• Snot Flickerman
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    10 months ago

    Look, despite Musk’s PR, I never read a story about Musk like this:

    In 2004, Wolpaw was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. Expecting his condition to require a departure from the company, he spoke with managing director Gabe Newell, who surprised him by offering an extended leave with pay. “Your job is to get better,” Newell said. “That is your job description at Valve. So go home to your wife and come back when you are better.”

    Gabe Newell isn’t some kind of saint, but he does at least treat his employees like human beings, unlike Musk who famously berates his employees and treats them incredibly badly, especially if they have to (gasp!) miss work for any reason.

    So while people shouldn’t be praising Valve as some kind of panacea in the world, because they’re still just a company, the reality is things like this have endeared Newell to the gaming community and made them believe he did care about a quality work environment.

    A reminder, 2004 was before Wolpaw had written for multiple hit games from Valve. Portal came out in 2007 with Wolpaw as one half of the writing team. A few years later he would be head writer on Portal 2.

    Those games would not have been the same if he had been let go from Valve when he was sick with ulcerative colitis.

    Just a different perspective, I think it’s unfair to compare Newell to a fucking slave drive apartheid fuckhead like Musk.

    • ShortN0te@lemmy.ml
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      10 months ago

      The problem is not Gabe. As far as i can tell, Gabe actually cares.

      The problem is the CEO that comes after Gabe. Will your games still be available then?

        • shneancy@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          that’s exactly what will happen. Valve is a gaming giant because their services offer a paid experience tenfold better than the free piracy, if said exerience becomes shit, well, no reason to keep hanging around is there?

    • rwhitisissle@lemmy.ml
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      10 months ago

      Valve has been compared to Lord of the Flies because of its corporate structure by multiple people who worked for them. The company has an internal ranking system that determines compensation. It’s also one of the least diverse workplaces in its industry, being overwhelmingly white and male.

      https://www.pcgamer.com/valves-unusual-corporate-structure-causes-its-problems-report-suggests/

      https://www.pcgamer.com/ex-valve-employee-describes-ruthless-industry-politics/

      So, while I’m glad that Gabe was nice to one of his direct reports, the reality is that the president of the company being nice to one specific person doesn’t make the company good or ethically ran.

      • KeenFlame@feddit.nu
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        10 months ago

        Yeah but it’s typical to spew negativity without having any solution

        You really prefer amazon’s meat grinder policies?

        No Corp has ever been good we can still hope and try

        • rwhitisissle@lemmy.ml
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          10 months ago

          This is a genuinely awful set of takes.

          Yeah but it’s typical to spew negativity without having any solution

          Here’s a solution: wholesale reject capitalism as an economic system.

          You really prefer amazon’s meat grinder policies?

          Because that’s literally the only two options here: Valve’s way of doing things and Amazon’s. Really? Try again.

          No Corp has ever been good we can still hope and try

          I think you misspelled cope and cry.

          • KeenFlame@feddit.nu
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            10 months ago

            Haha your soliton is another idea to dismantle instead of what should replace it?

            Yes the options are what we are discussing, provide your better idea

            No I did not misspell