I've had, I think, 3 Google recruiters contact me at this point.
The first one I was interested in until I started learning more. Now I can say that I'm definately not interested in working for them. Sorry, but the geek penis waving contests over obscure things that aren't often used (and only take a minute or two to look up) and "my degree is better than yours because it's from Stanford" baloney doesn't impress me and, in fact, repulses me.
I've known people who worked for MS and really rather liked it. On the whole, it seems one hell of a lot saner than a lot of places I've seen though there is always room for improvement.
I don't have first hand experience with them, but Google doesn't really seem to care about that. They release projects on the merits of the project, not the numbers the sales staff can generate.
Which is why, realistically, Google is a two-trick pony - the search engine and AdWords.
The rest of their stuff, while kind of neat at times, doesn't really matter. Add to that the fact that most of their recent "developments" have been aquisitions, and they start to look a lot less impressive.
The problem is that a lot of the people on here fall for the fake macho "you are your job" bull.
This is bad for a number of reasons. One of the major ones is that it doesn't just affect them. Their bosses start to look at everyone else who *doesn't* behave that way and try to push them to work 24/7 as well.
Personally, I think we should all spend some more time at the lake, relaxing and, while we're there, we should toss the blackberry out as far as we can.
Why? That sounds to me like the employees are being asked to make up for bad planning on the manager's part.
Because, in development of almost any non-trivial system that is on a deadline, there is going to be at least a bit of crunch time at the end. Nothing ever goes according to plan, and if you have a deadline to meet, chances are that there will be at least a little rush at the end of even the best planned projects.
Maybe they figure that, with the money they have in the bank, they could effectively buy the country and define "evil" legally to be whatever they want it to be.
The frightening thing is that part of me thinks this isn't as far fetched as it might sound at first blush. They have, after all, been getting kind of questionable of late.
Citizens are prefectly capable of filing criminal charges against another entity. The DA can, of course, decline to take it to court, but on an issue like this, with enough press, they can be backed into a corner and effectively forced to do so.
They tried that sort of thing when I was a lot younger. Some cities went so far as to start to offer services on their computer (back when computers were huge) via a home terminal, if memory serves.
It didn't fly then, and it will have a hell of a time now.
Why? Because people like having control over both their files and the programs used to manipulate them. Lose net access and you lose the ability to get any real work done. Backhoe of death? Router blows out? Just plain forget to pay your bill? Too bad. No productivity until the connection issue is fixed.
Businesses don't tend to like working that way. Too much unnecessary risk involved.
Add to that the fact that some of us actually like the physical media and the artwork that comes with it.
The other thing is that, with most people just snagging a song or two from an album because they heard it on the radio, they will never really know if they like the rest of the band's work. I've bought cds for one or two songs and ended up liking the rest of the album.
I'm just kind of tired of the teenage crowd constantly crowing that the CD doesn't matter. Heck, I'm only in my 20's and I see the benefit to CDs, but that may also be the occasional DJ in me.
how about no surgical methods shall be required for employment?
Then they'll find a loophole around that - something on the lines of injection. That is, after all, a non surgical method and plenty of jobs require shots (immunization, etc) before you can work.
I loved the phone call I made from a computer lab to the local pizza place at like 1:30 or 2am ordering several pizzas.
We got to the point where he asked where I wanted it delivered, and I told him. I was promptly told that academic buildings weren't open at that time and that this had to be a prank call just before he hung up.
I called back and asked to talk to the manager. Out of an amusing quirk of fate, the manager there was normally on days and knew me because the Center that I worked for ordered lunch from there all of the time and we tipped well, so the manager knew me.
I recognized the manager's voice and explained what was going on. Half an hour later, the guy who answered the phone showed up with our pizzas, an apology for being a jerk (which he was), and several 2-liters of soda to make up for what happened.
I've had a great deal of contact with foreign nationals. I have pursued a lot of information outside of the scope of my job (in fact, I'm often called in on projects that have nothing to do with my profession because of my weird set of experience). I've been known to keep some truly bizare hours. And, truth be known, I've probably had some contact with foreign gov, mil, or intel officials in the past because of the rather strange set of friends that I've had (some of which had influential families from other countries, and at least one of them had a father who worked for an embassy).
