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What I learned getting acquired by Google

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Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#571

Post by hef19898 »

vasco wrote: post #561
hef19898 wrote: post #559

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A claim not realy supported by 2022 space program budgets so: https://www.statista.com/statistics/745717/global-government...

Based on the data shared you're right and my assertions are wrong or at least overblown. To be honest I was thinking mostly compared to the Indian space program and their recent successes and I see that the data confirms that they have pumped less money and have (imo) done way more. But overall I'm wrong in the way I was positioning this, thanks for sharing, I did some more research on account of your comments.

No problem. After all, those programs are as much about maintaining knowledge, industry and capabilities in country as they are about specific missions.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#572

Post by sgarland »

kelnos wrote: post #251
no_wizard wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not in practice, because they use a hiring entity to dictate the terms. You're expected to show up on a schedule, do the work etc. much like a FTE, but you're not an FTE. I think some folks have this illusion of software contractors that this is somehow common, it really isn't. The norm is you-are-almost-but-not-quite an employee type work environment, and thats at the better places. I've worked at a place where cont…

I think the GP's point was that's how it should be. If a company is going to -- for "legal reasons" -- not treat contractors the same way they treat employees, then they should be doing so not only in bad, exclusionary ways, but also in good ways, with the expected perks of being a contractor that FTEs don't get: freedom to set their own hours, work where they want, and subcontract out their work. But no, companies l…

> They're likely W-2 employees of some sort of staffing agency, who are then placed at Google.

This is precisely what Samsung does in Austin at its fab, via Randstad. I was a supervisor, and had about 50:50 FTE and Contractor. They were treated exactly the same, including getting pizza parties and the like. The main – and largest – difference was FTE benefits were awesome, and Contractors got the bare minimum required by law (Texas, so basically nothing).

I often complained about this to management, to no avail. My main argument was that we were training people to quit and go work for Intel or GloFo as FTEs. Didn’t seem to matter.

I hate this model so much. Just pay people if you want FTEs.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#573

Post by eru »

mtnGoat wrote: post #451
BurningFrog wrote: post #382

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're typically Americans who think all 50+ European countries have very similar legal systems and cultures.

The typical American still probably doesn’t even know that the words EU and Europe aren’t interchangeable. When I lived to Austria I was appalled at how many American friends asked me about the surfing.

To be fair, Austria had a pretty decent navy that used to give the Italians a run for their money. They probably did a bit of surfing here and there, too.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#574

Post by eru »

OJFord wrote: post #346
jalapenos wrote: post #339

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When people here say "Europe is great", which part are they referring to?

'Western Europe' or 'EU + UK' or 'G6' basically, with the additional information that the speaker's North American.

No love for Switzerland?

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#575

Post by eru »

ponector wrote: post #320
whydoyoucare wrote: post #288

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to as in what ways is Europe great? From my narrow point of view, most if not all successful startups were founded outside Europe, most countries in Western Europe tend to be monolithic cultures where outsiders are made to feel like outsiders, and many European nations are socialist utopias (which means they take away a HUGE chunk of salary as tax). (And I am asking this in a friendly tone, as a genuinely cu…

It is great for living, for raising kids. For life. Taxes in Europe are huge, but comparable with taxes in California. Just sum all federal, state, local taxes on the salary, property taxes, sales taxes, health insurance fee, college tuition fee. Don't forget to add 25% tips to that. Count also small vacation, maternity leave and sick leave. And then compare for example with France. And not to mention you wouldn't fi…

Switzerland and Estonia have somewhat lower taxes than eg UK, France and Germany.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#576

Post by ExoticPearTree »

RugnirViking wrote: post #566
ExoticPearTree wrote: post #564

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If you want a wealthy society, make it so hardworking people born into poor families can outcompete wealthy failsons This is a very wrong assumption. You cannot have the same outcome even if you start from the same position - everyone poor or everyone rich.

