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"Wang Meng Qiu, a startup founder who graduated from Stanford University with a doctorate in computer science, held jobs at Facebook and Twitter in Silicon Vall

"Wang Meng Qiu, a startup founder who graduated from Stanford University with a doctorate in computer science, held jobs at Facebook and Twitter in Silicon Valley before he moved to the outskirts of Shanghai to launch his own drone company, Zero Zero Robotics. Wang said the salaries of his 40-person team for two years cost $700,000." Generously assuming that the full 40-person team didn't onboard until year 2, that's an annual average salary of only 17,500 USD per person. I know the software development labour is cheaper in China, but quick comparisons indicate that something is off with this figure. Maybe most of the 40-person team are on an assembly line?

deleted 7y ago
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devy 7y ago
> that's an annual average salary of only 17,500 USD per person. That is realistic and in line with fresh out of college Computer Science graduate market rate. I know that because I went to an undergraduate CS degree in China. Developers are working harder in China too. The famous 996 work schedule has been prevalent in Internet software startups in China.[1] Hence the anti-996 movement. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system
- seanmcdirmid 7y ago
  Only from a third tier university. You aren’t going to get a tsignhua, pku, or even beihang grad for that price.
  - Nexusone 7y ago
    人才也有等级，到哪都一样
  - devy 7y ago
    tsignhua CS grads are either going to study abroad or doing investment banking jobs which pays more at entry level. Same with top tier university grads.
- epicureanideal 7y ago
  Are they actually productive for 72 hours per week (9am-9pm 6 days per week) though? At some point wouldn't the burnout make them only as productive as someone working maybe 50 hours per week but with time to learn and relax? But also, if 996 includes things like studying to become a better programmer, taking breaks to get coffee, etc. then maybe a lot of us on HN are working 996, if we include our own time we spend learning.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

devy 7y ago

> that's an annual average salary of only 17,500 USD per person. That is realistic and in line with fresh out of college Computer Science graduate market rate. I know that because I went to an undergraduate CS degree in China. Developers are working harder in China too. The famous 996 work schedule has been prevalent in Internet software startups in China.[1] Hence the anti-996 movement. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/996_working_hour_system

seanmcdirmid 7y ago
Only from a third tier university. You aren’t going to get a tsignhua, pku, or even beihang grad for that price.
- Nexusone 7y ago
  人才也有等级，到哪都一样
- devy 7y ago
  tsignhua CS grads are either going to study abroad or doing investment banking jobs which pays more at entry level. Same with top tier university grads.
epicureanideal 7y ago
Are they actually productive for 72 hours per week (9am-9pm 6 days per week) though? At some point wouldn't the burnout make them only as productive as someone working maybe 50 hours per week but with time to learn and relax? But also, if 996 includes things like studying to become a better programmer, taking breaks to get coffee, etc. then maybe a lot of us on HN are working 996, if we include our own time we spend learning.