The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread

https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/news/google-layoffs-entire-python-team-let-go-for-cheaper-labour/ar-AA1nR14l

The report said that Google would establish a new team in Munich, Germany, to serve as more cost-effective labour.

I’m surprised Munich is that much cheaper that its worth shit canning a whole team with years/decades of experience.

Edit: What the team were responsible for apparently:

in addition to contributing to upstream python, we

maintained a stable version of python within google, and made sure that everything in the monorepo worked with it. in my time on the team we moved from 2.7 to 3.6, then incrementally to 3.11, each update taking months to over a year because the rule at google is if you check any code in, you are responsible for every single breakage it causes
maintained tools to keep thousands of third party packages constantly updated from their open source versions, with patch queues for the ones that needed google-specific changes
had highly customised versions of tools like pylint and black, targeted to google’s style guide and overall codebase
contributed to pybind11, and maintained tools for c++ integration
developed and maintained build system rules for python, including a large effort to move python rules to pure starlark code rather than having them entangled in the blaze/bazel core engine
developed and maintained a typechecker (pytype) that would do inference on code without type annotations, and work over very large projects with a one-file-at-a-time architecture (this was my primary job at google, ama)
performed automated refactorings across hundreds of millions of lines of code

and that was just the dev portion of our jobs. we also acted as a help desk of sorts for python users at google, helping troubleshoot tricky issues, and point newcomers in the right direction. plus we worked with a lot of other teams, including the machine learning and AI teams, the colaboratory and IDE teams, teams like protobuf that integrated with and generated python bindings, teams like google cloud who wanted to offer python runtimes to their customers, teams like youtube who had an unusually large system built in python and needed to do extraordinary things to keep it performant and maintainable.

and we did all this for years with fewer than 10 people, most of whom loved the work and the team so much that we just stayed on it for years. also, despite the understaffing, we had managers who were extremely good about maintaining work/life balance and the “marathon, not sprint” approach to work. as i said in another comment, it’s the best job i’ve ever had, and i’ll miss it deeply.

Gators1

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

I’m surprised Munich is that much cheaper that its worth shit canning a whole team with years/decades of experience.

Not sure what these guys made, but in general I think Europe pays software engineers much less. At least in data engineering there is a huge pay gap between the US and Europe. Also Google pays a premium because they are Google and get the best people and also for the high cost of living if these people were anywhere near the Bay area. For data engineering the “FAANG” companies (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google), someone with experience working on their core infrastructure can command salaries of $200-300K. For the rest of us they can range from around $80-200K more or less, but those were driven by the high demand in past years and are coming down. In Europe I have seen more like $40-100K mentioned.

oyaji

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

Kilemall

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

This is why we need the three laws of robotics.

We won’t get them.

oyaji

@Kilemall said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

This is why we need the three laws of robotics.

We won’t get them.

More like we are heading for the Bulterian Jihad.

Whoofe

@Kilemall said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

This is why we need the three laws of robotics.

We won’t get them.

15...10 Commandments

https://twitter.com/sodiumPen/status/1785152049811730943

Time Extension / Apr 30, 2024 / Features

Flashback: How The Kindness Of Sega Saved Nvidia From Going Under

"There was no reason for him to do it"

SEGA would own maybe a trillion dollars worth of Nvidia stock if they’d just asked for a 49% stake in the company instead of giving charity. I mean, I’m all for charity, but not in business.

Henry Pickavet / May 5, 2024

Jack Dorsey departs Bluesky board | TechCrunch

Bluesky’s most prominent backer has left its board. On Saturday, Jack Dorsey posted on X about grants for open protocols from his philanthropic Start

Disappointing.

Oh.

He looks like a plumber

Not an Aussie plumber. He’s too fit and you can’t see his butt crack peeking out of his shorts.

Gators1

It’s soooquel!!!

Mohammad Asjad / May 4, 2024

Researchers at Stanford Introduce SUQL: A Formal Query Language for Integrating Structured and Unstructured Data

oyaji

@Gators1 said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

It’s soooquel!!!

Mohammad Asjad / May 4, 2024

Researchers at Stanford Introduce SUQL: A Formal Query Language for Integrating Structured and Unstructured Data

In 'Mur’kuh, say it like it’s spellt: “suckle”.

