Fighting among ourselves? You started it… ;-) I tried to debate you on facts and opinions. You made it personal in the response. Good one.

And yes, I do have a job. I work for a nonprofit-profit as a Software engineer. But you can guarantee I go “above and beyond”…? You don’t know me at all…

I love replies from people that seemingly only read the first line… Do you think your idea is so perfect it cannot be debated? Your ad-hominem response suggests so, and that makes you just as much of a snowflake as the rest of the red-hatted MAGA twats that are supporting this kind of shit.

I know you also probably didn’t read this far, but I’ll deal with points you raise anyway.

I don’t know to what “day” you are referring that people held their employers accountable…? Are you suggesting that thousands of Microsoft Engineers, Designers and Admin should leave the company because one of their shareholders is named in the Epstein files? Sure, there have always been those brave enough to stand against the masses and criticize. There always will be, but they are the minority and it’s a lot less common than you think.

And if you think you are one of those, go ahead: Spur on the masses to greater change. But “ditching microsoft products” isn’t going to change anything unless everyone does it and good luck with that.

Major social change is required. If you want to focus your anger on anyone, focus it on the Pedo in Chief.

I disagree.

Sure, stop buying Microsoft products because they’re shit. But beyond that? If revenues drop, they’ll fire half of the staff before they fire Gates. Besides, if they do fire him, what’s he gonna do? Buy a private island probably. Put another way, this would hurt average, working people far more than Gates.

I guess Microsoft are partly to blame. It’s not a good look is it? But, he’s also not be tried or found guilty so they’re not entirely at fault.

Instead focus your anger: Get out there and ask why he’s not been investigated? Why the people in power are seemingly closing ranks around this - are they all guilty? Vote for a progressive viewpoint that favors holding the ultra-rich accountable in all ways - legally, financially and morally

I get that you’re angry. What these people are accused of doing is truly evil. But take that anger and use it for something with consequence.

This isn’t digression - it’s pretty accurate to how I feel… Passion is the missing ingredient

I don’t disagree there are talented youth out there. I have another team member who is the equal of any of my best hires. He’s self motivated, and that is the difference I think.

That is partly true; our company should do more especially when it comes to hiring and screening. But you can also only mentor those who wish to be mentored…

I’ve also been in this industry now for over 25 years and I have mentored a lot of junior developers. I feel I have gotten a little better at mentoring, but I do genuinely believe that general skills of graduates have also decreased. I think it may be generational. Devs from a decade or two ago had to find a lot of things out for themselves.

And Yes, I know I sound like an old asshole, but honestly, I think today CS is treated more like a trade than a skill. I wish it were otherwise.

I work at a large company that is not considered one of the tech bros. I doubt we’re hiring graduates ever again.

For the record, we’re NOT all in on AI - far from it - but what we have found is that 98% of graduate hires aren’t productive and over-estimate their skills.

Maybe it’s different elsewhere in the world, but in and around Toronto, we’ve found that most CS grads have gone into the field because they think it will pay well. Most have no “adjacent” skills, such as VCS understanding, PRs, how work is broken down etc, but the biggest red flag though is just how few of them are interested in expanding their horizons. I currently have one junior right now working on an Android app and he seems incapable of moving past the MVP, java based patterns they learned in college.

The way I see it, Colleges are doing a very poor job right now, and the students are paying the price.

Empathy

Maybe if these corporations acted with a little integrity and respect for laws like (say) privacy and copyright, then maybe they wouldn’t need to be regulated…

Just sayin’

…right… sure he is…

I concede this is complicated, but i think we can all agree that paid lobbying groups are a cancer on society.

Paid is by definition anyone paid to do the lobbying. Corporate is definitely harder to define, but let’s say you’re only allowed to lobby on behalf of your own organization (or self)

And, better yet, let’s make every single lobbying effort public - Times, dates, people involved, and the subject raised (but perhaps not the outcome). Good legislation should happen in the open

Paid corporate lobbying should end.

Not arguing that. Of the broadcasters / big media types, I find the BBC usually one of the better ones. But then I get my news from a wide variety of sources. The Intercept is generally a very good addition to my daily intake.

I am guessing you’ve never watched (say) Fox News in the US?

I’m not saying the BBC is good per se. I’m saying it’s slightly more objective than the rest.

Actually, the World Service will remain accessible, but that’s also not where most people go these days.

And just at a time when the US really needs a decent news service…

I am sure this was discussed at the Starmer - Trump talks as a way to further isolate Americans from the truth.

I guess it’s just Al-Jazeera now…

Please, please, please, let everyone using it have the area code 666…

Given that they’re not judged until after they die, aren’t they in this state anyway?

I just want to know how I can be opted out of being recognized. This has privacy nightmare written all over it