

Black Hole Sun: a slight reversal of fortune for Apple - eiramanit
http://siracusa.tumblr.com/post/513260338/black-hole-sun

======
tptacek
(a) Apple was never in my recollection a huge gravitational force for
engineering talent. Google was, almost from day one. I don't see what's
changed.

(b) There are high-profile people who have taken positions at Apple recently.

~~~
whyenot
I think when the Advanced Technology Group existed at Apple (closed in 1997 by
Steve Jobs), it did tend to attract some big names such as Alan Kay and Gary
Starkweather (inventor of the laser printer). Maybe not a huge gravitational
force, but still noticeable.

~~~
tptacek
Yes, and I think that gravitational "tug" is pretty much still there. Bear in
mind, they may also attract a different class of high-caliber engineer than
typically contributes to Hacker News: RF, chip design, industrial design...

I _know_ they have some pull in security now, and they don't exactly have a
spotless reputation for security, so I don't think it's the news cycle that's
doing it.

------
edge17
the "gravitational sink" argument makes no sense. you could have said the same
thing about microsoft 10 years ago, but look at what a difference 10 years has
made.

silicon valley and the technology industry is a desert of shifting sand dunes.
i remember telling my old man the same thing about microsoft, but he just told
me to wait and see. he's an economist, and much smarter than me.

------
coliveira
If having James Gosling were so important for a company's success, then SUN
wouldn't have the end it had. Truth is, the success of a tech company is the
combination of good engineering and smart business practices -- and the second
element is the most important to make money.

------
kevbin
How far did big-name talent hoarding get Microsoft or the Washington Redskins
over the last 10 or 12 years? Going after big names is a warning sign.

