So Lengthy, and Thanks for All of the Bytes | by Chet Haase | Feb, 2024
Goodbye Tech, Hey Future
It is with very blended emotions that I’m leaving Google (as in, leaving proper now — right now is my final day). Or maybe I ought to say as a substitute “leaving Android” since I’ve all the time felt very a lot a part of the Android crew and really a lot unaware of the remainder of the corporate.
Not like a lot of my wonderful and unlucky colleagues within the final couple of tough years of tech layoffs, my departure is self-inflicted: I stop. It’s time for me to do one thing else — one thing very very else. It’s not a lot that I’m leaving Google (Android), however that I’m leaving tech for, as Monty Python would say, one thing fully totally different.
I’ve been at Google for (checks calendar) almost 14 years, since becoming a member of the Android crew in Could of 2010. I wrote code, delivered displays, movies and articles, and I managed folks, all of which have been totally fulfilling groups, roles, and initiatives.
However this wasn’t my first job. Or my second. Or my… (you get the thought). I’ve been doing this type of work at many, varied corporations since leaving graduate faculty in 1992. So after (checks calendar once more, realizes it’s extra of a calculator drawback, provides up, does the maths) greater than 31 years, it’s time for one thing new. Or, somewhat, one thing previous: faculty.
In the previous few years I’ve been regularly rewinding my profession. After main/managing the Toolkit crew for a number of years, I moved to Developer Relations, the place I managed a smaller crew. I missed coding, so I rewound and got here again, as an engineer on the graphics crew. I then returned to the Toolkit crew as an engineer, rewinding my profession extra. Now it’s time to rewind all of it the way in which to the place it started: I’m going again to grad faculty.
Final Fall, I began an MFA in comedy screenwriting in Chicago. It’s a full-time 2-year program at DePaul, with comedy lessons at Second Metropolis. Full time work plus faculty has been figuring out nice, apart from the half the place I additionally want sleep.
Leaving my job and profession is by far the worst monetary determination I ever hope to make. It seems that tech has higher pay, advantages, prospects, perks, and stability (sure, even on this rotten tech cycle we’re in). However comedy writing is one thing I need to do. I really feel very strongly that everybody ought to attempt, to the extent that it makes some sort of sense when you squint exhausting sufficient, to do what they need in work and life. I’ve been writing and doing comedy— generally on the identical time — for a few years on the aspect. So I’m selling my interest to be my day job.
And perhaps (most likely) I’ll miss the code and can determine methods to try this once more sometime. Perhaps coding will turn into my interest. You possibly can take the engineer out of the bytes, however you may’t take bites out of the engineer. Or one thing like that. However for now, it’s good to simply soak within the comedy, and the writing, and the scholar life. (My lunch typically consists of PB&J and a pack of prompt ramen. Generally each, after I really feel actually wild and spendy). As for what the longer term holds, I’ll determine that out after I get there. That’s the beauty of the longer term; it’s all the time there ready for you. Within the meantime, I’ve writing homework to do.
You possibly can take the engineer out of the bytes, however you may’t take bites out of the engineer.
To everybody within the Android group: thanks for being part of my journey. I’ve had a [very] lengthy profession in software program growth and I’ve loved all^H^H^H most of it immensely. However my time on, with, and for Android far surpassed every thing else for the sheer pleasure of being part of the wild trip as Android turned what it’s right now. Once I joined Google, Android was in a strong 4th or fifth place behind, nicely, everybody else. By the tip of that first yr, the state of affairs had modified drastically, and every thing has solely gotten greater and higher within the a few years since.
Alongside the way in which, I received to create basic expertise and APIs that the platform wanted (hey, Animator!), work on crucial and fascinating initiatives on the platform and AndroidX (hey, graphics, UI, and efficiency!), and work with an excellent crew of intelligent, fascinating, and passionate folks for a few years.
By my aspect challenge of writing and talking about Android growth,* I received to fulfill and be part of a vibrant developer group for a few years, together with internet hosting a enjoyable podcast since 2014. I hope to proceed with the podcast from exterior of Android. I all the time loved my “coloration commentary” position, so perhaps ignorance of what’s occurring internally gained’t be a drastic change.
Alongside the way in which, as a result of no one else was doing it, I received to find out about and inform the story of how Android came into existence within the very early years. I had written many things earlier than that ebook, and had even written several books earlier than that ebook. However that 4+ yr challenge of interviewing and compiling first-hand tales of the way it all got here collectively is the spotlight of my writing life (to date!).
For these courageous souls who learn this far in search of inside filth on why I’m actually leaving… I’m sorry to go away you so very unhappy. The corporate, the job, the folks, and the work have been nice. However simply in case there are any information website bots trying to find potential clickbait tales, right here’s a headline only for you:
“Googler Quits to Do One thing Very Completely different!”
Good luck to all the Android builders and customers studying this. And, heck, to everybody else as nicely. I’m a author now — I’m pleased for any readers I can get! I hope to see you sometime on the large display. Or the baby. Or by way of the pages of books. Or in individual can be high-quality, too.
Chet.
* p.s. I’ll miss many issues about my job on Android, however one of many distinctive alternatives I loved was giving tech and comedy talks at developer occasions. There may be nothing like being on stage in entrance of a big viewers and pretending to know what you’re speaking about. I’m recreation for extra of that if I can determine logistics that make sense in my new pupil/writing life. Let me know when you assume you’ve gotten a chance (convention talks, podcasts — something with a mic) which may work.