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Google stopping coding competitions

developers.googleblog.com

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Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#171

Post by astrange »

jjoonathan wrote: post #120
TimTheTinker wrote: post #29

It seems like large companies are like government: Just like there's a power vacuum that causes governments to exist, there's an economic vacuum that causes large companies to exist. The question is not if these things will exist, but how and why -- and especially with what limits . It's sad to see Google -- the once very promising small company with big ideas -- getting sucked into the vacuum.

> there's an economic vacuum that causes large companies to exist The size of these vacuums is a direct result of policy. Tax policy, liability policy, antitrust policy -- there are a dozen levers we could pull to create a corporate landscape that looks very different. But yes, with the levers in their current positions, what we see here is inevitable.

That's because large companies are good. They're easier to regulate and more productive. If you're a small company, that means you're not good enough to get big, and if you've met SMB owners they're often the most reactionary class of people.

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#173

Post by bastardoperator »

astrange wrote: post #164
gkoberger wrote: post #9

We could lament them shutting it down, but why not thank them for doing this for 20 years? That's a LONG time to do anything, and despite what Google has become, it absolutely defined tech culture. Now it's obvious and commonplace, but an employee-centric company was revolutionary at the time. Things like this changed the lives of every single person here, either directly or indirectly. And best yet, it's a chance fo…

I think I'd prefer Google to care about their users more than their employees. (And every time there's a story about Google employees rebelling, it's to make things even better for the employees and continue ignoring the users.)

Why not champion for both?

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#174

Post by noncoml »

Spooky23 wrote: post #146
AndrewKemendo wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are two possible outcomes for a publicly traded company that has figured out how to make a lot of money over a long period 1. Continue to accrete new revenue sources and pivot slightly forever until you eventually do a bit of everything, "diversifying" to the point where you become in effect a small nation 2. Stick to your plan and go out of business These are the two possible outcomes as a public company

3 - Split up and create value. Amazon, Microsoft, Google, etc are offensive companies in that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Microsoft in particular is held back by having to support the platforms. Office as a standalone company would be worth more than Microsoft.

Have you tried Office lately? Feels like all coding is done by 14yo olds that just discovered programming.

Also feature wise, why do I need a LinkedIn option on Excel.

But that’s what you get when there is 0 competition.

What we need in competition and anti-monopolistic policies. Not splitting up companies.

For starts let’s get rid of the fucking patents for all software.

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#177

Post by francisofascii »

astrange wrote: post #164
gkoberger wrote: post #9

We could lament them shutting it down, but why not thank them for doing this for 20 years? That's a LONG time to do anything, and despite what Google has become, it absolutely defined tech culture. Now it's obvious and commonplace, but an employee-centric company was revolutionary at the time. Things like this changed the lives of every single person here, either directly or indirectly. And best yet, it's a chance fo…

I think I'd prefer Google to care about their users more than their employees. (And every time there's a story about Google employees rebelling, it's to make things even better for the employees and continue ignoring the users.)

This doesn't benefit users. Quite the opposite. This is all about Google placating the activist hedge fund investors. I think employees typically want users to have better user experiences.

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#178

Post by elijaht »

vineyardmike wrote: post #160
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Most of the people I know who wanted to work at google, and a few that worked at google, now have higher paying, more enjoyable, and more stable jobs elsewhere Honest question (this is really not a challenge), care to share where? I always thought of the FAANGs (collectively) giving the best compensation in the business. Which companies are paying more than Google but with more stability?

This doesn't exactly answer your question but some FAANGS pay better than others, and its related to the "desirability" of the company. Eg. Amazon started beating out Google's pay, since people wanted to work at google, and had to be coheres to working at amazon. I can't answer where pays better than FAANG, but companies in the bay (eg. Uber) are starting to approach the salary. Even smaller no-name bay companies are…

> Even smaller no-name bay companies are starting to match on base salary (equity+bonus is harder to match).

FWIW- I see a lot of places with matching or better base than FANG, but it's precisely because the equity at FAANG is so high.

The only places I see with meaningfully higher pay than FAANG + hot tech companies of the day (ex. Doordash, Datadog, ...) are hedge funds. Curious if there is anywhere else

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#179

Post by QuercusMax »

Gigachad wrote: post #163
QuercusMax wrote: post #148

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OK, so you can buy 10 mega yachts instead of only 5. You've got 30 vacation homes instead of just 10. How does this actually impact your life?

Because they don’t buy 30 vacation homes, they buy companies. Where the extra 100m goes a long way. I’m sure he is quite comfortable on 100m though.

Again - what difference does it make to your life, aside from empire-building, to have an extra $100m? Nothing. It's just greed.

Re: Google stopping coding competitions

#180

Post by burnished »

steve_adams_86 wrote: post #39
burnished wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tip outs are better in bougie joints frequented by tech workers. This isnt a contradiction to your main point, maybe more of a damning with faint praise if anything.

> Tip outs are better in bougie joints frequented by tech workers. This sounds a little trickle-downy. Why not strive for an economy where people doing important work like feeding their communities just... Don't need to be tipped? I know it sounds crazy in today-terms, but if it makes any sense, it makes tipping culture look like more of a problem than a boon to anyone receiving the tips.

Absolutely - perhaps I was being too subtle, or simply unclear. Damning with faint praise implies that this isnt a meaningful improvement.
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