OrangeSoul Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Mark Jen, a blogger whose candid comments about life on the job at Google sparked controversy last month, has left the company. "Mark is no longer an employee at Google," a Google representative said in response to an inquiry Tuesday. Efforts to reach Jen for comment were not immediately successful. Jen's departure comes less than a month after he joined Google as part of a wave of new hires and began recording his impressions of his new employer, including criticisms, in his blog. Employee blogging is on the rise, sparking increasing clashes between workers and management over the line between appropriate and inappropriate commentary. In one recent dispute, a Delta Air Lines flight attendant lost her job after posting photos of herself in uniform on her blog. A Microsoft contractor lost his job last year after he took some pictures of Apple G5 computers being unloaded onto the software company's campus and posted them to his blog. Friendster, known for breaking new ground in online social networking and promoting self-expression among peers, fired one of its employees in August over her Troutgirl blog. The employee blog issue is doubly sensitive for Google, which became a prominent booster of blogging through its acquisition of Web logging pioneer Pyra Labs in February 2003. The company also has made a point of putting ethics before profits in its business operations, suggesting it holds itself to a higher standard of care than the average for customers and employees. While details of Jen's departure are unclear, the newbie Googler ran into trouble at the company almost immediately when he decided to record his impressions of Google on a blog called Ninetyninezeros--one zero short of the mathematical term known as a "googol." Jen began making entries in Ninetyninezeros on Jan. 17, and soon drew the notice of other bloggers. Curiosity spiked when the postings temporarily disappeared about a week later On Jan. 26, an edited version of the blog reappeared on the site, with a new entry explaining the on-again, off-again commentary. Gone was the first day's post explaining his reasons for creating the blog, as well as a description of an employee orientation event that vaguely touched on discussions of Google's booming business. At that time, Jen denied he made the change under duress, insisting that Google "was pretty cool about all this." News of Jen's job status was posted at Google Blogoscoped. According to an anonymous message in the blog forum, Jen was let go on Jan. 28. http://news.com.com/Google+blogger+has+lef..._3-5567863.html Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
webeagle12 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 A Microsoft contractor lost his job last year after he took some pictures of Apple G5 computers being unloaded onto the software company's campus and posted them to his blog. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440735 Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSoul Posted February 9, 2005 Author Share Posted February 9, 2005 Point of note. Mark Jen left Microsoft to join google Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440741 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mircleman Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 This what kills me today about business, I encourage my staff to do blogs and not be afraid to express what they want ,even if me or my company is doing something they feel is bad or wrong or not in the best intrests of future customers. This view by companys great and small of control and be good little boys and girls and follow in line like good little sheep is unproductive, doesnt allow for open discussion of company rules and policys and stinks of orwellian views unacceptable. anywhere in my company . Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440766 Share on other sites More sharing options...
qdave Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Point of note. Mark Jen left Microsoft to join google 585440741[/snapback] or he was asked to leave :p Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440767 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe User 99 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 A Microsoft contractor lost his job last year after he took some pictures of Apple G5 computers being unloaded onto the software company's campus and posted them to his blog. Nobody saw the reasoning in that one, but then wasn't it was revealed not to long ago, that those G5's became the XBOX2 Dev Kits. (according to Game Informer, Oct 2004) Which would then change that whole issue to revealing trade secrets, and makes it sound much more justafiable. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440803 Share on other sites More sharing options...
eminem213486 Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 hm the G5s are also for VPC testing... duh? wahst the big deal. apple has dells on their campus for itunes work... and other stuff. * longhorn :p * Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440828 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Floyd Veteran Posted February 9, 2005 Veteran Share Posted February 9, 2005 this is just unprofesionnal what he did, period Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585440917 Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlogank Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 man, that sucks for this guy...I wonder what he will do now. He had just moved down there, too. What a bummer. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441038 Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grasshopper Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 his presentation of them may be the problem. why would google get rid of him if he didn't make them look bad? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441058 Share on other sites More sharing options...
