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Disclaimer: These are my views. Not my employer's. I currently work for Pillar. I met Ray for the first time fairly recently. He seemed like a smart, passi

Disclaimer: These are my views. Not my employer's. I currently work for Pillar. I met Ray for the first time fairly recently. He seemed like a smart, passionate developer and it breaks my heart to see him having such a meltdown. I've had my own sleep issues and the last company I worked for seemed to be talking out of both sides of their mouth. I understand what that can feel like. It's a really hard thing to go through. I would also say that when you're barely sleeping at night, you make poor decisions and start to look at the world through a warped lens. Yes, the company is goofy. The CEO can be a bit of a blowhard, the titles seem kitschy and uninspired, and there's a lot of self-congratulatory aggrandizing that goes on. It's a consulting firm. It's not surprising. But the people are excellent. Imagine an oasis of nerds (okay, maybe don't) that really care about software quality in the center of a market that needs a lot of help. They're committed to education, community involvement, and each other. It's really pretty great to work here. That is, as long as you don't get it twisted. On time and under budget still matters. Perceptions still matter. Politics, expectations, and realities are all things that you're going to have to deal with no matter what. Your ability to balance all of these things is part of what makes you effective at your job. I don't know the particulars of the circumstances that led to his termination. I don't really want to know them. It would be irresponsible to postulate. However, I can say that I'm disappointed with the way that he's chosen to move on. It's good for no one. I see a thoughtful developer burning bridges in public. That can be cathartic, but at what cost?

kitanata 10y ago
Against my better judgement, I feel it necessary to reply to this. I tried very hard to end things on a positive note with Pillar. I called Don repeatedly trying to connect with him, I called Jim repeatedly trying to connect with him, and I tried having a civil and adult conversation with Brandt. What I got was silence, insults, and a legal demand letter for venting to friends and family on Facebook, and a permanent ban from attending user groups hosted at Pillar. User groups that I brought into Pillar. Do I fault Pillar for firing me? No, of course not. I was a little upset, but I get it. But what they did wasn't an appropriate response and after I learned that they did this to other people as well, I had to act. Talk to the other developers on my team, they will tell you that I was in good spirits and wished them both well in the future when I got in touch with them. I did my part to handle things professionally, I really did. Pillar escalated this well out of proportion than it needed to be. Someone needs to speak up and say something about the way Pillar treats people after they are done with them and how they handle critics (these other people who, in some cases are legally gagged against speaking up).
- monk_e_boy 10y ago
  After reading your blog post, you did come across as a bit immature. Sorry. But the decisions you made, the things you did and the fact you vented in public all scream 'first job surprises' Hope you get what you're looking for. I think your best bet at this point is to walk away and leave it a couple of years.
- brianwawok 10y ago
  So from your post history, how does this relate to the present situation? > kitanata 905 days ago | parent | on: Silk Road 2.0 Launches > There are kits you can buy to test the purity of drugs you buy: http://dancesafe.org/products/testing-kits http://dancesafe.org/products/testing-kits
  - kitanata 10y ago
    Wow. Haha. No. That's not at all related. If people buy drugs online, I thought it was best to advise them to test them first. Harm reduction and all that. A lot of people die from bad mixed up shit, and if they knew there was a way to be sure what they were taking, is in fact what they think they're taking, then I think it's wise to let them know about that.
    - ngdndvvcx 10y ago
      Definitely continue discussing harm reduction, even if it means putting yourself out there publicly and that some close-minded people will judge you for that. As for your blog post and the response here, I only have one comment -- continue to focus on your health with the same drive and passion that you have toward coding! I realize you took a few weeks to get healthy and change your diet, but for me at least, learning how to consistently lead a balanced, healthy lifestyle took many years. I'm not suggesting that you read thousands of nutrition studies or anything, but instead everything from learning where the best farmer's markets in your city are, what sports you enjoy and building relationships with people who play them, figuring out what triggers you to make unhealthy decisions, etc. I encourage you to approach your health in a 'holistic' way. It's a long journey and a highly personal one, but it's worth the effort.
webbore 10y ago
I understand why, but it's too bad this is a throw away account; this is a very well thought out and compassionate response.
- monk_e_boy 10y ago
  Compassion comes from people in the same position as you, not from the people above.
  - rwallace 10y ago
    Compassion comes from the person, not the station. I've seen it come from all sorts of surprising places - but it's rare enough to be worth treasuring, no matter where it comes from.

kitanata 10y ago

Against my better judgement, I feel it necessary to reply to this. I tried very hard to end things on a positive note with Pillar. I called Don repeatedly trying to connect with him, I called Jim repeatedly trying to connect with him, and I tried having a civil and adult conversation with Brandt. What I got was silence, insults, and a legal demand letter for venting to friends and family on Facebook, and a permanent ban from attending user groups hosted at Pillar. User groups that I brought into Pillar. Do I fault Pillar for firing me? No, of course not. I was a little upset, but I get it. But what they did wasn't an appropriate response and after I learned that they did this to other people as well, I had to act. Talk to the other developers on my team, they will tell you that I was in good spirits and wished them both well in the future when I got in touch with them. I did my part to handle things professionally, I really did. Pillar escalated this well out of proportion than it needed to be. Someone needs to speak up and say something about the way Pillar treats people after they are done with them and how they handle critics (these other people who, in some cases are legally gagged against speaking up).

monk_e_boy 10y ago
After reading your blog post, you did come across as a bit immature. Sorry. But the decisions you made, the things you did and the fact you vented in public all scream 'first job surprises' Hope you get what you're looking for. I think your best bet at this point is to walk away and leave it a couple of years.
brianwawok 10y ago
So from your post history, how does this relate to the present situation? > kitanata 905 days ago | parent | on: Silk Road 2.0 Launches > There are kits you can buy to test the purity of drugs you buy: http://dancesafe.org/products/testing-kits http://dancesafe.org/products/testing-kits
- kitanata 10y ago
  Wow. Haha. No. That's not at all related. If people buy drugs online, I thought it was best to advise them to test them first. Harm reduction and all that. A lot of people die from bad mixed up shit, and if they knew there was a way to be sure what they were taking, is in fact what they think they're taking, then I think it's wise to let them know about that.
  - ngdndvvcx 10y ago
    Definitely continue discussing harm reduction, even if it means putting yourself out there publicly and that some close-minded people will judge you for that. As for your blog post and the response here, I only have one comment -- continue to focus on your health with the same drive and passion that you have toward coding! I realize you took a few weeks to get healthy and change your diet, but for me at least, learning how to consistently lead a balanced, healthy lifestyle took many years. I'm not suggesting that you read thousands of nutrition studies or anything, but instead everything from learning where the best farmer's markets in your city are, what sports you enjoy and building relationships with people who play them, figuring out what triggers you to make unhealthy decisions, etc. I encourage you to approach your health in a 'holistic' way. It's a long journey and a highly personal one, but it's worth the effort.

webbore 10y ago

I understand why, but it's too bad this is a throw away account; this is a very well thought out and compassionate response.

monk_e_boy 10y ago
Compassion comes from people in the same position as you, not from the people above.
- rwallace 10y ago
  Compassion comes from the person, not the station. I've seen it come from all sorts of surprising places - but it's rare enough to be worth treasuring, no matter where it comes from.