you are too active on github and will not commit to this job”

In other words: You don't want to work there. If they see that you are busy in your time off on Github, it can only be an upside. (But note: no downside if you don't use github at all)

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#15

I can't really follow the logic here -- maybe it's really just related to investment banks? I'm doing a lot of Github comments and worked with institutions that usually are considered secretive, and they usually don't care at all. I've only heard once a feedback about my commits on Github and that was “I've checked you out on Github, cool, the other applicants didn't even have projects on it." Maybe it's a German thi…

maybe it's really just related to investment banks?

Banks are indeed one of the most secretive and protective institutions, along with a lot of other related ones in the financial sector. They also tend to have more authoritarian practices, which can explain why they're not so keen on their employees doing even remotely-related stuff outside of their work.

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#16
Nah, just defend yourself better. "I'm this active because I'm a code writing machine and run out of shit to do at work."

Someone harassing you because of your OC contribs? Burn their (metaphorical) house down.

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#17

and use hacker names Amusing to see this phrased, since even before the Internet we had a perfectly cromulent word for this: handle.

Or pseudonym.

Correct, but too dry and sterile (unless that's what you were going for, in which case I applaud you): it was first a handle, then with the InterNet and IRC a nick.

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#19

I can't really follow the logic here -- maybe it's really just related to investment banks? I'm doing a lot of Github comments and worked with institutions that usually are considered secretive, and they usually don't care at all. I've only heard once a feedback about my commits on Github and that was “I've checked you out on Github, cool, the other applicants didn't even have projects on it." Maybe it's a German thi…

I work for an investment bank and have interviewed at plenty of other financial institutions, including other investment banks and hedge funds. Few have commented on my open source work, and those that have basically said, "We checked out your project, it looks pretty cool."

I had one particularly tech-savvy CEO personally reach out and try to recruit me because of my open source work. My project wasn't directly related, but he recognized the similarities between the problem domains, and that impressed me. But his wasn't a financial firm.

I can't imagine any tech-centric organization being hostile toward open source contributors, whether they're an investment bank or not. I could maybe see it on teams that aren't tech-focused and are led by old-school business types who just don't "get it". But teams where tech is their biggest asset, like electronic trading? No way. If you run into this sort of thing when applying for jobs in the financial sector, you're looking at the wrong jobs (or the wrong banks). Look for roles on electronic trading teams or HFT. The work is more challenging, and the compensation is better anyway.

Better still, apply at Susquehanna or Two Sigma, or some other place that really recognizes the value of their engineers. Stay away from huge banks like Citi.

Re: Hide your real name in Open Source

#20
The first part is the standard "companies think you are not committed" part .. depends on the company. The second part reads like a long version of "I'd like to behave like an asshole without any consequences, here's how to do it". Talking about "attacked for wrongthink" or "are certain that they are not one of the politicians" confirms that suspicion for me.

Long story short: If you want to be an asshole using your real name is probably not a good idea. But why do you want to do that in the first place?

Post reply on HN