Google Launches Sidewalk Labs • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#21

Post by jMyles » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 1:59 AM UTC

derefr wrote: post #17

nulltype wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should the government be doing it?

There's no reason the government actually needs to build the infrastructure itself—but since infrastructure is a natural monopoly (only room for one set of roads, one EM spectrum, etc) the government needs to "regulate it into existence", setting laws to incentivize cooperative building of neutrally-owned infrastructure by interested players, rather than the natural monopoly leading to a real monopoly/oligopoly.

> rather than the natural monopoly leading to a real monopoly/oligopoly.

Of course you realize that there's debate about whether government makes this scenario more or less likely.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#22

Post by nulltype » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:00 AM UTC

derefr wrote: post #17

nulltype wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why should the government be doing it?

There's no reason the government actually needs to build the infrastructure itself—but since infrastructure is a natural monopoly (only room for one set of roads, one EM spectrum, etc) the government needs to "regulate it into existence", setting laws to incentivize cooperative building of neutrally-owned infrastructure by interested players, rather than the natural monopoly leading to a real monopoly/oligopoly.

That sounds a lot more appealing to me than the government actually building the thing.

With the EM spectrum for instance, the unlicensed 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands have been pretty useful. Google actually tried to get the 700 MHz spectrum (in the 2008 auction) licensed in a way that would probably benefit consumers quite a bit, though I'm not sure how well that worked. It's odd that Google had to do that when it's ostensibly the government's job to ensure good use of this limited natural resource, but I think the idea was good.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#23

Post by robzyb » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:01 AM UTC

abalone wrote: post #20

I don't understand the desire to do vague announcements. Why bother announcing at all until you have something more concrete? What does "time to get to work" even mean here? Doing what?

> What does "time to get to work" even mean here? Doing what?

Sometimes the first challenge is to figure that out.

Sometimes it makes sense to note the problem in the early stages.

I think its kinda cool that Google is exploring this.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#24

Post by JonathonW » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:01 AM UTC

curiouscat321 wrote: post #5

At what point is Google going to officially become a consulting company? Right now, they seem to be playing arbitrage with engineering talent. They buy up engineers with large salaries and fancy perks. Those people, who now span almost every industry, are then used on projects like these. This has nothing to do with Google's core business or any branch of it at all. It seems like Google is designing all sorts of prod…

I don't see how Google designing "outside of its core competency" is a problem, though. Lots of companies span large numbers of only tangentially-related verticals-- go take a look at Hitachi or Sony or Samsung, for example.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#25

Post by slykat » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:02 AM UTC

curiouscat321 wrote: post #5

At what point is Google going to officially become a consulting company? Right now, they seem to be playing arbitrage with engineering talent. They buy up engineers with large salaries and fancy perks. Those people, who now span almost every industry, are then used on projects like these. This has nothing to do with Google's core business or any branch of it at all. It seems like Google is designing all sorts of prod…

I think you are buying into the marketing/PR hype. The majority of headcount actually works on core products like advertising & search. The headcount in fringe areas like things like X is a very small % of total engineers. This basically is a huge boost for recruiting because every engineer hopes to work on these moonshot teams.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#26

Post by davidcgl » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:07 AM UTC

outside1234 wrote: post #7

I wonder how much Google does this just to get positive PR to hire for their main businesses. It gives the impression that you'll be working on cool stuff like this when you join Google instead of the rest of the 99% that drives the ad hive (which is where you'll really end up).

Positive PR is probably a side effect, not the main reason.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#27

Post by rictic » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:10 AM UTC

scotth wrote: post #14

outside1234 wrote: post #7

I wonder how much Google does this just to get positive PR to hire for their main businesses. It gives the impression that you'll be working on cool stuff like this when you join Google instead of the rest of the 99% that drives the ad hive (which is where you'll really end up).

It certainly didn't happen that way for me. I'm doing exactly the kind of work that I love to do. You're afforded quite a bit of mobility inside the company.

That also has been my experience. I've moved three times in five years and every time it's been because I heard about what a team was doing and wanted to join them.

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#28

Post by scotth » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:15 AM UTC

rictic wrote: post #27

scotth wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It certainly didn't happen that way for me. I'm doing exactly the kind of work that I love to do. You're afforded quite a bit of mobility inside the company.

That also has been my experience. I've moved three times in five years and every time it's been because I heard about what a team was doing and wanted to join them.

Dude, we're both in 2HS! I'm in the "UI Box" (Material).

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#29

Post by harigov » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:18 AM UTC

It's interesting that Google chooses to create new companies for problems orthogonal to its core purpose, instead of choosing to diversify itself as a company into multiple industries. Is this a common phenomenon or is it something that is new?

Re: Google Launches Sidewalk Labs

#30

Post by Dwolb » Thu, Jun 11, 2015, 2:21 AM UTC

minthd wrote: post #3

therealmarv wrote: post #2

So they targeting companies like Siemens now? They do not make public transportation systems, they do not make energy systems, they do not build houses. http://w3.siemens.com/topics/global/en/intelligent-infrastru... http://w1.siemens.com.cn/sustainable-city-en/sustainable-cit...

I don't think the word "Targeting" is correct. Google has unique innovation skills, and they are willing to use them to collaborate with others who are willing to innovate. Only unless said companies(say ISP's) aren't willing to innovate, they'll be a threat. At least that seems the general theme at Google.

Not sure you really addressed why 'Targeting' isn't correct. Just because they have unique skills doesn't mean they can't target someone's business.