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Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

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Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#41

Post by lern_too_spel »

cynicalkane wrote: post #18
arjie wrote: post #14

The concerns seem to be primarily around trademark and logos? Unless there's more to it, those seem trivial to remedy by requiring removal of logos and renaming in the style of Clawdbot -> Moltbot -> OpenClaw. Google is well-known to be pretty sparing with firing people even for performance, so either this is a change in stance (entirely possible) or there's more to it.

For over the last >1 year, Google has been dismissing people without warning or cause. The days where it was nearly impossible to be fired are over; now you might be severed by surprise for no given reason at all.

I know many people at Google who have been waiting to get laid off to get better terms than they would from just quitting. Now they know what to do.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#42

Post by ex-aws-dude »

nickv wrote: post #3

Yikes. I see Justin posted this, and I'm sure he can't say much - but this is an absolutely insane story. Google has gone from encouraging 20% time (to create amazing projects like this) to firing people for doing it. There seems to be some true maliciousness going on at Google. You have this, you have the open source Gemini CLI getting replaced with a shittier closed source Antigravity CLI, etc... etc... What is goi…

Maybe the policy is that you can’t just release 20% time projects publically?

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#43

Post by speak_plainly »

Google seems to be filled with really talented people, technology, and every resource anyone would ever need, but their execution and management seems to be severely lacking. This account is a pretty damning indictment of Google.

Look at the entire Bard-to-Gemini launch, and from my experience, Gemini's performance is slipping hard recently. Then you have the sheer scale of the Google graveyard. And finally, take a look at Youtube lately.

The company increasingly feels optimized for internal politics and corporate metrics rather than building the best possible products for real people. I guess this is why monopolies suck.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#44

Post by logicchains »

cs702 wrote: post #34

Looks like a textbook example of Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy .[a] People like the OP, Justin Poehnelt, who build cool things out of self-motivation that others find interesting and want to use, are now at the mercy of those inside Google who care more about the company's internal bureaucracy and their own role and importance within it. To them, the fact that the OP's project was an instant github hit meant no…

People ask why Google's Gemini is falling behind the competition in spite of Google's immense resources, this kind of thing is an example why.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#45

Post by xnx »

cs702 wrote: post #34

Looks like a textbook example of Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy .[a] People like the OP, Justin Poehnelt, who build cool things out of self-motivation that others find interesting and want to use, are now at the mercy of those inside Google who care more about the company's internal bureaucracy and their own role and importance within it. To them, the fact that the OP's project was an instant github hit meant no…

Google is worth $4+ TRILLION. There is natural and needed bureaucracy in preserving that. This type of probably well-meaning, but cowboy activity is not worth the risk to Google.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#46

Post by ex-aws-dude »

outside1234 wrote: post #36
firefax wrote: post #23

So... they fired him for doing a 20% time project? I'm glad I don't have any of their stock to sell, what terrible management.

20% time project != able to just launch it YOLO style I suspect the core issue here is that he launched it with Google logos without following any sort of process

That would be dumb but I don’t think it should result in firing still

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#47

Post by sourdecor »

outside1234 wrote: post #36
firefax wrote: post #23

So... they fired him for doing a 20% time project? I'm glad I don't have any of their stock to sell, what terrible management.

20% time project != able to just launch it YOLO style I suspect the core issue here is that he launched it with Google logos without following any sort of process

Yeah, endorsement matters. It can represent the whole. You have to be careful with it.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#48

Post by tonfa »

lern_too_spel wrote: post #41
cynicalkane wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For over the last >1 year, Google has been dismissing people without warning or cause. The days where it was nearly impossible to be fired are over; now you might be severed by surprise for no given reason at all.

I know many people at Google who have been waiting to get laid off to get better terms than they would from just quitting. Now they know what to do.

People don't typically get a nice severance package if they're fired for violating company policy.

(edit: not saying that was the case here, working on devrel usually makes it part of your job to publish code)

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#49

Post by nomel »

ex-aws-dude wrote: post #42
nickv wrote: post #3

Yikes. I see Justin posted this, and I'm sure he can't say much - but this is an absolutely insane story. Google has gone from encouraging 20% time (to create amazing projects like this) to firing people for doing it. There seems to be some true maliciousness going on at Google. You have this, you have the open source Gemini CLI getting replaced with a shittier closed source Antigravity CLI, etc... etc... What is goi…

Maybe the policy is that you can’t just release 20% time projects publically?

I've never worked for an employer, from pizza delivery, to corporate intern, to multiple startup, to FAANG, that didn't have this VERY CLEARLY worded in the employment agreement, right up top:

1. Any work you do during company time/resources/equipment, is company property.

2. Anything public related to work, or that could be considered as competing or providing the service in the same space as work, needs to be vetted by the company.

Along with public communication, etc.

In my experience, this isn't some "what happens when MBA's run company" or "they run out of ideas", it's literally every company I've ever worked for.

Was google previously an exception here, or are people just unfamiliar with the details of the 20% policy? Surely they didn't allow you to work on, for example, something for a competitor? There had to be some limitations, rather than a pure free for all, as seems to be suggested in the comments.

Re: Fired by Google for creating the Google workspace CLI

#50

Post by jbm »

xnx wrote: post #40

Yikes. The lack of judgement involved in personally releasing something that could be confused for an official release (I was confused) by your employer is someone who has huge wildcard risk in the future. I would expect significant disciplinary action if they didn't follow procedure, and termination if they were directly warned at any point.

Your ships would have been sunk during the 2002 Millennial challenge and an entire bureaucracy would defend you for the next 20 years.
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