meddlin
Later on when I had more experience, I wanted to give back:
- try to answer -> "you need cred"
- okay, upvote -> "you need cred"
- try to comment -> "you need cred"
- Ask a question -> "Duplicate. You should RT(Free)M we built."
I'm all in favor of a GOOD office to come to, but until then I'm spending no more time on the property than required. Our white-collar culture and urban areas are too dysfunctional for hybrid and remote options to not be normalized. (In the US) If we're going to be "right-to-work", then give us the right to be remote.
Now I'm looking at starting my own thing and moving back. Why? Because money. (real estate) Yes, family would be close again. But when comparable homes are $600k vs. $275k...c'mon, I'm ready for these tech hubs to not be as necessary.
I was laid off about a month ago (2 weeks before Christmas; "non-performance business-related decision"), but I was job searching anyway. Why? Because nobody freakin' listened, and my position wasn't taken seriously. Call it strategy misalignment, bad culture, whatever.
After joining, I learned they had 4 CIOs within 3 years. As a mid/sr. level engineer, I was teaching senior management about my position while also learning about it myself. I still don't know how many they laid off during the annual review period, but it was at least several to a couple dozen.
I'm done. I know now why so many retire early to farms, baking, wood working, homesteading, etc. Corporate can have their BS.
After slowly becoming bored with the weather in Austin (initially, I couldn't believe it)...this type of change sounds refreshing.
Then again, maybe I just enjoy fire a bit much.
What I left out of my question is my desire and admiration for automotive sports. It's so strange to me that I have no problem admiring to one day build a track car, and waste tires, fuel, and endless hours of amateur manufacturing effort all in the name of "fun". Sure, I'll learn many skills, but it's primarily for fun.
So I'm left with--how do I resolve the cognitive dissonance that "cars" are okay, but "games" need to be justified? I think there's something deeper going on for myself.
Thank you for taking the time to walk through this.
Why do we make video games? I've been programming for 10 years, I love games; wanted to make them. But I went into infosec because it felt...justified? Like it's more noble? But that doesn't seem to make sense saying it out loud.
But your points on understanding game design because of that human-software-machine connection, that just feels like it makes sense.
I'm sorry, this question has just been bugging me for over a year now.
Isn't this just...using a computer?
I don't know; maybe I missed something.
If I witnessed your type of response (seemingly defensive) within the first hours/days of starting, I would begin to wonder what kind of change I could impress even if I did take the "approved channels". Ideally, we would pick up on all of this during interviews and go our own ways. It doesn't always work that way though. There is /something/ we have to offer each other.
You put up your defenses, I put up mine. And in a short time you're looking for a new hire, and I'm looking for a new place.
If a company, manager, exec, or leader can't exercise that kind of humility, then quite frankly they don't deserve the position.
Their onboarding processes all sucked.
Please stop with the cute HR nonsense. I'm not a kid. I don't need your cute program. We don't need someone reading 10 pages from your legally unenforceable handbook from a projector. Keep your gift bag; the squeeze ball is stupid and you didn't pick the pen. (Have you ever given a gift?) If you're going to lean into the sterile corporate decor, then at least hand me a clipboard and let me fill out paperwork just like I'm at the doctor's office.
If it sounds salty; it's supposed to. I hope a C-level, or business owner, takes it to heart. I'm not trying to beat you down. This first-impression is important--I took 10 minutes on a Saturday at 2:50AM to let you know. I've seen your "all-hands", your quarterlies, your launches, and your totally-not-Christmas parties.
You already know how to do better.
Dell's XPS "Ubuntu edition" looks like a great device. However, limitations on repairability at that price are a non-starter for me.
So, you're like every other company? I used to work as a Soft. Eng. for a particular Fortune 500 company in the outdoor/pool luxury industry. They've been around ~40 years. Technologically though, woefully immature. Every e-commerce problem we solved was answered with another "fun" problem to solve. What makes you different?
Let's look at the "ideas"
- Total compensation, "problem": Ah, so data mining and monetization.
- Portfolio analytics, "problem": ...you want data analysis?
- Sell-side Research Firm: "There will be a market for sell-side research." ...umm, why? Why would those private venture-backed companies WANT to be associated with you? Then you're differentiating factor is...marketing?
Finally, why are you posting this here? On HN? At best, it's misguided. At worst, it's tone-deaf or shady. If your ideas and motivations are legit then keep building. Put your own hours and sleepless nights behind it. Prove yourself. Show there is actually market demand for what you claim. Then come back. Offer value before asking for it.
Not a popular one, but another alternative is to fundamentally change the service. But that involves possibly losing YouTube.
Assuming Alphabet/Google (and most others) won't even consider that option...yeah, you're pretty on point.
Google you are being run by fools. Godspeed.
I know--different context--but the technical implementation is similar. Which would suggest the impact of those discussions is larger than previously thought.
It's all good!