google is blah great blah because blah blah, blah blah work at google.
How Google Works
21–30 of 113 posts
Re: How Google Works
#22“As a result, barriers to entry that have stood for decades are melting away. Every incumbent business is vulnerable to competition and disruption.” Upper middle class dudes from elite academic institutions create businesses. What's the new thing? Maybe I'm misstating this and I'm just going to piss away what few points I have less, but hasn't business always been this way? Railroads killed the stagecoach, the lightb…
Yes, but the demographic constituency who can play the game is expanding. It's getting easier to hack your socio-economic status.
Re: How Google Works
#23I started work at google pretty recently, and expressed an interest in working on a particular project. I made some notes about some of my ideas, and was putting some stuff together to show to one of the teams, to get some input before prototyping. I asked a senior team member to have a look at the notes I had made, and see if they were ready to show to the wider team. His advice? "Go build something, then we can hav…
What academic background is that? I'm curious.
Re: How Google Works
#24The motivation of Google is not even discussed here. Why do you want to create a certain environment for "smart creatives?" Oh yeah, almost forgot... so they'll make products that will make Google lots of money. This always leads to a logic contradiction. If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google? Everyone knows if you create the next g-mail you still walk in on Monday and get a salary, not equity. Y…
You'd have conceived a system used by billions though
Re: How Google Works
#25The motivation of Google is not even discussed here. Why do you want to create a certain environment for "smart creatives?" Oh yeah, almost forgot... so they'll make products that will make Google lots of money. This always leads to a logic contradiction. If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google? Everyone knows if you create the next g-mail you still walk in on Monday and get a salary, not equity. Y…
> If they are so smart and creative, why do they need Google?
Many things cannot be created individually, no matter how smart and creative you are. Think of pyramids, space ships, - or even GMail. It's about leveraging the resources of a big company.
And not to forget the low risk: you build something while you are on salary vs. building something for equity that may or may not worth dollars in the end.
Re: How Google Works
#26I didn't know Google as a startup that needed showcasing on HN.
Re: How Google Works
#27Re: How Google Works
#28Loved the presentation, makes me realise how much more difficult it is to hire and foster innovative culture here in India where the office space is still marred by the age old 'BOSS Rules' culture.
Totally agree.
Re: How Google Works
#29“As a result, barriers to entry that have stood for decades are melting away. Every incumbent business is vulnerable to competition and disruption.” Upper middle class dudes from elite academic institutions create businesses. What's the new thing? Maybe I'm misstating this and I'm just going to piss away what few points I have less, but hasn't business always been this way? Railroads killed the stagecoach, the lightb…
Yes, but the demographic constituency who can play the game is expanding. It's getting easier to hack your socio-economic status.
The guys that started Google came from Stanford, the Facebook guy, Harvard. The Dropbox guys, MIT. Is there someone who went to Bunker Hill Community College or its many equivaltents who was able create a majorly disruptive business? I don't want to sound like Reddit, but link to something.
Re: How Google Works
#30I started work at google pretty recently, and expressed an interest in working on a particular project. I made some notes about some of my ideas, and was putting some stuff together to show to one of the teams, to get some input before prototyping. I asked a senior team member to have a look at the notes I had made, and see if they were ready to show to the wider team. His advice? "Go build something, then we can hav…
I was under the impression that the work load at Google is so heavy that it is almost impossible to get "20% time" anymore. During what time did you work on your idea? Are they freeing you of all responsibilities to build your prototype or do they expect you to do it in your free time and then donate it to the company? Thanks, I'm very curious about this aspect of Google's culture.
I joined Google a few months ago and have not had this experience. The company is gigantic so everybody's situation is a little bit different, but plenty of people still have 20% projects. The culture strongly emphasizes a "build first and ask questions later" attitude.