Posts from 12 January 2024

the layoffs will continue until ~morale~unionization improves

Folks remembering #AaronSwartz today - remember that he was moving publicly-funded research out from behind a paywall. Then remember the only reason the case went forward is because federal prosecutors, specifically Carmen Ortiz and Stephen Heymann, wanted to make an example of him. “Theft is theft, and it doesn’t matter if you use a crowbar or a computer” were Heymann’s words at the time. Notice how federal prosecutors aren’t bullying Sam Altman for the wholesale theft of content network-wide, to build a machine that spews bullshit and further destroys our ability to determine the truth? It’s because he’s doing it for private profit, while Aaron worked for the public good. Never let yourself be tricked into believing the legal system is a justice system.

"Regulation stops innovation! Companies need to be free to do whatever the fuck they want to create innovation!" My brother in Christ, if anything stops innovation, it's patents and copyright. You're less likely to die in a car crash only because Volvo engineers gracefully decided to do humanity a favor and not patent the 3-point seatbelt technology. But for example, a technology of safely stopping table saws is patented and only one company can create them, suing similar projects from other companies out of existence 🤡

I think the Substack discourse is good and that we should really be asking "why are Nazis okay but sex isn't" for nearly everything involving our society.

There’s a video posted by a Cloudflare account executive getting laid off that she recorded as she argues with the HR team. It’s painful to watch on both sides, which explains why other big techs just send an email or provide an error when you try to login. As callous as it seems to do it via email or failed account login, getting told by strangers who just treat you as another name on the list feels worse. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRcqvbnC/

Tech workers when everyone is hiring: lol, I don’t need to unionize. Look how well I negotiated for myself! Tech workers when there are layoffs everywhere: I don’t have time to unionize! I’m desperate to get a job right now! #unionize #unionStrong