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Google Opens Sydney Office, Internship Program
An anonymous reader writes "ZDNet is reporting that Google has kicked off an internship program that will see Australian university students work in projects in the company's Sydney office. Google's local head of engineering, Lars Rasmussen, said 5-10 spots would be made available, with both technical and non-technical positions on offer. ZDNet Australia also has pictures of the official opening of Google's Sydney office."
I guess Google will have to promote "don't be evil" in a country founded by convicts.
Not me. Am I the only one who hates the idea of working at Google? The primary colours, the shapes, the cushions, the free food, the nerd-funk graduates. Ugh. I'd go insane. Or do I just sound bitter? I have no reason to be, it just makes me gag.
Besides, the only thing they'll be doing in the Australian office is marketing and advertising. Always the way.
would've been a juicier title, methinks! /. editors sleeping?
If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
> The food at google is said to be one of the finest you can get anywhere.
That statement says alot about the eating habits of geeks and also the power of Google lore. I'm sure the trash at Google HQ smells like roses and that their staff is so clean and tidy that the restrooms never needs cleaning, but nevertheless Google employs 99 virgins that clean them after every visit there.
Oh, I can't help quoting you because everything that you said rings true
So now Australian students can also enjoy the benefits of internships at Google. On the other hand, if you try hard enough, you can find an internship position in e.g. Mountain View even if you're not American. So all of you people that would like to try working for Google and don't have a Googleplex around, just give it a chance. Another thing - now only one continent is Google-free. That's Africa. I wonder if any of the major software companies will eventually try to establish an R&D office over there.
http://www.google.com/corporate/address.html
Yes, I do have a prototype application using the Maps API which has had to rely on satelite/aerial images to place pins and, no, this isn't a job application, at least not unless they have a need for some very part time context analysis.
-- Our systemic servants do not good masters make.
These internships are quite difficult, you are only given a computer and internet connection and then are asked to Google search for all your supplies, co-workers, and even the bathroom.
He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
I havent seen it announced anywhere, but Google seems to have just released an online notebook with Firefox and IE integration - http://www.google.com/notebook/
Why (americans companies, usually) are so excited by free drinks and good food facilities INSIDE working place? I mean, in europe we are used to go out of office for lunch, every day, possibly changing place anytime possible, or even going at home if close enaugh, so what's the good points of having free coke inside work? It's nothing healty, nor expensive if you want to but it yourself, so, i can't really understand why google and other big companies tries to gain people attention showing this bonuses (i'm referring to the photos). I can't just understand, here in italy it doesn't make any "plus" having free coke inside the office, it's just useless, at lunch, you go out, you sit down, and eat, possibly with people different from the ones you see at work. It's just better than anything inside my workplace.
nevertheless Google employs 99 virgins
No, like all large tech companies Google employs hundreds or even thousands of virgins.
Disclaimer: I work in a tech company and I am a virgin.
The British colonies in Australia were not merely founded as a dumping ground for criminals. There was a high strategic importance for a British colony in the Pacific - to thwart French ambitions must also be considered.
For example the French explorer Louis-Antoine de Bougainville arrived in what became French Polynesia in 1768 and claimed the islands for France. This roughly coincides with James Cook's first voyage of discovery (1768 - 1771) that resulted in the circumnavigation of New Zealand and the mapping of the east coast of Australia. There was definitely strong interest in the region from both the British and the French.
The unknown "Terra Australis" was seen as potentially an El Dorado, hiding great mineral and other natural wealth ready to be exploited. After all, the archipelago of Indonesia, then known as the Spice Islands, were an important source of income for the Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese.
Establishing a penal colony in such a remote location was a low risk method of establishing a permenant presence. If the colony was lost, nobody would miss a few convicts, foolhardy free adventurers and a detachment of Marines. If the penal colony was a success, Britain had expanded her empire and thus power.
Brought to you by the author of such childrens' classics as "Some Kittens can Fly!" and "All Dogs go to Hell."
I ate at Google once, thanks to Chris DiBona: it was indeed excellent. Like a mall food court in paradise; a wide variety of well-prepared food, plus a huge wall cooler of drinks from mundane to interesting, obscure stuff. Venison rounds. Asparagus. Super cake, delicious cookies. Great salad. And a sushi stand near the exit to the building, where the chef said "Sure, have a box! Enjoy!"
:)
It was dreamlike
Tim
jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
disclaimer: I used to work at Google.
Since I no longer work there, I can't really speak to the quality of the food these days, except I can make the observation that it's harder to cook for thousands of people than for hundreds of people.
In the early days, the food was *great*. There wasn't much of a selection, but as Charlie started cooking for more people, it improved. I don't know if I believe that it was enough of a reason to get a job there, but it was definitely the best company-supplied food I've ever eaten. That said, I did go out to lunch at least once a week, just for the change of scenery. And to avoid the long lines. (See, even when you've got it good you come up with something to complain about.)
Then I moved to New York. I was so disappointed with lunch there. (It has since improved substantially, but I doubt it will ever get to the level of Charlie's cooking.) Not only that, but for a while, lunch was only available 4 days a week (the official story being that Sergey wanted to encourage people to explore the restaurants in New York. Which generally meant exploring the takeout lunch place next door, so that didn't work so well.) What were the differences? Mountain View had food that was cooked onsite from organic ingredients and was actually healthy. The other offices (and I visited Santa Monica and Kirkland as well) had catered food that tended not to be.
I enjoy my food. Eating Charlie's food was an experience worth comparing to restaurants in New York. And it was impossible to beat the price. But as far as the best food available anywhere, it's always a good idea to get some variety in your life.
The last time I ate lunch in Mountain View (a few months ago) the food was still miles better than my college dining hall. The last time I ate in New York it was worse.
So my advice: if you're going to go work at Google, in an office outside of Mountain View, do it because of the people you'll be working with and the projects you'll be working on (which are worth it), not because of the free food. Chances are anywhere else you'd work would pay you enough for food anyways, so really, it's not *that* big a deal.