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Ask HN: Is it true that Google cut the 20% time for personal projects?
- pamelafox 16y agoNo, not as far as I'm aware (I just launched a 20% project). Note that 20% time should be used on something that could benefit the company in some way. Open sourcing a library = good use of 20% time. Building a model trainset = not good use of 20% time. Here's a recent blog post from the official Google blog that mentions a cool use of 20% time: http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2010/12/robot-hackathon-connects-with-android.html http://googleresearch.blogspot.com/2010/12/robot-hackathon-c...
- maushu 16y ago"benefit the company" is kind of relative. That model trainset might use a revolutionary system that could help Google if it decides to try transportation.
- JimboOmega 16y agoWhich it already has, by way of computer controlled cars.
- curtis 16y agoMy experience at Google was that 20% time worked on the honor system. I'm not aware of anybody trying to measure it, nor do I know how you would. That said, I think most people, most of the time did not take 20% time, so the real amount of time spent was probably much less than 20% averaged across the company anyway.
- kunley 16y ago"I don't work for Google but it is so important to know it" is similar to "Which one of the top actresses would I want to go to bed more". The crude but seemingly valid answer to both is: if it was really relevant to you, you would know anyway :)
- HackrNwsDesignr 16y agoDoes anyone know if non-googlers can work on Gmail apps/plug ins? I have some cool ideas that would benefit a lot of people in their daily email writing.