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It's "business insider". Don't underestimate how poorly management understands "technical resources". I can certainly see lots of leadership just assuming that

by andy99 3y ago

It's "business insider". Don't underestimate how poorly management understands "technical resources". I can certainly see lots of leadership just assuming that pay is the only relevant variable and ignore culture entirely during an acquihire, assuming people are fine doing whatever as long as they're paid.

JohnFen 3y ago
To be fair, there are a lot of devs for whom compensation is the only thing that really matters -- they are overrepresented here on HN, even. It would be pretty easy to assume that's the majority point of view. It also may be that's exactly the sort of person that Microsoft prefers, too, but I don't know.
- ghaff 3y ago
  It's an open question whether moving to Microsoft would have been a good deal or a bad deal. But I'm pretty sure that most people seriously contemplating a move were definitely considering the dollars, even if not exclusively. (Although I expect most people signing a petition were not actually serious.)
- GVIrish 3y ago
  Microsoft pay isn't the best in the industry so if compensation is the only thing that matters to someone, Microsoft shouldn't even be in their top five.
ElevenLathe 3y ago
Even from a compensation point of view, they presumably have a better chance for a big exit of some kind at a startup vs as a Microsoft employee.
- scarface_74 3y ago
  A startup that was going to implode? And if you think random “some kind of startup” will have a realistic chance of some type of exit, I got a startup idea where you can be an unpaid employee for “equity”. In what world in today’s market do you really think open AI would ever see its value at an exit based on their current revenue model?
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - ElevenLathe 3y ago
    The choice we're talking about is between: 1. Bail to Microsoft. Your salary is matched but your equity (in whatever OpenAI entity) is forfeit. You have to move to Washington potentially, and definitely have to deal with job switching stress. If you're lucky, you will get the same corporate RSU grant that the Office team got for shipping on time. 2. Stay at OpenAI. You don't have to move or have the stress of starting a new job. Maybe it implodes and you have to take your very-marketable skills elsewhere. Maybe it all works out and your equity is worth millions. I know which I would pick.

by andy99 3y ago

JohnFen 3y ago

To be fair, there are a lot of devs for whom compensation is the only thing that really matters -- they are overrepresented here on HN, even. It would be pretty easy to assume that's the majority point of view. It also may be that's exactly the sort of person that Microsoft prefers, too, but I don't know.

ghaff 3y ago
It's an open question whether moving to Microsoft would have been a good deal or a bad deal. But I'm pretty sure that most people seriously contemplating a move were definitely considering the dollars, even if not exclusively. (Although I expect most people signing a petition were not actually serious.)
GVIrish 3y ago
Microsoft pay isn't the best in the industry so if compensation is the only thing that matters to someone, Microsoft shouldn't even be in their top five.

ElevenLathe 3y ago

Even from a compensation point of view, they presumably have a better chance for a big exit of some kind at a startup vs as a Microsoft employee.

scarface_74 3y ago
A startup that was going to implode? And if you think random “some kind of startup” will have a realistic chance of some type of exit, I got a startup idea where you can be an unpaid employee for “equity”. In what world in today’s market do you really think open AI would ever see its value at an exit based on their current revenue model?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- ElevenLathe 3y ago
  The choice we're talking about is between: 1. Bail to Microsoft. Your salary is matched but your equity (in whatever OpenAI entity) is forfeit. You have to move to Washington potentially, and definitely have to deal with job switching stress. If you're lucky, you will get the same corporate RSU grant that the Office team got for shipping on time. 2. Stay at OpenAI. You don't have to move or have the stress of starting a new job. Maybe it implodes and you have to take your very-marketable skills elsewhere. Maybe it all works out and your equity is worth millions. I know which I would pick.