In addition, to be quite honest, I don't feel the need to explain ANY of it to anyone who flashes a government ID at me.
Every government agency that is caught violating the rights of citizens should have the people in charge jailed without the option for presidential pardon and the agency's funding should be cut.
No, you said that nobody makes Babylon an easy target anymore. I just proved that they do. It may have a new name, but a rose by any other name and all that.
As for being like the people who lived where I am 3000 years ago, considering that I *am* part native and in fact do observe some of the same things that they did, I'd say that I'm a lot more like them than you'd think.
The thing is that, while there are a lot of good cops out there (and I've met several. Some of them have my lasting gratitude for their actions), there are also a lot of really bad cops out there. For every one of them out there that want to make a difference, there often seems to be one that is out there for the power trip.
I've had highway patrol officers help me with a gunshot victim while the ambulance was on its way and basically protect me from the crooked sheriff who showed up on the scene and was trying to get me to say that I was the one who shot the person (I wasn't).
In another location (St Louis, actually, so it ties in nicely to the article), my now ex was raped. The officers that responded to the call came in and kept badgering her, trying to get her to say that she wasn't raped and that she had, in fact, asked for it.
All I can say is that it's a good thing I wasn't there at the time.
I've known a lot of "normal" people who can tell similar true stories.
It was stated that they were both cuffed when the cop was beating them. They were already subdued unless they were actively trying to attack the officer (which is unlikely).
Right. Because Google has patented desktop search(?), and if they have, Microsoft itself can provide prior art because they've had a search feature since at least Windows 95.
Slashdot Mirror
I've had, I think, 3 Google recruiters contact me at this point.
The first one I was interested in until I started learning more. Now I can say that I'm definately not interested in working for them. Sorry, but the geek penis waving contests over obscure things that aren't often used (and only take a minute or two to look up) and "my degree is better than yours because it's from Stanford" baloney doesn't impress me and, in fact, repulses me.
Nice Atari tatoo, by the way.
Funny...
I've known people who worked for MS and really rather liked it. On the whole, it seems one hell of a lot saner than a lot of places I've seen though there is always room for improvement.
I don't have first hand experience with them, but Google doesn't really seem to care about that. They release projects on the merits of the project, not the numbers the sales staff can generate.
Which is why, realistically, Google is a two-trick pony - the search engine and AdWords.
The rest of their stuff, while kind of neat at times, doesn't really matter. Add to that the fact that most of their recent "developments" have been aquisitions, and they start to look a lot less impressive.
The problem is that a lot of the people on here fall for the fake macho "you are your job" bull.
This is bad for a number of reasons. One of the major ones is that it doesn't just affect them. Their bosses start to look at everyone else who *doesn't* behave that way and try to push them to work 24/7 as well.
Personally, I think we should all spend some more time at the lake, relaxing and, while we're there, we should toss the blackberry out as far as we can.
Why? That sounds to me like the employees are being asked to make up for bad planning on the manager's part.
Because, in development of almost any non-trivial system that is on a deadline, there is going to be at least a bit of crunch time at the end. Nothing ever goes according to plan, and if you have a deadline to meet, chances are that there will be at least a little rush at the end of even the best planned projects.
The fact that, if played right, Google could effectively control the country?
Maybe they figure that, with the money they have in the bank, they could effectively buy the country and define "evil" legally to be whatever they want it to be.
The frightening thing is that part of me thinks this isn't as far fetched as it might sound at first blush. They have, after all, been getting kind of questionable of late.
You beat me to it. That video was the first thing that I thought of when I saw the headline =]
Citizens are prefectly capable of filing criminal charges against another entity. The DA can, of course, decline to take it to court, but on an issue like this, with enough press, they can be backed into a corner and effectively forced to do so.
Hang the jury? It's civil court.
Actually, The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and and RICO are both criminal, not civil. In fact, they'll be facing felony charges.
Well without the cloak and dagger stuff that is.
I could probably lend her a dagger. She'll have to get the cloak from somewhere else, though =]
They tried that sort of thing when I was a lot younger. Some cities went so far as to start to offer services on their computer (back when computers were huge) via a home terminal, if memory serves.
It didn't fly then, and it will have a hell of a time now.
