Yesterday I lost a client.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano wow, this post was perfect to fill a wiktionary entry for the word « assholes ». Those “great managers” doing harm so easily by just being dicks. Sorry this reply should not contain obscene words, but as it makes me think about own past experiences, I am probably overreacting… for the remaining of the company, and the team you are collaborating with, it will be a relief. You saved their day(s) by pushing things a little. It escalated, stack overflow.
Your position, being prudent, for a new collaboration, is the best one. You secure your work, the company will remember to secure the relationship step by step. Because confidence being broken can’t be resurrected in a click… there is no such thing as “business relation snapshot” to be restored. Green field, built brick by brick again. -
@stefano wow, this post was perfect to fill a wiktionary entry for the word « assholes ». Those “great managers” doing harm so easily by just being dicks. Sorry this reply should not contain obscene words, but as it makes me think about own past experiences, I am probably overreacting… for the remaining of the company, and the team you are collaborating with, it will be a relief. You saved their day(s) by pushing things a little. It escalated, stack overflow.
Your position, being prudent, for a new collaboration, is the best one. You secure your work, the company will remember to secure the relationship step by step. Because confidence being broken can’t be resurrected in a click… there is no such thing as “business relation snapshot” to be restored. Green field, built brick by brick again.@EnigmaRotor thank you. Yes, it will be a long path.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano That's a taff story. Thanks for sharing 👍
And I'm happier than ever we do have this "Scheinselbstständigkeit" (False self-employmen) prectection laws in Germany even though it's annoying from time to time.
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@EnigmaRotor thank you. Yes, it will be a long path.
@stefano yes, and time will tell if trust can be restored, because position of the owners seems not that clear. Why did they put the @&€@! at the leading position ? Would he have continued to put pressure on his own teams and have them leave ? Didn’t anybody detect a management crisis ? Didn’t they mesure the risks of having such leadership? Did they put him on purpose to reduce costs by having people quit the company? I knew people who were complete dictators, putting pressure on teams. I crossed their way, I felt their whip on my developer skin. With complete satisfaction from the top management. Having someone putting pressure being a very virile signal, it makes them absolutely happy. Power is a drug that often leads to a sadistic satisfaction of ruining people’s life.
People reading this post will have their own exhibit to show to the jurors. -
UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Love the update. You're right to be sceptical, it's always 'one bad apple' but there's usually a whole orchard really, because bad apples need to be enabled.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano I hope I never have to deal with someone who believes the laws of physics bend to their will...
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@stefano I hope I never have to deal with someone who believes the laws of physics bend to their will...
@stefano Sorry you had to deal with this, glad there seems to be some improvement(?)
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
Heh. He was called in to talk to management and he "resigned".
I'd say "FAFO", but guys like that often don't actually "find out" in the sense that they come to a realization that they shouldn't have FA'd in the first place.
But you never know! Maybe this was the "wake up call" the guy needed to make changes in his life and start treating people better.
Probably not, but maybe.
Either way, glad it worked out for you.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Blimey. Best of luck with your communication with the founder.
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undefined oblomov@sociale.network shared this topic
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano I am invested in this story.
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@stefano I am invested in this story.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano
Work/Life balance -
UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Ahhhh a sweet balm on my soul. A manager *actually facing consequences* for abuse. 🤌
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano Wow ‘Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage." 2026 and we still wonder why its bromogeddon in the software biz. SW industry now is just like the catering & hospitality trade. Until we envisage more good paid work for everyone we’ll all be too old with too many personal commitments - Workers need legal protection, families need support. Enabling bad employers enforces parental neglect -as usual women & children suffer most. 2026 Need to move on
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
-
UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
@stefano now I want to know how it ends too! Stay strong!!
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@stefano Love the update. You're right to be sceptical, it's always 'one bad apple' but there's usually a whole orchard really, because bad apples need to be enabled.
@radioclash @stefano No, it's never just "one bad apple" - that's the point of the proverb.
One bad apple spoils the whole barrel.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/one-bad-apple-spoil-the-barrel-metaphor-phrase
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This sounds very much like the reddit-yarn from years past when hubris in an old house restoration led to cascading failures. Linking here for the schadenfreude.
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UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
-
UPDATE: I just had a talk with two of the owners (whom I've known for years) and one of the young developers who was on yesterday's call. She confirmed that this manager's behavior was unmanageable. High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.
To make a long story short, the entire sysadmin team threatened to quit if I stopped collaborating with the company. As a result, the owners summoned the manager in the late morning, and he resigned. They are reverting to the previous management structure (led by one of the owners). They might drop a few projects, but they said they prefer returning to a more "human" way of running the business - which is what always set them apart in the past.
