第4页 Introduction

Comparison between four big companies
Amazon, many would argue, is more of a retail company than a software company. It faced extremely hard times during the dot-com crash, and continues to battle profi t margins that are levels of magnitude lower than that of a “core” software company. It is consequently extremely frugal, and refrains from providing the lavish perks that others software companies might. Additionally, some employees have suggested that the company does not value technical innovation for its own sake, and instead looks for an immediate and causal link to profi ts. But, do not let that deter you too much; indeed, Amazon is leading in multiple industries (retail, cloud computing, etc.) largely because of its technical innovation. The company moves at a rapid pace and pending deadlines often mean late nights.
Apple is just as secretive inside as it is outside. When your innovation lies so heavily in your look and feel and your market share depends on beautifully orchestrated hype, it’s no wonder. The company can’t afford to let its secrets slip. Employees are die-hard fans, just as one would expect, but rarely know what coworkers from other teams are working on. In my time at the company, I sensed a feared-butrevered attitude toward Steve Jobs; he called the shots, and no one
would argue.
Microsoft has dabbled (and reasonably successfully) with search and the web, but a large chunk of its earnings come from Windows and Office. Live patches to these products are expensive, so the company tends to operate on longer, multiyear release schedules. This means moving slower, taking fewer risks, and making sure to get everything right the fi rst time (even if it’s never totally right). The bright side is
that the company tends to have a good work/life balance, as ship dates are relatively infrequent. Many former employees say that though they loved the company, its mammoth size could stifl e innovation and risktaking. However, individual team cultures are all over the map, and some may be more innovative than others.
Google is the nerdiest of the nerdy. Founded by two former Stanford PhDs, the company is still, many claim, preferential to engineers over other positions. The company moves quickly, shipping products weekly, and can value technical innovation even to a fault. As a web-based company, it can afford to take some risks on products; after all, “shipping” a new application to the web is so much easier than boxing up and mailing software. Google values its fl at hierarchy, but there’s a downside as well. Your manager may have too many people under her to fuss about the progress of your career, and moving up can be a challenge.