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Comment by rybosworld | Hacker News Reader

They have seemingly 1000 products so it's definitely not fair to apply experiences with one of those, to all of the others.

That said, I've hated the handful of IBM software products I've needed to use.

Another anecdote: I've never met a fellow developer that spoke highly of IBM. That includes the folks who used to work there.

I think it's remarkable how rare it is to meet someone that speaks highly of the company. Companies don't usually achieve such reputation without reason.

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For a company that's done so much tech, and had such a huge impact on the computer industry, there are very few "true blue" IBMers who you can hold up as engineering pioneers. Tehy've always been bog-standard salesmen.

They do get innovation points for inventing SQL (over 50 years ago)

> Another anecdote: I've never met a fellow developer that spoke highly of IBM. That includes the folks who used to work there.

Worked with a buncha folks in the NC Research Triangle area, all former IBM. None had good things to say about the engineering culture there. Most did long stays regardless -- it's that kinda of org -- talking like 10+ years, but jumped to other companies like Red Hat (ha!), Clorox, Splunk, and Uni research after the last big shakeup.

"There are two types of companies: the ones people complain about, and the ones nobody has heard of."

In which camp do you put TSMC ?

Nobody has heard of. Ask people outside of tech and I bet <10% have heard of this company.

Lots of people have heard of them, but most of the people who have actually worked there speak Chinese.

My college roommate has worked for IBM his entire career, over 30 years. He loves it there, obviously, and never seriously considered leaving.

He doesn't need to consider it, IBM will consider it for him

Let me guess, he enjoys wearing a tie to work

I never realized how much I hate ties until I spent 3+ years working essentially in t-shirts and jeans. Never again, outside of interviews or formal events (weddings, funerals, et al).

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