I told them I'll think about it. If things are truly as they say (and I have no reason to doubt them yet), I'll propose a 6-month trial collaboration to see how things actually evolve. I'm aware it's easy to "pass the buck" - was it really just the manager's fault, or are the owners using him as a scapegoat now that things went south? However, given our history, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
UPDATE: One of the company owners (whom I've known for many years and is a good person) has asked to speak with me in about fifteen minutes. I've agreed. I'm curious to see what he has to say. I'll update this post after the call.
Original post:
Yesterday I lost a client. And I couldn't be happier about it.
It's a long-standing client, but the management changed a few months ago. On Monday, they requested an emergency intervention, which I handled immediately.
On Tuesday (yesterday, evening), they asked for a non-urgent enhancement to be closed by Wednesday evening. I explained that due to various reasons (including urgent family matters), I wouldn't be able to finish the task before Friday. That's when the lecturing started: they told me they set tight deadlines even for non-emergencies because "that's the proper way to do things", and anyone working with them must respect them without exception.
I requested a video call to clarify. I explained that the work requires nearly a full day and that I simply couldn't close it by Wednesday. Even the physical time required to copy the data exceeded their deadline. But the new management believes that by applying pressure, you can overcome anything. Even the laws of physics.
Their response was sarcastic: "Our requests take priority, even if you are dying". I smiled and reiterated that I had no other way. "We will therefore have to find a new consultant who respects our timing", they said.
My response: "Okay. Our agreement expired on 31st December. I was waiting for a renewal, but it never arrived. Meaning, I have no legal obligations toward you. You have the data, the passwords, everything. Have a great day.".
The manager, annoyed and failing to understand the implications, replied: "Fine, we’ll look for someone younger with fewer family ties to manage.".
This morning, the phone rang. It was the manager, asking me to reconsider. His tone remained contemptuous, so I told him my decision was final. Two minutes later, I got a call from their biggest client - the one responsible for over 50% of their revenue. They had been notified I was leaving and informed the company they would also leave if I was no longer the one supervising their machines.
I called the manager back, friendly, trying to see if they were willing to change their attitude - to move from peremptory orders to requests between human beings. He started talking about "suing for damages" if they lost their main client because of me (to be clear: I am not taking that client for myself).
I don’t know how this story will evolve, but right now, I'm just enjoying a breath of fresh air outside my window.
#IT #FreelanceLife #WorkLifeBalance #ToxicManagement #TechLife #Consulting #SelfEmployed
> “High-strung and narcissistic, he had apparently been let go from his previous company due to his inability to work with colleagues and owners alike. It seems he was even trying to boss the owners around.”
As someone looking hard for work and *not* a high-strung narcissist, I’d be interested to know how that guy got hired at your place.
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Gli ultimi otto messaggi ricevuti dalla Federazione
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🧵 💈 L’Italia è il paese europeo con il più alto numero di SLAPP. Le SLAPP sono azioni legali pretestuose usate per intimidire giornalisti e ostacolare il diritto all’informazione. È questa la fotografia dei report di CASE, la coalizione europea contro le SLAPP, e Commissione LIBE del Parlamento UE
https://www.valigiablu.it/slapp-querele-minacce-informazione-italia-europa/
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@autkin the fact that they even say "females" and "males" instead of women and men is already a huge red flag.
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@omar thank you! Unfortunately it's not an easy day. Work is a minimum part, there are other problems to solve. But it's proceeding better than expected.
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@amarzar @mikrotik I'm not sure that a tailscale (wireguard) interface can be created inside the container. @mikrotik - could you please clarify this?
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@las_lallero questo fino a ieri sarà statoin qualche ranch del texas a tastare palle ai tori, figurati
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@sio eh non lo so anche il latte VACCINO ha i suoi detrattori
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@stefano @mikrotik This is great !! I think that is a good option to have #Tailscale on the router
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@andre_ourednik @terminaltilt You're likely significantly overestimating the difference, and it may not even be a positive one. Servers in datacenters get rotated out and disposed of on a fixed schedule, typically, long before they actually stop working - whereas consumer hardware often gets handed down until it literally breaks.
Not to mention all the technical and resource overhead of remote anything. That network hardware and corresponding power use isn't free to the environment either.
If you're looking for a way to materially reduce the environmental footprint of computing, I would suggest that "the advertising industry" is probably the first place to look instead. They're responsible for a vast, vast chunk of energy and resource usage in computing and networking, while providing marginal to no value to society - it's a purely extractive industry.
Even ignoring the web, look up the power consumption of a single one of those video ad units they put on train stations and in shopping centers, and you'll probably be reeling from just how environmentally wasteful all this stuff is - and consumer hardware will suddenly look like a drop in the bucket. As a teaser: virtually all of those advertising screens have audible active cooling despite sound insulation attempts.
So... no, there's really no environmental point in a rental model. Insofar it makes any positive difference at all, that sure isn't the intention behind it, and all it does is further support an extractive culture that destroys the environment with no consideration for anything but its own profits. You don't even get to choose whether the hardware is turned on anymore. That is not an environmental win.
