4 ms·

For some reason, the name "Modern Labor" immediately associates in my head with terms like "slave labor" and "child labor". Perhaps that is just me. But I can't

For some reason, the name "Modern Labor" immediately associates in my head with terms like "slave labor" and "child labor". Perhaps that is just me. But I can't help but feel a slight revulsion to the name just hearing it. Sorry for the criticism - mostly just voicing my opinion in case anyone else shared it and it is actually worth giving a second thought to.

fermienrico 8y ago
It is not just you; it is a terrible name. The word "Labor" itself has negative connotations due to human history and suffering from extortion. Using it in a completely novel, unproven and radical context worsens the situation. "Furthermore, graduates agree to work for us directly if our offer is as good as their other employment offers." - So you're tied to whatever job/management/role you're offered unless you can score a better offer. This seems very suspicious and concerning.
- asd33313131 8y ago
  There's no penalty if they don't take our offer. We are likely going to remove this clause. Interestingly, virtually everyone who applies (> 98%) is fine with this.
  - chipperyman573 8y ago
    >Interestingly, virtually everyone who applies (> 98%) is fine with this. How was this measured?
    - asd33313131 8y ago
      Everyone who fills out the application answers this question. It's a little harder to do this test now (because of selection bias) but in the recent past when we were advertising the program we wouldn't tell people about the staffing bit until the application. There's probably some attrition there (i.e. people who don't like the staffing bit maybe would just not complete the application). But, interesting, people would answer "no" to other questions that would disqualify them (like right to work in US, or about the income share agreement terms) and would still complete the application. This makes us believe people were answering honestly and not just dropping off at the staffing question.
- zanny 8y ago
  Labor is a negative word? We labor every day, our actions are labor, we set out upon labors, and most of us are labor. How Orwellian would it be to try to avoid calling a pig what it is because the word describing it makes you feel bad? Software development, regardless of how much you want to shout from the rooftops how much you like it, is labor. You trade your time for money to someone else who wants code. We are damn fortunate that wealth is attracted to code enough to provide this small segment of the working class as much luxury as it can reap from its labors.
  - Wowfunhappy 8y ago
    There are many words which both (1) should not have negative connections but (2) probably aren't an ideal product name if you want your business to be successful.
asd33313131 8y ago
We're not tied to the name. If it ends up being a major issue, we will change it for sure. We think of it more along the lines of "Labor party" or "labor rights" or "labor market" than what you mentioned. Perhaps this theory is wrong though and we'll need to adjust.
- NeedMoreTea 8y ago
  If I search for modern labor, I get you (great!), also on the first page are "Modern day child labor", "how business can tackle modern slavery and forced labor", "what is modern slavery"; the rest are relatively benign. I'm not sure that's too helpful. My first association would be for a newly modernised incarnation of a Labor Party, just like Tony Blair gave us New Labour. I'm from the UK, so my first impressions may not be thought relevant. :)
  - asd33313131 8y ago
    I think it has something to do with the UK search results/expressions. The US one (the one I see, from our IP) is about "modern labor economics" and "modern labor market"
    - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
      That was the benign ones. I used US spelling and every result was a US site. Maybe not representative of results if I were on a US ip.
- fermienrico 8y ago
  I see. They’re positive concepts but they still have negative underpinnings. Why do we need Labor rights? Because of labor exploitation. Brand name choice is extremely important, please give it a deep thought. Use labor, self-titles and related synonyms: Work, Studio, Atelier, Space, Office, Lab, Laboratory, Place, Court, Library, Market, Identity, Passport, Expert, Master, Etc. For example: BinaryPassport It’s quirky, cool and kinda makes sense - Passport to software engineering.
- chatmasta 8y ago
yyyymmddhhmmss 8y ago
Decadence.
dalbasal 8y ago
Sounds like a political party, to my ear.
abvdasker 8y ago
Sounds Marxist to my ears.

fermienrico 8y ago

It is not just you; it is a terrible name. The word "Labor" itself has negative connotations due to human history and suffering from extortion. Using it in a completely novel, unproven and radical context worsens the situation. "Furthermore, graduates agree to work for us directly if our offer is as good as their other employment offers." - So you're tied to whatever job/management/role you're offered unless you can score a better offer. This seems very suspicious and concerning.

asd33313131 8y ago
There's no penalty if they don't take our offer. We are likely going to remove this clause. Interestingly, virtually everyone who applies (> 98%) is fine with this.
- chipperyman573 8y ago
  >Interestingly, virtually everyone who applies (> 98%) is fine with this. How was this measured?
  - asd33313131 8y ago
    Everyone who fills out the application answers this question. It's a little harder to do this test now (because of selection bias) but in the recent past when we were advertising the program we wouldn't tell people about the staffing bit until the application. There's probably some attrition there (i.e. people who don't like the staffing bit maybe would just not complete the application). But, interesting, people would answer "no" to other questions that would disqualify them (like right to work in US, or about the income share agreement terms) and would still complete the application. This makes us believe people were answering honestly and not just dropping off at the staffing question.
zanny 8y ago
Labor is a negative word? We labor every day, our actions are labor, we set out upon labors, and most of us are labor. How Orwellian would it be to try to avoid calling a pig what it is because the word describing it makes you feel bad? Software development, regardless of how much you want to shout from the rooftops how much you like it, is labor. You trade your time for money to someone else who wants code. We are damn fortunate that wealth is attracted to code enough to provide this small segment of the working class as much luxury as it can reap from its labors.
- Wowfunhappy 8y ago
  There are many words which both (1) should not have negative connections but (2) probably aren't an ideal product name if you want your business to be successful.

asd33313131 8y ago

We're not tied to the name. If it ends up being a major issue, we will change it for sure. We think of it more along the lines of "Labor party" or "labor rights" or "labor market" than what you mentioned. Perhaps this theory is wrong though and we'll need to adjust.

NeedMoreTea 8y ago
If I search for modern labor, I get you (great!), also on the first page are "Modern day child labor", "how business can tackle modern slavery and forced labor", "what is modern slavery"; the rest are relatively benign. I'm not sure that's too helpful. My first association would be for a newly modernised incarnation of a Labor Party, just like Tony Blair gave us New Labour. I'm from the UK, so my first impressions may not be thought relevant. :)
- asd33313131 8y ago
  I think it has something to do with the UK search results/expressions. The US one (the one I see, from our IP) is about "modern labor economics" and "modern labor market"
  - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
    That was the benign ones. I used US spelling and every result was a US site. Maybe not representative of results if I were on a US ip.
fermienrico 8y ago
I see. They’re positive concepts but they still have negative underpinnings. Why do we need Labor rights? Because of labor exploitation. Brand name choice is extremely important, please give it a deep thought. Use labor, self-titles and related synonyms: Work, Studio, Atelier, Space, Office, Lab, Laboratory, Place, Court, Library, Market, Identity, Passport, Expert, Master, Etc. For example: BinaryPassport It’s quirky, cool and kinda makes sense - Passport to software engineering.
chatmasta 8y ago

yyyymmddhhmmss 8y ago

Decadence.

dalbasal 8y ago

Sounds like a political party, to my ear.

abvdasker 8y ago

Sounds Marxist to my ears.