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When I worked at Google, I worked in Platforms, which is the division that makes the servers that populate Google datacenters. They had a program where you cou

When I worked at Google, I worked in Platforms, which is the division that makes the servers that populate Google datacenters. They had a program where you could spend a week or two (can't remember exactly) in a datacenter, acting as a low-level tech like this woman. The idea was that you'd see the problems they'd encounter and design servers that were easier and safer to service. I regret that I left Google before I had a chance to do this. I think they should re-target the program and make it mandatory for execs, and make them live on the $15/hr wage that they pay the techs for a few weeks.

908B64B197 6y ago
Sounds much better being a datacenter tech for $15/hr compared to flipping burgers for minimal wage. Where this datacenter is located it's $7.25/hr...
- Baeocystin 6y ago
  Work at a burger place like In n' Out, and you get real benefits on top of your hourly wage. Heck, when I was in college, my part-time Starbucks job gave me good health coverage and a bunch of other perks that my first few post-college tech jobs didn't. (This was mid-90's). FWIW.
  - ctchocula 6y ago
    One of the unfortunate side effects of Affordable Care Act was that retail jobs nowadays don't provide you with any health coverage if you work part-time and they now try to limit your weekly hours at 29.5, which is the max before they have to treat you as a full-time employee.
    - imperfectcats 6y ago
      Is there a name for that, where whatever the limit is, people set things right at it? The same is true in progressive tax brackets, and the number of cancer cases that people get right when people are eligible for Medicare in the USA. Seems like it is common enough to have a name.
      - noahtallen 6y ago
        > The same is true in progressive tax brackets I might misunderstand you, but progressive tax brackets mean you pay extra money only on money earned after the limit. So if that line is $1000, under which the tax rate is 10%, you pay $100. Then if the tax rate above that is 20%, I pay that much only on the amount above $100. So if I make $1020, I pay 10% * $1000 + 20% * $20 = $102. (Not 20%*1020 = $204) In other words, you can’t take home less money overall just because you crossed the line into a higher tax bracket. I felt it was worth mentioning because it’s an easy misconception to have.

908B64B197 6y ago

Sounds much better being a datacenter tech for $15/hr compared to flipping burgers for minimal wage. Where this datacenter is located it's $7.25/hr...

Baeocystin 6y ago
Work at a burger place like In n' Out, and you get real benefits on top of your hourly wage. Heck, when I was in college, my part-time Starbucks job gave me good health coverage and a bunch of other perks that my first few post-college tech jobs didn't. (This was mid-90's). FWIW.
- ctchocula 6y ago
  One of the unfortunate side effects of Affordable Care Act was that retail jobs nowadays don't provide you with any health coverage if you work part-time and they now try to limit your weekly hours at 29.5, which is the max before they have to treat you as a full-time employee.
  - imperfectcats 6y ago
    Is there a name for that, where whatever the limit is, people set things right at it? The same is true in progressive tax brackets, and the number of cancer cases that people get right when people are eligible for Medicare in the USA. Seems like it is common enough to have a name.
    - noahtallen 6y ago
      > The same is true in progressive tax brackets I might misunderstand you, but progressive tax brackets mean you pay extra money only on money earned after the limit. So if that line is $1000, under which the tax rate is 10%, you pay $100. Then if the tax rate above that is 20%, I pay that much only on the amount above $100. So if I make $1020, I pay 10% * $1000 + 20% * $20 = $102. (Not 20%*1020 = $204) In other words, you can’t take home less money overall just because you crossed the line into a higher tax bracket. I felt it was worth mentioning because it’s an easy misconception to have.