News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Reddit files to go public by qbasic_forever on Thursday December 16, 2021 @12:30AM (#29575280)
It sounds like you're mad at explicit decisions made by product owners, like the content on the frontpage or dark patterns that push mobile app usage. I guarantee none of the rank and file engineers are responsible for those decisions, and they almost certainly detest them just as much as you. The problem is if they don't implement them then they don't get a paycheck and can't put food on the table. It's silly to paint them with blame.
Re:Reddit files to go public by teaearlgraycold on Thursday December 16, 2021 @12:44AM (#29575355)
They’re all Bay Area engineers. So switching jobs is an inconvenience with a raise on the other side. The changes aren’t their ideas but it’s not like they can’t refuse. They can just work anywhere else. They probably don’t care.
Re:Reddit files to go public by bogota on Thursday December 16, 2021 @12:51AM (#29575390)
I mean… browse through HN for the day. According to its users you shouldn’t work at any company that pays well because they are all evil. At a certain point you just don’t care what people are writing on forums.
Re:Reddit files to go public by iaml on Thursday December 16, 2021 @02:28AM (#29575936)
There's a bunch of them that don't seem too bad: netflix, spotify, discord. Maybe even apple, depending on your definition of evil.
Re:Reddit files to go public by sideshowb on Thursday December 16, 2021 @04:36AM (#29576589)
Spotify? Really?
Re:Reddit files to go public by phist_mcgee on Thursday December 16, 2021 @01:13AM (#29575492)
If HN had its way, we'd all program our servers using common lisp using emacs, serving pages with zero CSS or javascript.
Re:Reddit files to go public by Oddskar on Thursday December 16, 2021 @04:23AM (#29576519)
Yes its truly awful for you to be held accountable for your place of work and its impact on the world. Completely unacceptable.
Re:Reddit files to go public by bogota on Thursday December 16, 2021 @04:08PM (#29583942)
I hate making a ton of money and giving everyone in my family a better life. Really sucks.

The things you are holding people accountable for are very questionable in almost all cases. In most cases it just comes off as jealousy that someone is doing better than you.

I’m all for being held accountable. But i put very little weight in public opinion being something that we should even think about at this point.

Re:Reddit files to go public by Oddskar on Friday December 17, 2021 @01:15AM (#29588538)
> In most cases it just comes off as jealousy that someone is doing better than you.

That is certainly a very convenient way of dismissing something you find uncomfortable.

Re:Reddit files to go public by hetspookjee on Thursday December 16, 2021 @12:44AM (#29575357)
Your last argument can be applied to about anything regarding performing unethical tasks to stay afloat. I don’t find it convincing for engineers that work for Reddit. They can start work at any other tech company, too, so by absolving all the blame is a bit much, in the end they choose to implement it right?
Re:Reddit files to go public by nl on Thursday December 16, 2021 @01:19AM (#29575529)
Work at any high profile internet company and people on the internet will complain about something you’ve worked on.

There doesn’t seem to be anything particularly unethical about any work Reddit engineers have done.

Re:Reddit files to go public by bawolff on Thursday December 16, 2021 @01:47AM (#29575701)
I mean, sounds like you have a problem with the product managers not the engineers.
Re:Reddit files to go public by danjac on Thursday December 16, 2021 @01:13AM (#29575490)
Well, at least they're not working for Palantir or Meta, so give them some credit.