8 ms·

I want Oxide to do so well. The product is a breath of fresh air in the era of cloud providers. As an engineer, I'd kill to get to work with their hardware. No

by jjice 4mo ago

I want Oxide to do so well. The product is a breath of fresh air in the era of cloud providers. As an engineer, I'd kill to get to work with their hardware. Not to mention that working at Oxide sounds like a modern Sun Microsystems with the ideology that team has. Highly recommend their podcast "Oxide and Friends", and their original "On The Metal" show. I've attempted to apply to their company multiple times over the years, only to be stun locked by the application process. Not because it's a bad process, but because I feel I'm not up to par as an engineer. Maybe one day I'll go through with it.

convolvatron 4mo ago
I've gone through the same process, not so much that I don't think I would be worth considering, but serious code and documentation examples aren't something I can really give out given that they're proprietary. this last winter I started a whole guest-kernel based syscall intermediation and distribution framework in rust just for the application. with all kinds of design documents. I was about 30% finished by the time I landed a job somewhere else :) but I still applaud the intent. I self-selected out by giving into scope creep
- TZubiri 4mo ago
  I'd be interested in the context if you'd be willing to share. It sounds from the outside like Oxide has an interview process that requires some low level engineering work to be delivered? Maybe I got that wrong.
  - convolvatron 4mo ago
    no, they want a questionnaire, a coding sample, and an example of technical writing. there's a reasonable interpretation of that that doesn't involve writing a distributed unix.
    - TZubiri 4mo ago
      Sounds approachable, and something that would be evaluated based on merit. As usual, I'm assuming the assignment is evaluated based on a reasonable time-commitment. From what the recruiting experts tell me, it's a good strategy to spend as much time as possible, the deliverable is better, and the optics aren't bad either, it signals investment into the application instead of signalling spray and pray application broadcasting.
- tonoto 4mo ago
  Oxide is one of very few companies where I felt that it is a company I really want to work for one day. I spent a decent amount of hours answering the questions and sent in the application, but never got any feedback and this was like 2-3 years ago. Spending time at regulated environments, I were in a similar situation that I could not really give out relevant information from the past. However, I have no regrets at all spending the time, as it was very useful for me personally to reflect over each question.
thraway3837 4mo ago
Just a gentle reminder that a company may portray itself as cool to customers, but is not cool to their own current or future employees. Their interview process was shady. There was a post here about 1-2 years ago that was a link to their interview process and how open and transparent they were. The post itself was from an employee and a fellow commenter who was gaslighting folks was also an employee. Several folks complained about the tremendous amount of homework they had to do after the initial screen, and once submitted, were ghosted. One of employees repeatedly rebutted that claim in the comments, and they did this for quite a few commenters. Was a not a good look. I doubt much has improved since then as seeing the comments below confirms the same mess. Don't spend time being amazed by folks who won't treat you right. It just ain't worth it.
- dijit 4mo ago
  Devils advocate (really not affiliated with oxide, but I have worked for a “desirable” employer before). How would you handle a few thousand applicants for a single role? I think no matter what you do it will feel inhumane, we can argue that a few hours of work for a take home test is inhumane too, being ghosted after doing one definitely wouldn’t pass my personal bar of acceptability, but if its the first stage and the task would take a properly qualified applicant less than 30 minutes then I can’t fault. How would you do things? remember that it has to scale and you cant leave any gaps based on human fallibility (HR/Hiring Managers are humans and will forget if there are too many things going on at once).
  - jaggederest 4mo ago
    There's a simple answer, if someone is doing a substantial amount of work for your interview process, pay them an amount of money that is more than zero but less than "do job interviews for a living". Or provide that amount times two to a charity of their choice. I've done this for hiring before, for people who reached the "put substantial effort in" stage (in my case basically 2nd or 3rd round work sample stuff), and it was a great way to make sure we got good signal and they felt respected.
    - 4mo ago
EvanAnderson 4mo ago
Oxide certainly sounds cool. It reminds me of when I dealt with DEC gear back in the late 90s. That stuff felt more like "real computers" than any of the IBM PC-derived drek I'd worked with. Things were actually made to work together. Configurations were tested. Firmware was made for the integrated system and the system behaved like it was meant to work together instead of being the manifest behavior of all the edge cases of all the off-the-shelf disparate components plugged-together to make the resultant machine. I don't need to work there (nor do I feel like I'm smart or talented enough to)-- I just wish I could work with the Oxide gear in Customer engagement, too. I don't work with businesses big enough to need it, sadly. It looks so sweet. This is what I think of when I think of utility-scale compute-- not racks of Supermicro / Dell / HP boxes with tiny ISA buses hiding on traces on their motherboards for "baseboard management controllers" to plug into to pretend to be PC AT keyboards.
- SoftTalker 4mo ago
  The downside is that when you need to replace a DIMM or a storage drive or upgrade the network interface you have to buy certified compatible hardware from the manufacturer at 3x pricing instead of commodity items.
Melatonic 4mo ago
Seriously - looks so cool
Fordec 4mo ago
There are two companies that I want want to work for. Oxide is one of them. Many places I'm still willing to work for, but in a more neutral way. They're just mostly not hiring for my role/location as far as I can tell, so it is what it is.
- hagbard_c 4mo ago
  And the other company you want to work for is ___________ because they ____________. Inquiring minds want to know.
  - Fordec 4mo ago
    Tailscale, decent developer focus
- krkckktkwnwk 4mo ago
  Please don’t leave such a question unanswered.
sreghrhhd 4mo ago
[flagged]
- deleted 4mo ago
  [deleted]
sgarland 4mo ago
Oxide is literally the only company where I have found zero reasons why I would be unhappy to work there. I have listened to many, many podcasts, read RFDs… it always seems like a place I would thrive. To that end, I have applied twice in the last few years; unfortunately declined both times, but to be fair, the first time I didn’t know any Rust, and the second time, I was learning it. I will apply again at some point when an interesting job comes up, and I have a stronger skillset.
- grepfru_it 4mo ago
  I tried applying to Anthropic twice. Rejected. Then I see people with way less skill getting jobs there. Network with people at the company and third time may be a charm. Maybe.
  - steveklabnik 4mo ago
    Oxide's process is uniform, even the founders went through it, together, when they started the company. There is no internal referral system at all. That doesn't mean this isn't bad advice overall, but it doesn't give you any structural leg-up with Oxide specifically.
e40 4mo ago
Thought of the same, has a big Sun Microsystems vibe.
crabmusket 4mo ago
I'm pretty sure I'm not talented enough for Oxide, but just asking myself the application questions has been a fun exercise. I'm not in love with their problem space, but I am really into the way they work and do business. Greatest hope: their approach catches on outside just Oxide, and I get to work somewhere with a similar ethos and practises one day. Greatest fear: the way they work only makes sense for the most elite and well-capitalised of companies.
- 0xCAP 4mo ago
  The only way to build a non toxic company is to have a good culture of cherry picking non toxic individuals all the way from the board of investors.
matheusmoreira 4mo ago
Many years ago, I quit the technology industry because I thought a company like Oxide could never exist. I want to work for them but I'm not sure I'm qualified. Maybe one day I'll apply.
jjav 4mo ago
Oxide is the only company I can think of that carries the torch of what silicon valley used to be in the 90s. Actual, awesome, cool technology! I wish massive success to Oxide.
dzonga 4mo ago
I want oxide to win as well. it's bring a new mentality of owning instead of renting. however - I feel like the industry is what's letting them down. had posted this earlier - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48687341 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48687341 - on whether Multi-core is dead. because these racks - it means - you've to embrace putting the hardware to work. which I don't think the industry is willing to do or able to.

