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Dilbert, Office Space, and Layoffs
As you fine fellow LXerers know, I have been toiling since July 2008 as the estéamed Senior Managing Editor of Linux Today and Linux Planet. Not sure what "Senior" means; probably old, grumpy, and not worth a raise so I got a longer title instead. This week I was laid off, along with a number of my co-workers. Save your sympathy because while it sucks to be given the boot, it's all good. I can't say a whole lot without incurring the wrath of lawyers, so use your imagination to fill in the gaps. You'll probably be close to the truth. |
Comments (68)
Subject line says it all..
Hmm, the subject line didn't take -
"Welcome back" and "Sad to see you leave."
Regards, GEWB
"Welcome back" and "Sad to see you leave."
Regards, GEWB
I changed it to 'Subject line says it all.'. Hope that is ok.
Having worked under the former regime at LXer, I have a fair idea of the work you put into your job. I have to be honest, the full page Microsoft ads that you had to close from time to time got a bit annoying but hey, if MS wants to pay for a Linux new site...take the signed check I say.
Now I have to change my keynote.,...to former editor of Linux Today...you're killin' me here.
Now I have to change my keynote.,...to former editor of Linux Today...you're killin' me here.
:)
The FUDsters are never safe no matter where you are Carla.
Carla, I look forward to your posts wherever they are.
Same here, Carla. I always enjoy your straight-up, honest expression in your posts. I sincerely hope that this provides a more pleasant, more enjoyable opportunity.
Carla, the FOSS journalism beat is a tough one. Write more books (yeah, I know that's tougher, but ...)
I've enjoyed both Linux Today, and your presence there, Carla - but remember what the Eagles said about writing about Open Source: "You can check out, but you can never leave!". Er - wait...
Orv
Orv
Thanks everyone! Freedom feels good, it does. I'm starting up my own publishing company to publish my own books, and a pleasing number of freelance gigs are landing on my lap. It sure does feel good to be valued as a writer again. That was in short supply back in PHB-land.
Publishing yourself is the way to go - more meat, more profit!
Amazon has a killer price on the Audacity book - my order is on the way.
Amazon has a killer price on the Audacity book - my order is on the way.
For non american speakers:
wikipedia:
Dilbert
Much of the humor emerges as the audience sees the characters making obviously ridiculous decisions that are natural reactions to mismanagement.
Thanks Carla, for letting us know.
Wish you the best.
forlux
wikipedia:
Dilbert
Much of the humor emerges as the audience sees the characters making obviously ridiculous decisions that are natural reactions to mismanagement.
Thanks Carla, for letting us know.
Wish you the best.
forlux
I have always enjoyed your writing, and look forward to reading it here.
Welcome back Tuxxy
21 earlier comments in the full thread.
@helios: Yeah, I noticed how little the front page over there moved, while the story to which this comment stream is attached was pushed off LXer's front page. So, relatively speaking, while Carla's off to create content, the old site's sitting there creating discontent.
I wonder how the hits curve over the next week will look; kinda like an iceberg, perhaps.
I wonder how the hits curve over the next week will look; kinda like an iceberg, perhaps.
As someone who works on a web site where making money is part of the deal, I'm OK with many, many different kinds of ads as long as there is compelling content to go with them.
Worse that anything are sites with dodgy content that are nevertheless loaded with ads.
Worse that anything are sites with dodgy content that are nevertheless loaded with ads.
Quoting: Worse that anything are sites with dodgy content that are nevertheless loaded with adsEspecially where:
- you have to wait for the ads to load
- they're the most graphic elements on the page
- they bog the CPU with their complexity or animation
- they're personally offensive.
I'm long familiar with ad-paid content from the tech magazines with bingo-cards in them. I know that the ads pay the bills for the site and I'm fine with it. From the caller's point of view, however, they're strictly along for the ride unless they're actually of targeted interest, so they shouldn't ever bog or hog the browser. When they do, people get angry and react and (rightly) blame the site.
Back when Google was first serving up ads, those little text ads were such a relief that I made a point of clicking some that were even mildly of interest to see where they led. Unless they were part of MS' tissue-of-lies campaign; those I politely ignored until they got overwhelming, even though they were deeply offensive.
(meta: BBcode [list] elements would have been used in this post if they worked.)
I thought something was amiss at LT with the sudden lack of stories on the news feed. You certainly raised the bar considerable while chief editor at LT, Carla. It's a shame to see a once-venerable Linux news site going down the tubes. Welcome back to LXer and my very best wishes to you.
Well, whaddya know... new headlines at LT!
So, that's 3 days, 23 hours, and 50 minutes that they were decaying.
So, that's 3 days, 23 hours, and 50 minutes that they were decaying.
Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at [url=http://www.linuxtoday.com.]http://www.linuxtoday.com.[/b][/url]
For about 55 minutes now...main page loads but that is the message when you try to click any story.
Stellar performance LT. Stellar Performance.
EDIT...And of course, three minutes after posting this, It bumped me right in. Sheesh...
For about 55 minutes now...main page loads but that is the message when you try to click any story.
Stellar performance LT. Stellar Performance.
EDIT...And of course, three minutes after posting this, It bumped me right in. Sheesh...
It's still down today ...
It's up. Michael Hall has posted Editor's Note: Picking Ourselves Up, Dusting Ourselves Off, which mentions (and links) the article to which this comment stream is attached:
Quoting:Our friends at LXer provided Carla with a place to say what she needed to say about her situation. Personally, all I can say is that I consider her a good friend, and that I'm sorry she wasn't given a chance to say goodbye here, among the community she's been part of for years.
