Episode 488: Am I Here for the Mission or the Paycheck?

Software Defined Talk

This week, we discuss WordPress paying employees to quit, the perils of management by fear, and Matt shutting down his datacenter. Plus, the definitive top 5 ranking of Australia’s iconic Big Things.

Watch the YouTube Live Recording of Episode 488

Runner-up Titles

• The Spirit of Open Source
• Debating ‘Benevolent’
• The Hero 1-Day Guy
• The Mullenweg Way
• He has Been Great for Podcasting
• Spider Vacuuming

Rundown

• A Guide To 30 Of Australia's Iconic Big Things
• More WordPress
  • WordPress cofounder is paying employees to leave if they disagree with him
  • The WordPress Saga: Does Matt Mullenwegg Want a Fork or Not?
  • Automattic demanded web host pay $32M annually for using WordPress trademark
  • WP Engine sues WordPress co-creator Mullenweg and Automattic, alleging abuse of power
  • Matt Mullenweg: ‘WordPress.org just belongs to me’
  • Automattic Alignment
• RTO or GFTO / Oxide

Relevant to your Interests

• OpenAI's product focus raises safety concerns as key execs depart
• Wayback Machine integrated into Google search
• OpenStack Dalmatian debuts with better dashboard, security
• Gmail adding redesigned summary cards to your inbox with ‘Happening soon’
• How I exited the cloud
• As data center usage heats up, Submer raises $55.5M to cool things down
• Palmer Luckey, American Vulcan
• A Look Back at Q2 '24 Public Cloud Software Earnings
• Google’s AI search summaries officially have ads
• OpenWrt One WiFi 6 router samples are now available for $89 - Liliputing
• Elastic CTO Shay Banon on suing AWS and returning to OSS
• AWS CEO Matt Garman on generative AI, open source, and closing services
• Bitcoin’s inventor is a mystery. An HBO filmmaker thinks he found him.
• HBO doc names Bitcoin creator suspect - who says ‘not me’
• Apple Tweaks Screen Recording App Permissions to Decrease Popup Frequency

Nonsense

• Autonomous Ride-Hailing in Austin, Texas - Waymo
• NYC Costco shoppers empty shelves in panic over port strike

Conferences

• VMware Explore Barcelona, Nov 4-7, 2024, Coté speaking.
• GoTech World, Bucharest, Nov 12- 13, 2204, Coté speaking.
• SREday Amsterdam, Nov 21, 2024, Coté speaking, 20% off with code SRE20DAY
• DevOpsDayLA at SCALE22x, March 6-9, 2025, discount code DEVOP

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Recommendations

• Brandon:
  • REI Bike Maintenance
  • AppleCare+ for iPhone
  • JohnnyTankless
• Matt: This Is How You Lose the Time War

Photo Credits

• Header
• Artwork