StrangeADT
Banned
Okay, so if I'm getting this straight, and please correct me if I'm not, life should be pay to win, right?
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So Jeri Ellsworth got fired today (Valve nextgen gaming hardware)
- Thread starter ThaiGrocer
- Start date
Okay, so if I'm getting this straight, and please correct me if I'm not, life should be pay to win, right?
Too bad for her. She seemed pretty happy with her job, at least as far as her Twitter posts goes.
There's no way of knowing what went wrong. She may have been unproductive, she may have not gotten along with the employees, or she may have been incompatible with Valve's corporate structure. Hopefully some light is shed on this in the future.
There's no way of knowing what went wrong. She may have been unproductive, she may have not gotten along with the employees, or she may have been incompatible with Valve's corporate structure. Hopefully some light is shed on this in the future.
For those curious what the firing process at Valve is like, here it is according to Valve's Greg Coomer
I wish he was a little more specific; I suspect the "boring" details really aren't.
I wish he was a little more specific; I suspect the "boring" details really aren't.
That's unfortunate for her but I assume that Valve knows what they are doing. I'd really like know why she got fired...
To add my part to the self-study vs degree thing:
I don't know specifcally how it's overseas, but in germany engineering and computer science are really hard, the dropout rate is above 50%. Most of the knowledge comes from self-study, it's one of the basics. Just visiting the classes and reviewing the papers won't get you anywhere. And you don't have to pay a shitload of money to be able to graduate.
I do respect people who are capable to achieve certain knowledge out of their own drive. However, I also expect people to acknowledge that studying isn't just goofing around in class and paying fees.
To add my part to the self-study vs degree thing:
I don't know specifcally how it's overseas, but in germany engineering and computer science are really hard, the dropout rate is above 50%. Most of the knowledge comes from self-study, it's one of the basics. Just visiting the classes and reviewing the papers won't get you anywhere. And you don't have to pay a shitload of money to be able to graduate.
I do respect people who are capable to achieve certain knowledge out of their own drive. However, I also expect people to acknowledge that studying isn't just goofing around in class and paying fees.
Anticitizen One
Banned
Maybe she made some inappropriate sexual advances at the boss??
DreadPirateRoberts
Member
Gabe is an attractive man...
Peer based stuff like that is always a disaster and a sign of poor Management. Management has a job and that's part of it. If they cant handle it then don't get into a role of Management. Valve would have been out of business years ago if it wasn't for steam keeping the coffers filled.
alexandros
Banned
Damn it, I'm sad 
I liked Jeri's work and I wish her all the best.
I liked Jeri's work and I wish her all the best.bloodyroarxx
Member
I cant really find the right words to describe how I feel about a peer based firing system other then it could and likely in this case by the tweets? Come off as much more mean spirited then a "well its just not working out" situation.
There is no formal management in Valve, it's fluid.
Also when one person is responsible for this it leads to corruption and ass-kissing. Basically what you see in all other companies.
bloodyroarxx
Member
But isnt the opposite just as possible to lead to a mob-mentality that could be toxic to their system?
FlutterPuffs
Member
Yeah it could. Hopefully they are smart enough to avoid that.
Man you're quoting a post he erased and apologized for almost 2 hours before you asked this. You had to copy his post from other guys quotes.
Dude made a stupid comment. He erased it and apologized for it. Let it go and focus on the topic at hand.
I wish we could get more details on her daily job, and the reasons for firing her. I hope the Steambox is still on Gabe's plans because I want a gaming PC but I don't really have the space on my house for one right now.
You have to hire smart people because they are less prone to it. Valve does exactly that.
D
Deleted member 102362
Unconfirmed Member
So Valve approached her, hired her, and is now firing her.
Sucks. :/ Hope she finds another job she loves.
Sucks. :/ Hope she finds another job she loves.
Eh I really doubt it, they haven't had any significant failures or big mishaps at least that we've heard of. A Valve without Steam would simply be smaller and less willing to take risks most likely.
Valve's structure could be disastrous for a company that doesn't vet its hires carefully.
People will be people. If changing structures and organization genuinely changed how people behaved the USSR would still exist.
The guiding principle in Valve's organization seems to be to cut out the bullshit that has nothing to do with doing the work you (ostensibly) like doing. It's funny how that alone makes the place look like the promised land.
Valve is moving into Duke Nukem Forever territory with their main franchise and couldn't even deliver titles they announced and previewed prior.
Valve is nothing more than a money sink thats kept afloat by selling other peoples games making a few key people very rich
okay, this was funny.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
This is a hilariously cynical analysis of a private company that does not make their revenue and expenditure public.
Does every Valve related thread need to have this ridiculous argument?
That's one way to look at it. One very narrow-minded way of looking at it.
