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OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

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Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#361
post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some excellent points. On “add selection to chat”, I just want to add that the Claude Code VS code extension automatically passes the current selection to the model. :) I am genuinely curious if any Cursor or Windsurf users who have also tried Claude Code could speak to why they prefer the IDE-fork tools? I’ve only ever used Claude Code myself - what am I missing?

Cursor's tab completion model is legitimately fantastic and for many people is worth the entire $20 subscription. Lint fixes or syntax-level refactors are guessed and executed instantly with TAB with close to 100% accuracy. This is their final moat IMO, if Copilot manages to bring their tab completion up to near parity, very little reason to use Cursor.

I haven't used Cursor or Claude much, how different is it from Copilot? I bounce between desktop ChatGPT (which can update VS Code) and copilot. Is there an impression that those have fallen behind?

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#362
post #43

I don't know anyone who heard or used Windsurf outside the Bay Area. Even Cursor feels very Bay Area bubbly (although that is the market to go after if you're in ai dev tools).

Before being known as Windsurf it was Codeium - the only good free autocomplete extension for VS Code and Jetbrains ides.

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#363
post #56

IMO other than the Microsoft IP issue, I think the biggest thing that has shifted since this acquisition was first in the works is Claude Code has absolutely exploded. Forking an IDE and all the expense that comes with that feels like a waste of effort, considering the number of free/open source CLI agentic tools that are out there. Let's review the current state of things: - Terminal CLI agents are several orders of…

Claude Code is just proving that coding agents can be successful. The interface isn’t magic, it just fits the model and integrates with a system in all the right ways. The Anthropic team for that product is very small comparatively (their most prolific contributor is Claude), and I think it’s more of a technology proof than a core competency - it’s a great API $ business lever, but there’s no reason for them to try a…

I was being hyperbolic saying their ARR will go to zero. That's obviously not the case, but the point is that CC has revealed their real product was not "agentic coding UI", it was "insanely cheap tokens". I have no doubt they will continue to see success, but their future right now looks closer to being a competitor to free/open tools like cline/roo code, as well as the CLI entrants, not a standalone $500M ARR juggarnaut. They have no horse in the race in the token market, they're a middleman.

They either need to create their own model and compete on cost, or hope that token costs come down dramatically so as to be too cheap to meter.

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#364
post #39
post #21

It's another Character.ai situation [0]. Unfortunate for any employees who aren't founders or researchers, as they don't get any payout or a nice new job from this exit structure. In fact they lose their whole time invested at the company. What a harsh time to work for an AI startup as a rank and file employee! I wonder how the founders justify going along with it inside their mind. [0] Character.ai CEO Noam Shazeer…

The rank and file equity pitch is quickly falling apart…

This.

Character.ai reached out to me for an opportunity, but they've already been carved up.

I think it's great that the rank and file got some of their equity cash-out (based on the other comment), but I imagine it isn't an attractive prospect as a start-up to join at this point.

I just ignored the recruiter. I can't imagine their would be a second liquidity event.

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#365
post #338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am curious what kind of code development you are doing with so many subscriptions? Are you doing front end backend full stack or model development itself? Are you destilling models for training your own? I have never heard someone using so much subscription? Is this for your full time job or startup? Why not use qwen or deep seek and host it yourself? I am impressed with what you are doing.

I’m a founder/CTO of an enterprise SaaS, and I code everything from data modeling, to algos, backend integrations, frontend architecture, UI widgets, etc. All in TypeScript, which is perfectly suited to LLMs because we can fit the types and repo map into context without loading all code. As to “why”: I’ve been coding for 25 years, and LLMs is the first technology that has a non-linear impact on my output. It’s simult…

When you say generation behind, can you give a sense of what that means in functionality per your current use? Slower/lower quality, it would take more iterations to get what you want?

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#366
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

“Buying the startup” just means handing over megabucks to do-nothing investors. If Google isn’t buying any product or technology, why should investors get a talent fee?

Do nothing investors who enabled the company to reach this point? Employees who chose lower salaries in expectation of shares being worth something? Come on now.

> Do nothing investors who enabled the company to reach this point?

Were you under the impression that venture capital is anything more than rent-seeking?

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#367
post #21

It's another Character.ai situation [0]. Unfortunate for any employees who aren't founders or researchers, as they don't get any payout or a nice new job from this exit structure. In fact they lose their whole time invested at the company. What a harsh time to work for an AI startup as a rank and file employee! I wonder how the founders justify going along with it inside their mind. [0] Character.ai CEO Noam Shazeer…

> I wonder how the founders justify going along with it

$2.4 billion.

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#368
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious to see what you've built with all that extra productivity.

No one ever shares their great and shipped products. AI built slop is for generating hype not revenue or users.

It does exude a strong scent of astroturfing.

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#369
post #30

I never knew anyone who used Windsurf. These AI acquisitions have been unbelievable(in a bad way). WIX acquired some garbage Lovable.dev clone for 80 million. I think many of us are waiting for this bubble to pop(economy will likely pop too)

Everyone has a niche, Windsurf is the only large provider if you are a Jetbrains shop. There are some alternatives like continue.dev or Jetbrains own AI offering but no Cursor or Claude Code ( Sonnet 3.7/4) you can get through Jetbrains plugin or others, but Anthropic does not provide support same with cursor.

Check out sweep. Completely unaffiliated, their only offering is the jetbrains plugin so it gets a lot more focus than windsurf. Only downside is that Claude code is still a better agent, but at least its tab complete is some of the best

Re: OpenAI’s Windsurf deal is off, and Windsurf’s CEO is going to Google

#370

Is Lina Khan to blame for this new acquihire meta? She was very aggressive in blocking any tech acquisition during her time and ever since we have seen more and more acquihires which I believe these companies are using to prevent themselves from getting sued. Google is having a hard time acquiring Wiz for 32b, and if it's blocked they owe 3.2b to Wiz. So why risk it when you can just spend the money to hire the talen…

The police is to blame for trying to enforce the law, it makes criminals innovate is exactly the kind of take I come here for.
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