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Layoffs at OSDL

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the everyone-used-to-want-to-work-there dept.

daria42 writes "Open Source Development Labs - which employs Linus Torvalds - has apparently cut nine of its fifty-seven staff (although Linus has retained his job). The cuts come as the organisation re-structures. It will establish a European office and expand into Asia. "We're a small enough organisation that what would be a small change in focus for a bigger company has a large effect on us," said a spokesperson."

4 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Restructuring Methods by mfh · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Let's hope this isn't a three-round layoff. Generally speaking, whenever a company plays the layoff card, they do it three times:
    1. No brainers: the people who most deserve to go, and who everyone agrees
    2. The group of tough choice cuts, generally 60% of the first round, and not often based on performance but more so on overshadowing
    3. The painful cuts who don't deserve to go but they have to cut 40% of the last round numbers, so these will have to do
    But of course since this is to enable the company to move into Europe, and not due to financial problems -- then perhaps this will be the only round as they will be rehiring these positions in a new office. I like the idea that they will be hiring new locals.
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    The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
  2. If you're fired by an Open Source company... by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you were fired by a company that paid you to write Open Source, would you still develop it? If so, I can see how management would say, "what's the point of paying you, exactly?"

  3. Re:Most typical line ever by Nytewynd · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "We had some dead weight around here, and we wanted to avoid lawsuits for firing them. So, we decided to call it a layout due to restructuring."

    That's a common one too. I worked for a startup that laid off about 20% of their workforce because the CEO was an idiot and didn't get enough business. To save face, he told some of his buddies that ran the other programming firms in the area that he cut out some dead weight. The 20% of the people let go were mostly really good developers that were let go because they weren't on any projects. They had a hard time getting new jobs because some of the other area companies thought they were dead weight. If it were me, I probably would have sued my previous employer for slander.

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  4. Was Andrew Tridgell one of the unfortunate? by kk49 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Not that I'm paranoid or anything.

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    You can have your god back when you are old enough to handle the responsibility.