by jjice 4mo ago

convolvatron 4mo ago

I've gone through the same process, not so much that I don't think I would be worth considering, but serious code and documentation examples aren't something I can really give out given that they're proprietary. this last winter I started a whole guest-kernel based syscall intermediation and distribution framework in rust just for the application. with all kinds of design documents. I was about 30% finished by the time I landed a job somewhere else :) but I still applaud the intent. I self-selected out by giving into scope creep

TZubiri 4mo ago
I'd be interested in the context if you'd be willing to share. It sounds from the outside like Oxide has an interview process that requires some low level engineering work to be delivered? Maybe I got that wrong.
- convolvatron 4mo ago
  no, they want a questionnaire, a coding sample, and an example of technical writing. there's a reasonable interpretation of that that doesn't involve writing a distributed unix.
  - TZubiri 4mo ago
    Sounds approachable, and something that would be evaluated based on merit. As usual, I'm assuming the assignment is evaluated based on a reasonable time-commitment. From what the recruiting experts tell me, it's a good strategy to spend as much time as possible, the deliverable is better, and the optics aren't bad either, it signals investment into the application instead of signalling spray and pray application broadcasting.
tonoto 4mo ago
Oxide is one of very few companies where I felt that it is a company I really want to work for one day. I spent a decent amount of hours answering the questions and sent in the application, but never got any feedback and this was like 2-3 years ago. Spending time at regulated environments, I were in a similar situation that I could not really give out relevant information from the past. However, I have no regrets at all spending the time, as it was very useful for me personally to reflect over each question.

thraway3837 4mo ago

Just a gentle reminder that a company may portray itself as cool to customers, but is not cool to their own current or future employees. Their interview process was shady. There was a post here about 1-2 years ago that was a link to their interview process and how open and transparent they were. The post itself was from an employee and a fellow commenter who was gaslighting folks was also an employee. Several folks complained about the tremendous amount of homework they had to do after the initial screen, and once submitted, were ghosted. One of employees repeatedly rebutted that claim in the comments, and they did this for quite a few commenters. Was a not a good look. I doubt much has improved since then as seeing the comments below confirms the same mess. Don't spend time being amazed by folks who won't treat you right. It just ain't worth it.

