[bsder]

Don't confuse the current shitshow that is VC flippable social software garbage with actual competence.

I worked with people at IBM and DEC at the point probably just at the peak of their heyday when the average experience was about 15 years.

Oh ... my ... God.

I have never had that kind of interaction again. Being able to just call up and talk to the folks who designed FPU algorithms, x86 emulators that smoked (I think the FX!32 guys knew more about x86 than AMD), BDD analyzers that actually matched circuitry to descriptions (NP-hard problems--solved every day), debugged CPU failures by having 3 old guys light up cigars, put their feet up and think real hard ... I can go on and on.

Yes, those big, sclerotic companies had lots of deadwood. But, there was a 25% that was amazing.

About once every couple of years now I bump into someone genuinely as good. It's really rare now.

[kylel]

Do you know of any companies that nowadays with that type of culture?