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Google Nabs Bing Maps Architect

Posted by timothy on from the now-that's-an-exit-strategy dept.

theodp writes "In another case of Microsoft's-loss-is-Google's-gain, GeekWire reports that Google has made a big hire from Microsoft, bringing aboard TED crowd-pleaser Blaise Agüera y Arcas, the well-known software architect and designer who was among the Redmond company's elite ranks of distinguished engineers. Known for his work on services including Photosynth and Bing Maps, Agüera y Arcas called the move 'the hardest decision of my life'. A stunning preview of Photosynth was released by Microsoft last week, and TED just released a video of Agüera y Arcas demonstrating the technology at a conference earlier this year."

8 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Retaining talent by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Microsoft pays well, but the way it treats employees is pretty bad. I am so glad I got out of that place.

    1. Re:Retaining talent by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Once the techie founders become "business suits" the decline is already being signalled to the employees

      That usually happens right around the time the founders reach the unpleasant realization that they actually have to make money if they want their corporation to survive.

  2. UFO Sighted near Redmond. by Kaenneth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Witnesses described it as 'chair shaped'.

  3. Not just Windows 8 by BenJeremy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Actually, I heard he hates Visual Studio 2012 even more. Something about using bland, similar monochromatic icons tends to bother people who work with image processing and innovate the field using all that wonderful color information in those images.

    Same difference though... some idiot exec at Microsoft has decided the world needs Fisher-price Playschool operating systems and development tools.

  4. Overrated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I used to work with this guy and he is incredibly overrated. He's been the architect of Bing Maps for 5 years. What earth shattering innovations has he led in that time? Somebody above mentioned that this 'incredible' v2 Photosynth 1) isn't even as good as v1 and 2) has never been developed into anything more useful than a TED demo. He worked on the same team as Gur Kimchi, the guy behind the Amazon delivery drones. Between the two of them, they are the king and queen of vaporware. Neither one produced a damn thing in 6 years at Microsoft, so fuck it Google can have him. He's a one man hype machine.

  5. Re:Google hurting itself by Alomex · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It also was overloaded with fresh-undergraduate talent. However some tasks require a substantial number of people with significant experience, yet Microsoft only rarely went after them. In at least some cases the sole reason they hired talent was to silence them (Mark Russinovich I'm looking at you) not to benefit from them.

    Their search engine effort is notorious for the lack of inside experts, and the person in charge is, as best as I understand, a non-techie.

  6. Re:Slashdot bias.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I remember this guy. This happened more than a year ago.

    James Whitaker was a Microsoft exec who left Microsoft to join Google for a bit and then go back to Microsoft at a higher level. His main motive in joining Google was apparently to get a promotion back in Microsoft and to make some money on the side by writing a book. Ridiculous microsoft politics at work. And yes this was covered extensively on slashdot.

    Of course recoiledsnake is a well known paid microsoft shill who will misrepresent facts.

  7. Apple Maps Architect by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    ... up for bid. Any takers? Anyone?

    [Sound of crickets]

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.