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Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

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Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#3

Why does yahoo keep buying companies simply to acquire talent? Isn't it just easier to just post a job ad? I don't think there's a shortage of talented programmers working in social media. Someone please explain.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#4

Why does yahoo keep buying companies simply to acquire talent? Isn't it just easier to just post a job ad? I don't think there's a shortage of talented programmers working in social media. Someone please explain.

According to the article that this comment of mine discusses: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6141238 that's the only way they've found to acquire mobile talent after treating it very badly in times past. Sounds like no matter how energetic the recruiting, people in this field aren't going to jump to them unless they have little or no choice.

Key sentence fragment: "In each instance, Yahoo has locked up engineers with two- to four-year contracts...."

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#5

Why does yahoo keep buying companies simply to acquire talent? Isn't it just easier to just post a job ad? I don't think there's a shortage of talented programmers working in social media. Someone please explain.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

how does buying a team actually work - when the company gets bought from the shareholders, can't the employees tell yahoo to piss off and not sign new contracts? how does the process look like?

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#6
60-70 Million for talent? Wow. I suppose Yahoo is trying a novel approach to recruiting: target startup founders/employees, give generous equity offers (via acquisition price) as well as a 'win' on the resume (successful exit). I have to say, it's a pretty compelling offer...

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#7

Why does yahoo keep buying companies simply to acquire talent? Isn't it just easier to just post a job ad? I don't think there's a shortage of talented programmers working in social media. Someone please explain.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

To be honest, they are buying failed teams as most of the acqui-hires they've done are of companies which are struggling to raise their next round.

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#8

Why does yahoo keep buying companies simply to acquire talent? Isn't it just easier to just post a job ad? I don't think there's a shortage of talented programmers working in social media. Someone please explain.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

The OP to this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6140982 mentions that Yahoo is going to some effort to keep them from being "rejected by the host" as previous mobile efforts and their employees have been. See the end of page 2 and beginning of page 3.

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#9
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

how does buying a team actually work - when the company gets bought from the shareholders, can't the employees tell yahoo to piss off and not sign new contracts? how does the process look like?

Typically the purchasing company will have an idea of who are must keeps, etc. They'll then put financial incentives in place that would typically exceed free market (golden handcuffs...in a manner similar to startup vesting (X amount of shares or X in cashola vesting / released over Y amount of time))

Re: Yahoo Has Acquired Rockmelt, Apps To Shut Down On August 31st

#10
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One thing could be that buying a team is worth more than buying a bunch of people to make a team. Not sure if that is always true.

how does buying a team actually work - when the company gets bought from the shareholders, can't the employees tell yahoo to piss off and not sign new contracts? how does the process look like?

From the OP of this https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6140982, which mentions that "In each instance [of acquisition], Yahoo has locked up engineers with two- to four-year contracts...", it sounds like the employees are given a 2-4 year contract to sign, or they can leave ... which would be a voluntary separation without unemployment etc.
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