Well, here is the reality in MandrakeSoft, in case you are interested:
- 3 installation - 4.5 tools - 1 KDE - 1 GNOME - 1 ergonomy - 4.5 QA & security - 2 Clustering - 3.5 documentation (remember we have documents in 5 languages) - 1 i18n - 1 kernel - 1 firewal - 1 IA64 - 1 LSB & PPC - 1 Apache - 1 contributors' applications - 1 hardware - 1 CTO - 1 SysAdmin - 2.5 Tech support (they are handling all email and phone support) - 3 consultants (and people are complaining that we are not able to do "big consulting projects") - 4 sales representatives (1 for Americas, 0.5 for rest of the world, 1 for OEM, 1.5 for services) - 1 marketing (and people are complaining we don't have a "strong" marketing) - 1.5 MandrakeStore (0.5 for the technical side, 1 for all shippings and customer services -- and people are complaining that they don't get their boxes shipped on time and their emails answered on time) - 1 art design - 1.5 Communications & PR (we have to communicate in at least 2 languages) - 1.5 Webmaster (to maintain almost 10 websites) - 0.5 ISV relations (people are still complaining that we don't offer enough third-party software, and that we don't get good enough relations and supports from Oracle, Legato, Sybase, Computer Associates... etc.) - 0.5 accountant - 1 production & suppliers coordinator - 0.5 payroll, paperworks - 1 receptionist & secretary - 1 MandrakeClub - 1 MandrakeOnline & MandrakeExpert - 1 Chairman - 1 CEO
This is the current structure we have, after having laid off 70% of our staff since last summer. There are 54 on the list. Those "0.5" are people who are carrying mutiple tasks on their shoulders. Could you please kindly point out where we should cut more employees? I'm sure our new CEO would be very happy to hear that!
In France, to hire an employee, companies have to pay very high social charges to the government, which equal to 70% of the employee's salary. That means, suppose one employee gets 40 K$ yearly salary, the company actually has to pay 68 K$ per year.
Besides employees' salary, perhaps you understand that we have to pay the rent of the office, electricity, water, network... etc.
Do you still think 0.5 M$ expense per month is "burning cash crazily"?
FYI, we sell around 50,000 boxes per year. Taking out the production cost and commissions to wholesalers, we get roughly 25% profit. The revenue we get from selling boxes is merely 1 M$ per year. With 10,000 current Club members, we made about 800 K$.
How many months can we survive with this amount?
Perhaps MandrakeSoft should have long time ago closed its door. But, who doesn't want to try his last chance?
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Well, here is the reality in MandrakeSoft, in case you are interested:
- 3 installation
- 4.5 tools
- 1 KDE
- 1 GNOME
- 1 ergonomy
- 4.5 QA & security
- 2 Clustering
- 3.5 documentation (remember we have documents in 5 languages)
- 1 i18n
- 1 kernel
- 1 firewal
- 1 IA64
- 1 LSB & PPC
- 1 Apache
- 1 contributors' applications
- 1 hardware
- 1 CTO
- 1 SysAdmin
- 2.5 Tech support (they are handling all email and phone support)
- 3 consultants (and people are complaining that we are not able to do "big consulting projects")
- 4 sales representatives (1 for Americas, 0.5 for rest of the world, 1 for OEM, 1.5 for services)
- 1 marketing (and people are complaining we don't have a "strong" marketing)
- 1.5 MandrakeStore (0.5 for the technical side, 1 for all shippings and customer services -- and people are complaining that they don't get their boxes shipped on time and their emails answered on time)
- 1 art design
- 1.5 Communications & PR (we have to communicate in at least 2 languages)
- 1.5 Webmaster (to maintain almost 10 websites)
- 0.5 ISV relations (people are still complaining that we don't offer enough third-party software, and that we don't get good enough relations and supports from Oracle, Legato, Sybase, Computer Associates... etc.)
- 0.5 accountant
- 1 production & suppliers coordinator
- 0.5 payroll, paperworks
- 1 receptionist & secretary
- 1 MandrakeClub
- 1 MandrakeOnline & MandrakeExpert
- 1 Chairman
- 1 CEO
This is the current structure we have, after having laid off 70% of our staff since last summer. There are 54 on the list. Those "0.5" are people who are carrying mutiple tasks on their shoulders. Could you please kindly point out where we should cut more employees? I'm sure our new CEO would be very happy to hear that!
In France, to hire an employee, companies have to pay very high social charges to the government, which equal to 70% of the employee's salary. That means, suppose one employee gets 40 K$ yearly salary, the company actually has to pay 68 K$ per year.
Besides employees' salary, perhaps you understand that we have to pay the rent of the office, electricity, water, network... etc.
Do you still think 0.5 M$ expense per month is "burning cash crazily"?
FYI, we sell around 50,000 boxes per year. Taking out the production cost and commissions to wholesalers, we get roughly 25% profit. The revenue we get from selling boxes is merely 1 M$ per year.
With 10,000 current Club members, we made about 800 K$.
How many months can we survive with this amount?
Perhaps MandrakeSoft should have long time ago closed its door. But, who doesn't want to try his last chance?