
Palantir No Longer Works With The NSA - vqc
http://sfist.com/2017/04/21/palantir_no_longer_works_for_the_ns.php?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=webfeeds
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dkarapetyan
I don't get the hype around palantir. It's a regular consulting shop like any
other. Same as SAP, IBM, HP, etc. but a lot cheaper because their labor is a
lot cheaper.

So what does it mean it no longer works for the NSA? Like they stopped taking
government contracts? Of course not. They still work for big banks and big
corporations and they still have government contracts. Whether the contract is
with NSA or CIA or FBI I don't think makes a difference.

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TuringNYC
>> but a lot cheaper because their labor is a lot cheaper.

Why is that? (genuinely curious here.) Do they employ younger people with
hopes an IPO?

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user5994461
They are allegedly better at exploiting young people.

They've got a better image, they get graduates for cheaper, oversell the
future IPO and make them work longer hours.

It's no secret that Palantir is a sweat shop filled with "Forward Deployed
Engineer", a bullshit title to make people feel important and impress
graduates (it does work!).

The sad reality of consulting shop: You are sent from client to client
anywhere anytime (the "forward deployed"). Your company takes a big cut on
your salary, and they benefit by paying you less while charging more for you.

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snarf
Trilogy Software in the late 90's had the exact same model with cultish hype
aimed at graduating students at top universities who mostly didn't know any
better and bought into the hype.

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ryanmarsh
Oh Jesus. The shenanigans that went down at Trilogy. The stories and forwarded
emails that went around Austin I still talk about.

The guy who replied all seeking clarification on what exactly a "serious"
relationship was (regarding who could be your plus one in the company
retreat). He got quite graphic.

The guy who got hired, showed up one day to do HR paperwork and got paid for 3
months before anyone figured out he never showed up again.

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coretx
It makes absolutely no sense to /directly/ work for your client when
facilitating intelligence laundry is you core business or simply a opportunity
for exponential growth. How long must causality chains be in the shady data
business for it to always be legal ?

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mwnivek
Discussion of actual source:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14169389](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14169389)

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tjpnz
Won't address all the negative PR.