Return-to-office mandates at some of the most powerful tech companies — Apple, Microsoft and SpaceX — were followed by a spike in departures among the most senior, tough-to-replace talent, according to a case study published last week by researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan.

https://wapo.st/4btMo8Z

oyaji

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Kilemall said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

This is why we need the three laws of robotics.

We won’t get them.

More like we are heading for the Bulterian Jihad.

@Kilemall

Late late edit:

“Butlerian Jihad”

I’ve got this guy I’ve been working with for a month or so. He needs to regularly schedule meetings with up to five people in five different time zones. Every time he manually asks everyone individually, what time are you free tomorrow? Me: I don’t know, use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me to convert it into the HQ time zone. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me what time I finish work. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks what time that is in the HQ time zone. Me: dude, I’m trying to fucking code here, use the scheduling assistant.

After doing the dance several times now, I’ve posted screenshots of how to use the scheduling assistant. Not that he’s ever asked for them or acknowledged that there even is a scheduling assistant.

Anyway, I’m no longer going to take that scheduling assistant for granted. Having to do every meeting the way this guy does it would be unspeakably bad. I’d spend half of my day manually coordinating meetings.

Kilemall

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

I’ve got this guy I’ve been working with for a month or so. He needs to regularly schedule meetings with up to five people in five different time zones. Every time he manually asks everyone individually, what time are you free tomorrow? Me: I don’t know, use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me to convert it into the HQ time zone. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me what time I finish work. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks what time that is in the HQ time zone. Me: dude, I’m trying to fucking code here, use the scheduling assistant.

After doing the dance several times now, I’ve posted screenshots of how to use the scheduling assistant. Not that he’s ever asked for them or acknowledged that there even is a scheduling assistant.

Anyway, I’m no longer going to take that scheduling assistant for granted. Having to do every meeting the way this guy does it would be unspeakably bad. I’d spend half of my day manually coordinating meetings.

We force people to use it, but does no good for external vendors.

Kilemall

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Kilemall said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@tigger said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@oyaji said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

Benj Edwards / Apr 23, 2024 / Tech

You can now buy a flame-throwing robot dog for under $10,000

Thermonator, the first “flamethrower-wielding robot dog,” is completely legal in 48 US states.

“completely legal in 48 US states”

I need a pack of them to loose upon the ROUSs… ermm, RsOUS.

I wonder if Bushman will get some and come by for a day or 2. I had found his number and rang him up a few years ago, but then I lost it. These would be right up his alley. Anybody got his contact info?

I don’t think they exist.

I think they do exist. A day or three ago I heard part of a radio story on NPR about the Therminator now being offered for sale.

This is why we need the three laws of robotics.

We won’t get them.

More like we are heading for the Bulterian Jihad.

@Kilemall

Late late edit:

“Butlerian Jihad”

Big fat Jam edit cheater!

@Kilemall said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

@Hog said in The OFFICIAL tech stuff thread:

I’ve got this guy I’ve been working with for a month or so. He needs to regularly schedule meetings with up to five people in five different time zones. Every time he manually asks everyone individually, what time are you free tomorrow? Me: I don’t know, use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me to convert it into the HQ time zone. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks me what time I finish work. Me: use the scheduling assistant. Then he asks what time that is in the HQ time zone. Me: dude, I’m trying to fucking code here, use the scheduling assistant.

After doing the dance several times now, I’ve posted screenshots of how to use the scheduling assistant. Not that he’s ever asked for them or acknowledged that there even is a scheduling assistant.

Anyway, I’m no longer going to take that scheduling assistant for granted. Having to do every meeting the way this guy does it would be unspeakably bad. I’d spend half of my day manually coordinating meetings.

We force people to use it, but does no good for external vendors.

I can see this guy’s working hours and busy times in it so I assume he should be able to see mine. Assumptions are bad though.

"Google Search is generative AI at the scale of human curiosity. - Google Boss

Dude, seriously. That has to be the most wankish statement I’ve ever read.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240524-how-googles-new-algorithm-will-shape-your-internet