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Why Google Employees Quit - http://news.ycombinator.com/item...

January 18, 2009 from Backtype - Comment - Like - Share

Susan Beebe, Juras Vetrau, Justin Kazwell and 40 other people liked this

"I remember when I initially read these emails (the thread is from last year), my first though was, "I'm glad that I don't have to work with these people." Perhaps this is unfair since they are just venting (and not all of the emails were in this category, some were reasonable), but there's something about their attitude that is just very unappealing. I can't quite put my finger on it though... Something about working at big companies seems to turn many people into whiny children. I think it's because they aren't really responsible for anything. Unfortunately, Google's transition into "yet another big company" is inevitable at this point. If you take the same fundamental structure as every other big company, and hire the same people as the other big companies, then you shouldn't be surprised when you end up looking like every other big company." - Paul Buchheit

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Paul - What are you doing to keep Friendfeed different? How would you have them change course to avoid becoming yet another big company? - Bill

I don't think so Chris -- I don't recognize any of the names at least. You can email me if think I'm forgetting someone. That said, there were a few people that I didn't enjoy working with at Google :). Bill, that's a good question, but the answer is not simple. There are a few examples of companies that have done something different in this area (such as W.L. Gore), but ultimately I expect that it will require some serious innovation. But first we have to get to the point where it's an issue :) - Paul Buchheit

"Those that know don't talk, and those that talk don't know" - Christopher Galtenberg

Also, Chris, I didn't mean to imply that all of the people on the thread were in the "I wouldn't want to work with them" category. Some of them had totally reasonable stories/explanations. Also, I now see that I do know one of the people quoted on TC (I had only skimmed a bit), but his email was in the reasonable category. - Paul Buchheit

After reading some of the TC comments, I agree that most of those people who were venting just weren't the Googley type. That being said, as Paul already said, when you hire people from other big companies you end up turning into one yourself. - Gavin

Personally, I've never quite understood what "Googley" means. It seems to be used as a generic stand-in for "whatever it is that I want you to do right now". I was probably never very Googley by what I imagine the common definition is these days -- I generally preferred to be difficult :) - Paul Buchheit

really I thought it was all Scooter's and smiles http://www.time.com/time... - sofarsoShawn

Hmm. My management says I excel at being difficult. This means I should be much more successful. - MiniMage TKDteacher of FF

Maybe I never really liked the public image of Google as being all "scooters and smiles", so when people complain that it's not actually all scooters and smiles, I see that as a good thing :) - Paul Buchheit

who can fit in that pint sized pool anyways :o) pic 4 - sofarsoShawn

There are many legit reasons to leave Google, but all I saw in this thread was a bunch of winers. - Dror Shimshowitz

@Dror please explicate on the the legit reasons - sofarsoShawn

Lots of Xooglers in these parts, and I'm not one, so I shan't discuss in a public forum :-/ - Dror Shimshowitz

If people aren't happy, they should consider leaving. I don't see anything wrong with that, regardless of their reasons. Often, the "reasons" that people give are just rationalizations anyway, and they may not even know the true reason for their own unhappiness anyway. - Paul Buchheit

I loved the last bit from "Scott" - "I watched newer employees join, talk utter rubbish, speak in nonsensical management talk, piss off agencies/clients (I know because they used to call me laughing) and get promoted (. . .) Before I left it just was a place full of quiet moans, talented people being undermined and a structure that created hostility and politics." This pretty much sums up my experience. There was good, of course, but the good was largely superficial. - Jeanette Bosman

How is this any different from any other large corporation (tech or otherwise) out there. I work for a largely failing (and large) tech company and it fails due to reasons discussed here - useless incentives that give no incentive to work hard, politics, power hungry senior leadership, selfish management etc etc etc. - EcoAussie from twhirl

@Dror Shimshowitz: leave Dave out of this =) - Jim Norris

I actually recognize names and know some of the principals involved. I don't think Google's particularly bad --- I know much smaller companies that were worse run. - Piaw Na

As a longtime Googler, I won't comment on the reasons to leave. As Dror says, there are legit reasons and people in this TC article are generally whining. But I will say that the intellectual horsepower of folks I work with is still super high overall. - Maneesh

I'd go postal working at big brother, who wouldn't quit that cult - sofarsoShawn

Liked for Paul's comment - Charlie Anzman

Steven Hodson

Web advertising is broken - http://www.winextra.com/index...

January 18, 2009 from WinExtra - Comment - Like - Share

MicahBear78, Rob Sellen :o), VC Freak and 34 other people liked this

I have had the same problems. Getting companies to see the value here is difficult. Seagate saw it and I will forever be grateful. The way I look at it is like the Demo Conference. They get 1,500 people to pay more than $1,000 each. Then they get 60 companies to pay $18,000 each to speak to that audience. One problem is many bloggers are willing to sell ads for $500. Makes making a case pretty difficult indeed. - Robert Scoble

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This year is going to be difficult for everyone except Leo Laporte. He just closed a nice ad deal. - Robert Scoble

I fail. I didn't notice there was a blog post attached to it. Just the cat - Tyler (Chacha)

@Robert I realize that you can't probably say much but I have wonder what with the CEO out of the picture how that is going to affect your sponsorship deal with Seagate .. as well how easy will it be for even someone of your stature to find a replacement sponsor. .. just curious as well if you agree with my basic supposition that ad networks and companies are going to have to seriously reconsider how they move forward ad wise and if we could see more sponsorship type deals for smaller blogs? - Steven Hodson

@Chacha102 well you can always rectify that failure :) - Steven Hodson

I've already read it. Your in my Google Reader :) - Tyler (Chacha)

One of the side results of this issue is that those who have the revenue today will get increasingly aggressive to protect and expand their space, so if you're in any way threatening to their income, expect blood. Should be fun to watch unless you're caught in the crosshairs. - Louis Gray

Oh and Robert - for $500 per month I'd happily give the prime spot on WinExtra to a company that I felt would be a good fit with WinExtra and it's readers but both you and I know that any number of the top 100 would see that offer before I will :) - Steven Hodson

Steven: I am sponsored through March. Like I said this year is a tough one to be in the media business. Luckily Fast Company has a brand big advertisers know and love. It is pretty difficult for everyone big and small this year. I wish I had better news. It is a buyer's market right now and advertisers will go to those who have the biggest and most engaged audiences. You should watch the video I did with Josh Reynolds, though, for some hope at http://www.fastcompany.tv (VP at big PR firm - they influence). - Robert Scoble

Google Adsense that knows ad loyalty readers and display accordingly? - Lasker

Here are some of my opinions on the digital marketing sphere: Many companies set aside 10% of their turnover for marketing communications. Of that 10%, 90% is spent on media and 10% goes to creative work. So if you are in the media buying you just make 2.5% of the 9% spent on media and you end up addressing .2% or .3% of every marketing dollar spent, while your creative ad agency... more... - Asfaq

make

DIY panoramic tripod mount - http://blog.makezine.com/archive...

January 18, 2009 from MAKE Magazine - Comment - Like - Share

Jordon Cooper and Robert Scoble liked this

I built one using 8020 extrusions based on this: http://www.tawbaware.com/forum2.... Since then I dropped the cash on the RRS tripod mount. - Joe Beda ()

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