Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatically fire people

Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by nkozyra on Friday April 26, 2019 @07:39AM (#19756424)

Forget the LOC example. Let's just say failing tests. Pick any single thing you think is critical to software development. Regardless of what it is, would it be acceptable to you to have an automated process simply fire someone for not hitting this metric?

I feel like at some point we have to draw the line. We're going to have to coexist with automation and eventually it will get to software development, too. Some parameters about what we consider to be reasonable and unreasonable to automate make a lot of sense to me.

I also feel like we get very classist as software developers and fall into the I-am-special trap frequently.

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by paulcole on Friday April 26, 2019 @07:52AM (#19756486)

We have drawn the line. Right now it’s at Amazon warehouse workers.

Also there is a critical thing to software development: Working for a business that makes money. If you don’t hit that metric, you’ll eventually be out of a job.

Plus, there are many more people who can pick up boxes than there are who can program.

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by nkozyra on Friday April 26, 2019 @08:52AM (#19756898)

We haven't draw any line at all, it's simply where it's been pushed so far.

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by Moru on Saturday April 27, 2019 @02:02PM (#19766777)

I have drawn a personal line a long time ago. I do not use amazon at all. No PayPal, Hollywood, local restaurants without union contract for the employees and so on. The union have a search app to keep tab on what restaurants are ok. (Sweden only though). We don't have much laws for companies, the unions have to agree with the company organisations for a lot of the rules.

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by paulcole on Friday April 26, 2019 @12:56PM (#19759537)

How does that differ from any other situation? Something is acceptable until it isn't...

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by nkozyra on Friday April 26, 2019 @03:06PM (#19760827)

That's what I'm saying. We haven't drawn any line here, we're just acquiescing at every step.

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Re:Amazon's warehouse worker tracking system can automatical... by paulcole on Saturday April 27, 2019 @10:34AM (#19765729)

Then nobody ever draws a line. We just acquiesce at every step.

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