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Steve's Google Platform rant

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Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#191

Post by basugasubaku »

hollerith wrote: post #178
bambax wrote: post #12

What he says about Chrome doesn't seem to be really true? > And so we wind up with a browser that doesn't let you set the default font size You can set the default font size and zoom size in Chrome (chrome://settings/advanced then "Web Content"). But more to the point, although it's obvious Google Search is trying very hard NOT to be a platform, it would seem Chrome is already a platform. No other browser in history…

>You can set the default font size and zoom size in Chrome (chrome://settings/advanced then "Web Content"). Increasing the default font size makes some text a lot bigger while other text stays small. On Mailman archives, for example, the body of an email ends up smaller than all the other text on the page (maybe because the body is in a fixed-width font). Specifically, if you set the default font size to "Very large"…

Have you tried setting Minimum font size also to "Very large"?

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#192

Post by paddy_m »

potatolicious wrote: post #71
bambax wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that's kind of interesting, isn't it? If those horror stories are true (and we have no reason to doubt they are), it kinda shows that the way you treat your employees doesn't really matter to your success. It certainly matters a lot to them; it matters from a moral point of view; but from a practical point of view the only individuals whose happiness matters are the customers. Of course, if your employees are so…

On the contrary, the way Amazon treats their employees does harm them substantially, they just haven't paid the price visibly to the public (or quite as hard as they will, eventually). Attrition at Amazon is at horrific rates. I know the actual number, though I'm pretty sure that'd violate my NDA to reveal. It's high. It's really high. Guess a really truly terrible number. It's probably higher than that. The stream o…

I did some interviews with amazon, when they told me that their devs get a 22 inch monitor, I almost dropped the phone. They said that they wanted to keep a "lean startup environment", bullshit. That alone stopped me from going further along in the interview process with them.

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#193

Post by teja1990 »

pitdesi wrote: post #120

It now 404's so I've posted it here: Stevey's Google Platforms Rant I was at Amazon for about six and a half years, and now I've been at Google for that long. One thing that struck me immediately about the two companies -- an impression that has been reinforced almost daily -- is that Amazon does everything wrong, and Google does everything right. Sure, it's a sweeping generalization, but a surprisingly accurate one.…

Its out of context, but please bear with me. Is it ok if amazon has an internal library(hypothetical) that is a collection of all its online books that they sell, can they have access to it , i mean normal guys have to pay for just getting a chapter out of a big book. For Amazon guys is there any concession , can they check on some cool book just like that?

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#194

Post by mark-r »

bmj wrote: post #106
johnyzee wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Six weeks here in Denmark and a maximum work week of 37 hours. You have to wonder how we ever get anything done here...

Out of curiosity, is there much of a start-up culture there? If so, do founders (and first employees) adhere to the same guidelines? At least here in the U.S., founding/working at a start-up basically assumes long-ish hours.

Old joke: "Being a founder means you can work half-days if you want. The best part is you get to choose which 12 hours that is."

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#195

Post by Lewisham »

pitdesi wrote: post #173
pitdesi wrote: post #120

It now 404's so I've posted it here: Stevey's Google Platforms Rant I was at Amazon for about six and a half years, and now I've been at Google for that long. One thing that struck me immediately about the two companies -- an impression that has been reinforced almost daily -- is that Amazon does everything wrong, and Google does everything right. Sure, it's a sweeping generalization, but a surprisingly accurate one.…

For all those who are criticizing this public posting, first note that it is publicly available in several dozen other locations, including some tech rags. More importantly, STEVE HIMSELF SAID IT'S OK TO REPOST - https://plus.google.com/112678702228711889851/posts/eVeouesv... Part of me feels that this is actually written to the general public, and the whole public/private thing is a cover up.

Part of me feels that this is actually written to the general public, and the whole public/private thing is a cover up.

This is highly unlikely. This sort of internal conversation happens a lot internally. There's no need to take it public. What would it serve? Some sort of escalation of the problem? Unlikely. It's more likely to get you a stern email than it is to get it heard.

Steve has no problems getting the ears of developers. I can't see why he would want to make it public.

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#196

Post by tmsh »

google search: 'malcolm gladwell third'.

Sort of relevant. Different mindsets.

I don't completely buy the argument (the marginal utility of learning from the first and second iteration isn't always as meaningful as you might think) -- but I partly buy the argument. And it's sort of relevant here. I.e., it's hard to be inventive and an integrator. Though once you're aware of the problem it might not be that hard.

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#197

Post by ellyagg »

ilamont wrote: post #129
bonzoesc wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A success by what standard, because it's probably not profit.

I was thinking of installed base (48% in the U.S. in August, compared to 23% for iOS, source http://searchengineland.com/comscore-android-nears-50-us-sma... ) and applications, but revenue is (or was late last year) part of the picture, too, via advertising: Google CEO Eric Schmidt says Android-based phones already generate enough new advertising revenue to cover the cost of the software’s development. http://www.the…

The numbers you mention were for smartphones alone. The source you cite claims total iOS device install rate is slightly higher than Android.

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#198

Post by tmsh »

google search: 'malcolm gladwell third'.

Sort of relevant. Different mindsets.

I don't completely buy the argument (the marginal utility of learning from the first and second iteration isn't always as meaningful as you might think) -- but I partly buy the argument. And it's sort of relevant here. I.e., it's hard to be both inventive and an integrator. Though once you're aware of the problem it might not be that hard.

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#199

Post by herdrick »

nirvana wrote: post #56
revorad wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm really shocked to read that (and the OP's rant about Amazon). Of course, I've never had a corporate job. It amazes me that Amazon managed to be so successful, despite treating their employees so badly.

I've thought a lot about this. In part because, you can't generally say anything bad about Amazon without being attacked. "You must be disgruntled" etc. I only made my post because I had the cover of Steve Yegge saying very similar things (Though I went into more detail.) Most people believe Amazon's press releases. In 2006, they said that AWS powered Amazon.com. It was a flat out lie. But how could I prove it? Fortu…

AWS was pirate operation

That's amazing to me. I thought such things were never done in software anymore because: why not leave the company and do the same thing in your own startup? Same hard work, high risk, etc, but with giant upside. Was it because of something wrong with Seattle's startup culture?

Re: Steve's Google Platform rant

#200

Post by danmaz74 »

temphn wrote: post #153
nirvana wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've thought a lot about this. In part because, you can't generally say anything bad about Amazon without being attacked. "You must be disgruntled" etc. I only made my post because I had the cover of Steve Yegge saying very similar things (Though I went into more detail.) Most people believe Amazon's press releases. In 2006, they said that AWS powered Amazon.com. It was a flat out lie. But how could I prove it? Fortu…

It's probably really hard to run a company with tens of thousands of employees and achieve market success while also having everyone inside like and respect you. From a systems standpoint, it's hard to argue with Amazon's recent successes (AWS, Kindle Fire). If they aren't an A company in tech then no one is. This is not to dispute your observations in any way, shape, or form. Just that it's a huge T-Rex from the out…

How is the kindle fire a success? It just launched...
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