Here we go
Manac0r
Member
Granted I dont know the lady (she looks she know her stuff)i, and using a wiki page for psych profiling isn't exactly reliable. But she seems quite hot headed (passionte) confrontational (strong minded) and rebellious.
1) She taught herself prgramming (motivated?)
2) Had a drit track race car business, dropped out of high school to pursue (ballsy)
3) Quit dirt track and started a Pc business. (Argued with partner and splintered)
4) Attended Walla Walla college and dropped out (due to asking too many questions)
She carries on to make some imressive acheivements, but from what I can see she is highly determined and self motivated character, impulsive and reckless at times too, and she might not play well with others. Co workers might see her being a bit of hot head. Valve prefer a more 'chillaxed' approach. Her passionate and fiery disposition probably lead to bumping heads and heated debates at Valve who felt she might not be suitable to their work environment. Don't want to disturb that 'Wa'.
Could all be bollocks. It's a mystery.
1) She taught herself prgramming (motivated?)
2) Had a drit track race car business, dropped out of high school to pursue (ballsy)
3) Quit dirt track and started a Pc business. (Argued with partner and splintered)
4) Attended Walla Walla college and dropped out (due to asking too many questions)
She carries on to make some imressive acheivements, but from what I can see she is highly determined and self motivated character, impulsive and reckless at times too, and she might not play well with others. Co workers might see her being a bit of hot head. Valve prefer a more 'chillaxed' approach. Her passionate and fiery disposition probably lead to bumping heads and heated debates at Valve who felt she might not be suitable to their work environment. Don't want to disturb that 'Wa'.
Could all be bollocks. It's a mystery.
Lets not do this...
Tallshortman
Member
Yeah a peer based system for terminations sounds like a fucking nightmare. I mean Valve probably has a good hiring process but still, not sure how long I'd go with such a system with Valve growing in size.
Also, what does dropping out for asking too many questions even mean?
Also, what does dropping out for asking too many questions even mean?
Oh are we onto the Jeri Ellsworth fan fiction part of the thread now?
And a mechanism to identify and remove those who slip in.
Codeblew
Member
Dropped out of College when I got a programming internship to help with a Y2K conversion. I have been promoted 4 times since and I am one of 8 of about 100 that survived several layoffs over the years. I must really suck because I didn't get that degree.
Here's my equally valid theory on what went down.
1. Ms. Ellsworth is actually an alien spy sent by the Reptoids of Rigel V to research this human thing called "love."
2. With no money and no job she has to use some of her advanced alien knowledge to make a living, but without drawing too much attention to herself (so creating a fusion power plant or hyperdrive is right out).
3. She claims to be a "self taught" electronics engineer and, as a laugh, does some work emulating hilariously stone-age Hew-mon technology in the form of the Commodore-64. This is quite successful.
4. She is approached by Valve. Unbeknownst to Ms. Ellsworth, the entirety of Valve is actually an elaborate cover for the Spice Beasts of Tau Ceti II. Shortly after working there they realize they cannot replace her with a Spice Beast Doppelganger like they had the previous hires, as their cloning process does not work on Reptoids (obviously).
5. Gabe (Or'tok Viershan in his native Cetian tongue) is made aware of the situation and they initiate a firing solution to rid themselves of the Reptoid.
6. Ms. Ellsworth is terminated from Valve but vows to bring down the Spice Beasts for their perfidity by waging an asymmetrical conflict using the humans own communication channels.
7. The war continues ....
People want to believe that you can sign up for the path to success.
Didn't Gabe recently say that you need to be aggressive about firing people, even going so far as mentioning Valve having horrible luck with interns? I suspect that Valve lets a lot of people go.
D
Deleted member 102362
Unconfirmed Member
This isn't the first time Valve has fired someone, folks. It's just we don't usually hear about it.
CadetMahoney
Member
Indeed. Lots of sugar coating and nice words used usually in these cases.
I love you!
DiscoJer
Member
John Travolta needs to make a movie out of this
BlastProcessing
Member
The way he's talking it sounds like the situation could've been "Most of the group doesn't like you, Jeri. It's time to go."
I'm sure it's not that - or at least that simple - but instances like this and that handbook are gonna create this weird perception that you need to be a fucking hippee to work for Valve.
I actually suggested her that one
(during Alt Party in Finland, you can check with her!)DreadPirateRoberts
Member
The use of the word "fired" does make it sound like there's more to it than just not getting along with the rest or the workforce...
She's a woman. *cough*
Well, that's what's intriguing about this. It'd be no big thing if Valve had a round of layoffs or cancelled their hardware development or Jeri just decided she wanted a change. "Fired" implies that not only was the split not amicable, but some offense was caused.
DreadPirateRoberts
Member
Or it could be as simple as Valve deciding not to have more than one word for terminating an employee.
There's really no way to be sure.
They would have more than one word. Getting fired is bad in any and all proffesional communities. Something's up, but yes, we have no way of knowing what.