When a company has embedded itself so deeply in public life - globally - it's reasonable to have strong feelings about its actions.
When we say layoffs work, are we considering the way the same companies overhired just a few years ago, harming the rest of the employment market? Do we remember this in later discussions when we treat these companies as prescient hiveminds, in spite of them using overtuned bang-bang control for their hiring? Do we remember it in discussions about workers rights and the things we tie to employment in the naive assumption that only those who deserve it lose their jobs?
I find it a bit hilarious that programmers feel entitled being employed for life in one company. Did you ever consider finishing the project? Getting it done and delivered?
My first paid job as a programmer was like that. We made an exam software for university, a complete package covering the process from authoring test questions to making reports.
We made it in 6 months and it was done. Finished. Working. There was some maintenance/improvement, but that was a separate deal. We did not expect university to employ us for life to maintain it.
Shouldn't that be a norm?
Like, yeah, obviously Google has a lot of projects, so they can allocate programmers to do something different after something is done. But they didn't promise employment for life, did they?
Obviously, people like being securely employed. But, perhaps, that should be addressed at societal level - e.g. unemployment benefits.
I'm suggesting that it's up to Microsoft management to decide what software they want to develop, and programmers should expect they are hired to develop a product. Downsizing should be considered a norm.
People came to assume that a total comp >$100k is a norm, but it's really not.
E.g. engineer working on research projects for INRIA in France might get up to $3000 gross a month. (And you might get better job security in France but it comes with a bit of total comp hit, as you see.)
That's the reality for most people on Earth. Salary >$100k should be considered an insane arb opportunity, not a stable job expectation.
Microsoft makes a shitload of money selling Windows to billions of people, and is able to pay a lot to devs? OK, good for those devs. But would that last? Uncertain.
These companies make a lot of money because of supply & demand. They pay large salaries because of supply & demand. They have layoffs because of supply & demand.
It's free market. Stop complaining unless you can propose something better.
When we say layoffs work, are we considering the way the same companies overhired just a few years ago, harming the rest of the employment market? Do we remember this in later discussions when we treat these companies as prescient hiveminds, in spite of them using overtuned bang-bang control for their hiring? Do we remember it in discussions about workers rights and the things we tie to employment in the naive assumption that only those who deserve it lose their jobs?