dijit 4mo ago
Devils advocate (really not affiliated with oxide, but I have worked for a “desirable” employer before). How would you handle a few thousand applicants for a single role? I think no matter what you do it will feel inhumane, we can argue that a few hours of work for a take home test is inhumane too, being ghosted after doing one definitely wouldn’t pass my personal bar of acceptability, but if its the first stage and the task would take a properly qualified applicant less than 30 minutes then I can’t fault. How would you do things? remember that it has to scale and you cant leave any gaps based on human fallibility (HR/Hiring Managers are humans and will forget if there are too many things going on at once).
- jaggederest 4mo ago
  There's a simple answer, if someone is doing a substantial amount of work for your interview process, pay them an amount of money that is more than zero but less than "do job interviews for a living". Or provide that amount times two to a charity of their choice. I've done this for hiring before, for people who reached the "put substantial effort in" stage (in my case basically 2nd or 3rd round work sample stuff), and it was a great way to make sure we got good signal and they felt respected.
  - 4mo ago

EvanAnderson 4mo ago

Oxide certainly sounds cool. It reminds me of when I dealt with DEC gear back in the late 90s. That stuff felt more like "real computers" than any of the IBM PC-derived drek I'd worked with. Things were actually made to work together. Configurations were tested. Firmware was made for the integrated system and the system behaved like it was meant to work together instead of being the manifest behavior of all the edge cases of all the off-the-shelf disparate components plugged-together to make the resultant machine. I don't need to work there (nor do I feel like I'm smart or talented enough to)-- I just wish I could work with the Oxide gear in Customer engagement, too. I don't work with businesses big enough to need it, sadly. It looks so sweet. This is what I think of when I think of utility-scale compute-- not racks of Supermicro / Dell / HP boxes with tiny ISA buses hiding on traces on their motherboards for "baseboard management controllers" to plug into to pretend to be PC AT keyboards.

SoftTalker 4mo ago
The downside is that when you need to replace a DIMM or a storage drive or upgrade the network interface you have to buy certified compatible hardware from the manufacturer at 3x pricing instead of commodity items.

Melatonic 4mo ago

Seriously - looks so cool

Fordec 4mo ago

There are two companies that I want want to work for. Oxide is one of them. Many places I'm still willing to work for, but in a more neutral way. They're just mostly not hiring for my role/location as far as I can tell, so it is what it is.

hagbard_c 4mo ago
And the other company you want to work for is ___________ because they ____________. Inquiring minds want to know.
- Fordec 4mo ago
  Tailscale, decent developer focus
krkckktkwnwk 4mo ago
Please don’t leave such a question unanswered.

sreghrhhd 4mo ago

[flagged]

deleted 4mo ago
[deleted]

sgarland 4mo ago

Oxide is literally the only company where I have found zero reasons why I would be unhappy to work there. I have listened to many, many podcasts, read RFDs… it always seems like a place I would thrive. To that end, I have applied twice in the last few years; unfortunately declined both times, but to be fair, the first time I didn’t know any Rust, and the second time, I was learning it. I will apply again at some point when an interesting job comes up, and I have a stronger skillset.

grepfru_it 4mo ago
I tried applying to Anthropic twice. Rejected. Then I see people with way less skill getting jobs there. Network with people at the company and third time may be a charm. Maybe.
- steveklabnik 4mo ago
  Oxide's process is uniform, even the founders went through it, together, when they started the company. There is no internal referral system at all. That doesn't mean this isn't bad advice overall, but it doesn't give you any structural leg-up with Oxide specifically.

e40 4mo ago

Thought of the same, has a big Sun Microsystems vibe.

crabmusket 4mo ago

I'm pretty sure I'm not talented enough for Oxide, but just asking myself the application questions has been a fun exercise. I'm not in love with their problem space, but I am really into the way they work and do business. Greatest hope: their approach catches on outside just Oxide, and I get to work somewhere with a similar ethos and practises one day. Greatest fear: the way they work only makes sense for the most elite and well-capitalised of companies.

0xCAP 4mo ago
The only way to build a non toxic company is to have a good culture of cherry picking non toxic individuals all the way from the board of investors.

matheusmoreira 4mo ago

Many years ago, I quit the technology industry because I thought a company like Oxide could never exist. I want to work for them but I'm not sure I'm qualified. Maybe one day I'll apply.

jjav 4mo ago

Oxide is the only company I can think of that carries the torch of what silicon valley used to be in the 90s. Actual, awesome, cool technology! I wish massive success to Oxide.

dzonga 4mo ago

I want oxide to win as well. it's bring a new mentality of owning instead of renting. however - I feel like the industry is what's letting them down. had posted this earlier - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48687341 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48687341 - on whether Multi-core is dead. because these racks - it means - you've to embrace putting the hardware to work. which I don't think the industry is willing to do or able to.