Why? Because people like having control over both their files and the programs used to manipulate them. Lose net access and you lose the ability to get any real work done. Backhoe of death? Router blows out? Just plain forget to pay your bill? Too bad. No productivity until the connection issue is fixed.
Businesses don't tend to like working that way. Too much unnecessary risk involved.
Add to that the fact that some of us actually like the physical media and the artwork that comes with it.
The other thing is that, with most people just snagging a song or two from an album because they heard it on the radio, they will never really know if they like the rest of the band's work. I've bought cds for one or two songs and ended up liking the rest of the album.
I'm just kind of tired of the teenage crowd constantly crowing that the CD doesn't matter. Heck, I'm only in my 20's and I see the benefit to CDs, but that may also be the occasional DJ in me.
how about no surgical methods shall be required for employment?
Then they'll find a loophole around that - something on the lines of injection. That is, after all, a non surgical method and plenty of jobs require shots (immunization, etc) before you can work.
I loved the phone call I made from a computer lab to the local pizza place at like 1:30 or 2am ordering several pizzas.
We got to the point where he asked where I wanted it delivered, and I told him. I was promptly told that academic buildings weren't open at that time and that this had to be a prank call just before he hung up.
I called back and asked to talk to the manager. Out of an amusing quirk of fate, the manager there was normally on days and knew me because the Center that I worked for ordered lunch from there all of the time and we tipped well, so the manager knew me.
I recognized the manager's voice and explained what was going on. Half an hour later, the guy who answered the phone showed up with our pizzas, an apology for being a jerk (which he was), and several 2-liters of soda to make up for what happened.
I must be an espionage risk then.
I've had a great deal of contact with foreign nationals.
I have pursued a lot of information outside of the scope of my job (in fact, I'm often called in on projects that have nothing to do with my profession because of my weird set of experience).
I've been known to keep some truly bizare hours.
And, truth be known, I've probably had some contact with foreign gov, mil, or intel officials in the past because of the rather strange set of friends that I've had (some of which had influential families from other countries, and at least one of them had a father who worked for an embassy).
In addition, to be quite honest, I don't feel the need to explain ANY of it to anyone who flashes a government ID at me.
Now there's an idea.
Every government agency that is caught violating the rights of citizens should have the people in charge jailed without the option for presidential pardon and the agency's funding should be cut.
I like it.
I know this may come as a shock to you, but a great many people in this country do actually work during the summer.
Bills to pay and all that.
Some of those places even let their employees listen to internet radio stations while they work. There will be a lot of people who notice.
No, you said that nobody makes Babylon an easy target anymore. I just proved that they do. It may have a new name, but a rose by any other name and all that.
As for being like the people who lived where I am 3000 years ago, considering that I *am* part native and in fact do observe some of the same things that they did, I'd say that I'm a lot more like them than you'd think.
The thing is that, while there are a lot of good cops out there (and I've met several. Some of them have my lasting gratitude for their actions), there are also a lot of really bad cops out there. For every one of them out there that want to make a difference, there often seems to be one that is out there for the power trip.
I've had highway patrol officers help me with a gunshot victim while the ambulance was on its way and basically protect me from the crooked sheriff who showed up on the scene and was trying to get me to say that I was the one who shot the person (I wasn't).
In another location (St Louis, actually, so it ties in nicely to the article), my now ex was raped. The officers that responded to the call came in and kept badgering her, trying to get her to say that she wasn't raped and that she had, in fact, asked for it.
All I can say is that it's a good thing I wasn't there at the time.
I've known a lot of "normal" people who can tell similar true stories.
It was stated that they were both cuffed when the cop was beating them. They were already subdued unless they were actively trying to attack the officer (which is unlikely).
Always ? Don't worry, nobody makes the Romans or Babylonians an easy target anymore...
Modern day Babylon still isn't too popular. You might have heard of it. It's called Iraq
Right. Because Google has patented desktop search(?), and if they have, Microsoft itself can provide prior art because they've had a search feature since at least Windows 95.
Sorry. Not buying that one. Try again.
"Kekeke"
*Attacks the annoying Final Fantasy bats that never move out of the fricking way*
Can you tell I was playing Dawn of Souls recently?
Right. Because nobody ever has a legitimate reason for having a few hundred GB worth of data and files.
Keep telling yourself that.