> You cannot have the same outcome you aren't arguing seriously. reread what I said. You're replying as though I said the complete opposite of what I actually said.

you said

> make it so hardworking people born into poor families can outcompete wealthy failsons

I said you can't and you do not agree. Please tell me how do you see this happening and what is the barrier to this now?

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#577

Post by RugnirViking »

ExoticPearTree wrote: post #576
RugnirViking wrote: post #566

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You cannot have the same outcome you aren't arguing seriously. reread what I said. You're replying as though I said the complete opposite of what I actually said.

you said > make it so hardworking people born into poor families can outcompete wealthy failsons I said you can't and you do not agree. Please tell me how do you see this happening and what is the barrier to this now?

you replied to that by saying > You cannot have the same outcome

I explitly talked about outcome being dramatically different. Children of wealthy people who have no motivation to contribute anything to the world, learn no skills, and are lazy, should not end up on the same level as hardworking skilled children of poor parents. They should end much lower. Barriers to this include enormous inheritances, the housing market (prices driven up enormously by hoarding and inheritance), the cost of university education, vast disparities in the quality of education available in different areas, and nepotism in the jobs market.

These factors are very different in different countries. I forget the name of the stat but looking at the percentage of people born to bottom fifth income parents ending up as top fifth income earners themselves is quite telling. If I remember right there is a dramatic difference between similarly "developed" countries. I looked and couldn't find the original data I read but here [0] is similar, showing denmark children born to bottom quintile parents reach top quintile 14% of the time (perfect unachievable meritocracy would be 20%), wheras in the US its 8%.

It goes without saying, but the reason it is important to point out that it is different between countries is to argue against vibes based arguments of people who just throw their hands up and say "oh but woe is us this is the natural way of the world why rage against nature it will always be thus" simply because they think that is the case without any data whatsoever. This is literally table stakes for even discussing the problem.

[0]: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/02_econ...

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#578

Post by ExoticPearTree »

Cheezewheel wrote: post #551
ExoticPearTree wrote: post #543

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It doesn't say you are not allowed to hire those people as regular employees and treat them like regular employees. What you're saying defeats the purpose and idea of having contractors.

So... Google is legally required to treat contractors as second class citizens to afford them the privilege of being able to mistreat them and fire them at the drop of a pin. We understand the """"purpose"""" of having contractors.

In a nutshell, yes.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#579

Post by zigman1 »

paddez wrote: post #99
decaffjoe wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's common for Google offices to have gyms and pianos?!

A few of the offices even have a pool (Google Dublin, and soon Google London) Because the buildings are usually located in very central city locations - I've often used the offices as a way to kill time til' check-in opens for hotels after a long-haul flight (grab food, caffeinate, have a shower, etc) Recently I took a night train between Stockholm and Copenhagen. Showered in the Stockholm office, walked 5 minutes to…

That's interesting to hear that it is so relaxed in Europe. I work in EU at a multinational with offices all around the world, and within Europe, we are not legally allowed to enter the offices in other countries. The reason is simply that if there is a labor/work inspection (sorry, don't know the exact English expression) they can get a fine if I do not have a work order for a project abroad.

Re: What I learned getting acquired by Google

#580

Post by parthdesai »

nik_0_0 wrote: post #471
otalp wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do they have a dev office in Toronto? Thought it was in waterloo

Don't work for Google, but been to the Toronto office (it is on the smaller side). It is in the heart of the Toronto downtown, near Richmond & Spadina, next to the old & new City Hall. Definitely disagree with GP, I'm not sure what better area you would pick (but I love downtown). Similarly in Taipei, the Google office is right in Taipei 101 (like having an office in CN Tower - very cool.) To be fair, Amazon's office…

> It is in the heart of the Toronto downtown, near Richmond & Spadina

No, it's Richmond and University or Richmond and Bay. It's basically in financial district which is as boring and corporate as it comes. My point was to the GP saying "Google always seems to lease the best/coolest office real estate"

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