Carla --
I don't know the details, but I blame George Tirebiter.
Just ask Paul about that unsavory character.
The queen is dead/long live the queen!
Your friend in the ether,
Dean Pannell, aka dinotrac
I don't know the details, but I blame George Tirebiter.
Just ask Paul about that unsavory character.
The queen is dead/long live the queen!
Your friend in the ether,
Dean Pannell, aka dinotrac
Quoting:It's up. Michael Hall has posted Editor's Note: Picking Ourselves Up, Dusting Ourselves Off, which mentions (and links) the article to which this comment stream is attached:
That wasn't very satisfying ...
The only thing i have read on LT are Carlas articles. Im a big fan, you go girl =)
Late to the party as usual, welcome back TC.
Stopped reading LT in the late 90's due to the ads and moved to Lxer and never looked back.
Stopped reading LT in the late 90's due to the ads and moved to Lxer and never looked back.
>> Stopped reading LT in the late 90's due to the ads and moved to Lxer and never looked back.
Maybe a few more will follow suit now.
Maybe a few more will follow suit now.
> Stopped reading LT in the late 90's due to the ads...
I greatly reduced my reading there after the original sale. I stopped reading completely after the "Tirebiter" details were made public. I moved here due to Paul and Dino's influence. Just so you know who to blame. :)
I greatly reduced my reading there after the original sale. I stopped reading completely after the "Tirebiter" details were made public. I moved here due to Paul and Dino's influence. Just so you know who to blame. :)
I moved here due to Paul and Dino's influence.
Epic battles always draw a crowd...
However, so does intelligent commentary. Paul and Dino have provided both.
Epic battles always draw a crowd...
However, so does intelligent commentary. Paul and Dino have provided both.
Some years ago I had switched from Linux Today to LXer as my primary Linux news source, but when Carla took the helm I switched back. Now I've switched back to LXer again.
Well, welcome back IGnatius
Be sure to check out the Groklaw comments too: [url=http://www.groklaw.net/comment.php?mode=display&title=Old+News+about+LinuxToday&type=article&order=&hideanonymous=0&pid=911726 #c911733]clicky[/url]
Glad you are back LXer
Being laid off sucks but it can be quite liberating, indeed. I went through the whole process a couple of years ago when Ziff took the axe to ExtremeTech and basically killed the site. I hope that doesn't happen with the ones you were managing but, alas, corporate stupidity is what it is and you can't do much about it except press on and keep creating content.
LT is dead...Long live LXer...
Sure seems that way. Just checked, "No news."
'Ollee, 'ollee, oxen free!
Glad to see you landed on your feet, Carla.
I guess I'll be be spending my time here now, instead. Maybe I'll be better off.
-- Maybe we'll both be better off ;-)
I think the whole landscape of forums, blogs, and other types of media has been undergoing change. For at least a year now, all of the forums that I participate in have sharply declined in the participation level. There are an awful lot of sites covering an awful lot of content. It makes me wonder if the "average person" is spending most of their time on Facebook, sending text messages, spreading their time across many different sources, or simply not being as active on the Internet?
If it is the last one, I can't blame people. I have to balance and monitor how much time I spend on various activities. Sometimes, forums that I enjoy have to take a back seat. I like to "rib" Jim Lynch every now and then to write more articles on one of his three tech sites, but let's face it, Jim, you, each one of us, each needs to balance the events in our lives and choose the activities that are most consistent with what is going on in our lives.
I'm glad there are at least a few decent forums left nevertheless!
If it is the last one, I can't blame people. I have to balance and monitor how much time I spend on various activities. Sometimes, forums that I enjoy have to take a back seat. I like to "rib" Jim Lynch every now and then to write more articles on one of his three tech sites, but let's face it, Jim, you, each one of us, each needs to balance the events in our lives and choose the activities that are most consistent with what is going on in our lives.
I'm glad there are at least a few decent forums left nevertheless!
Hi Bernard!! I hope you stick around, LXer is pretty cool and it would be great to see you here!
True Jim, and that is what I'm going to do. An itchy pox on bean-counting PHBs who know nothing, and have no idea how deep their ignorance runs.
True Jim, and that is what I'm going to do. An itchy pox on bean-counting PHBs who know nothing, and have no idea how deep their ignorance runs.
Quoting:...Long live LXer...
;-)
Just did my 6 AM obligatory check of LT and found that nothing has been updated in 4 days, although I had to click "Skip this ad" from Microsoft to find that out.
I'm not completely crushed by this though...this should, if anything, increase LXer readership a bunch. and yes, "a bunch" is a quantifiable measure...at least here in Texas.
Y'all have a good day. I'm fixin' to go to work.
I'm not completely crushed by this though...this should, if anything, increase LXer readership a bunch. and yes, "a bunch" is a quantifiable measure...at least here in Texas.
Y'all have a good day. I'm fixin' to go to work.
I pretty much start (and finish) at LXer ...
I hadn't heard of LXer.com until reading about your move (back) here on LT. This looks to be a cool site. Thanks.
maybe its the right time to place an lxer add on linux today? since they do microsoft adds..
All I can say...
... is that it's all good!!
lxer FTW!
lxer FTW!
I'm glad you found a new home.
I must say that I have always enjoyed your articles. Occasionally I had differing interpretations of facts, but that did not subtract from your talents.
Good luck with this new opportunity. A change is as good as a vacation.
Leslie from Montreal
Good luck with this new opportunity. A change is as good as a vacation.
Leslie from Montreal
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As you posted, all is good. When one door closes another opens...just hope the closing door didn't hit you in the, well, you know.
Regards, GEWB