[hxc] Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 A Microsoft contractor lost his job last year after he took some pictures of Apple G5 computers being unloaded onto the software company's campus and posted them to his blog. 585440719[/snapback] he obviously knew too much :p Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441060 Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayMan2K Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 hm the G5s are also for VPC testing... duh? 585440828[/snapback] .. and MS Office for Mac! Microsoft still does develop for Macs and needs a way to test their products. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441081 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 9, 2005 Veteran Share Posted February 9, 2005 This what kills me today about business, I encourage my staff to do blogs and not be afraid to express what they want ,even if me or my company is doing something they feel is bad or wrong or not in the best intrests of future customers. This view by companys great and small of control and be good little boys and girls and follow in line like good little sheep is unproductive, doesnt allow for open discussion of company rules and policys and stinks of orwellian views unacceptable. anywhere in my company . 585440766[/snapback] You, sir, sound like a guy I would kill to work for. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441284 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadrack Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 I'm very pro freedom of speech, but I'm not sure how I feel about employees losing their jobs over blogging. If the blog is hurting the company (by lowering profits or lowering employee moral) then I can totally understand the problem there. I still have mixed feelings. i dunno Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441322 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mircleman Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 thanks bang position open for you anytime you want one I respect you and what you do! i have your webpage on my favs and check it daily. now on to the comment by finalcut, there is no way you can argue it is unprofessional, everyone seems to forget that person who is writing the blog first off helps make the company what it is therefore if they are writing about bad policys or what they etc this effects stock prices bottom line etc, These stock holder are public people who may indeed have thier life savings in the company need to know whats going on . these are share holders and also customers, the bottom line is customer first profits last...period. the problem with this dont talk dont speak when it comes to business today is you get companies like enron and mci world com dozens of others no one speaks out no one knows whats going on and the result is well as you saw with those 2 examples. the working man trying to invest some money for thier kids college and earn a living get screwed. meantime the c.e.o.'s and board who have this polcy of oh no dont say or do anything that may be quote bad pr get fat and rich and everyone else who followed the orwellian rule are in the employment line as mark is in this forum. when I or my company is not keeping MY people happy or my customers I wanna know about, i have an open door policy from the board, down to the guy in the litttle cubby hole in the corner. even I the owner is not above reproach or responsability. thats the bottom line... ok sorry im off my soap box now. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585441839 Share on other sites More sharing options...
theprotege Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 lol so what, he was employed all of two weeks according to his blog? lmao, dumbass Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585442323 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xab Posted February 9, 2005 Share Posted February 9, 2005 Just as a related note to this, ABC's World News Tonight ran a story on the recent employee blogging cases and the backlash. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585442334 Share on other sites More sharing options...
neostyle Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 every day all around the world people get fired for various reasons . what's so special about this "affair" ? cause he is an ex ms-employee and a blogger (where he wrote stuff about bad google ) , and scoble asked about him getting fired ? hmmm strange world ... :cry: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585442706 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 10, 2005 Veteran Share Posted February 10, 2005 every day all around the world people get fired for various reasons . what's so special about this "affair" ? cause he is an ex ms-employee and a blogger (where he wrote stuff about bad google ) , and scoble asked about him getting fired ? hmmm strange world ... :cry: 585442706[/snapback] It's news because Google doesn't come across as being so baby faced, for a change. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585442806 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viserov Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 thanks bang position open for you anytime you want one 585441839[/snapback] If he doesn't take it, can I? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443130 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mircleman Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 lol I dont know im always looking for good people, however bang has an advantage I've watched his work quite a while and I respect him, you on the other hand I do not know. no offense. if you wanna send a resume pm me . Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443165 Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangbang023 Veteran Posted February 10, 2005 Veteran Share Posted February 10, 2005 lol I dont know im always looking for good people, however bang has an advantage I've watched his work quite a while and I respect him, you on the other hand I do not know. no offense. if you wanna send a resume pm me . 585443165[/snapback] Well thank you for the kind words. However, I doubt that you are locally located and I have no idea what your bussiness is. I appreciate the offer and you really do sound like the kind of boss I want to be one day. Best of luck with your business. Happy employees are productive employees. I don't know why more people can't see that. I read the original blog post from this guy. I still can't see what's wrong with it. It's a commentary on the company. Google has to realize that this was a perfect PR opportunity to say "we saw that one of our employees was upset, so we sat down and talked to him about possible need for change". They could have completely forgotten everything he said once they left the meeting room, but it still would have been better than this. People are looking for a reason to attack Google. Just like that line from the first Spiderman, people love to see a hero fall. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443191 Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZZOOzzoo Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 or he was asked to leave :p 585440767[/snapback] LOL, I wonder now which company will want to accept him. :laugh: :cry: Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443218 Share on other sites More sharing options...
leedogg Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 What if an employee lies or spreads rumors via his blog? What if he uses it for revenge/retribution? What if other employees are afraid to say anything because they're afraid it will get blogged? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443232 Share on other sites More sharing options...
mircleman Posted February 10, 2005 Share Posted February 10, 2005 im in ohio bang. also have a house up in long island. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/282943-google-blogger-fired/#findComment-585443255 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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