Dave Beckett - Journalblog

Hacking the semantic linked data web

Leaving Yahoo – Joining Digg

I’m heading to a new adventure at Digg in San Francisco to be a lead software engineer working on APIs and syndication.

I’ve been at Yahoo! nearly 5 years so it is both a happy and sad time for me, and I wish all the excellent people I worked with the best of luck in future.

Here is a summary of the main changes:

  • Silicon Valley -> San Francisco
  • 15,000 staff -> 100 staff
  • Architect -> Software engineer
  • strategizing, meeting -> coding
  • Powerpoint, OmniGraffle, twiki -> emacs, eclipse, …?
  • (No coding!) -> Python, Java, Hadoop, Cassandra, …?
  • Sunny days -> Foggy days
  • 15 min commute -> 2.5hr commute (until I move to SF)
  • Public company -> private company

Exciting!

by Dave Beckett on August 26, 2010
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  • http://twitter.com/pixelarchitect brian rountree

    dislike! no really, congrats man

  • http://twitter.com/bendiken Arto Bendiken

    Congratulations, Dave. Does this mean Digg is also looking to adopt semantic technologies, or entirely unrelated to your RDF work?

  • http://www.dajobe.org/ Dave Beckett

    It’s got no direct link that I can see to semantic technologies. I will be likely first focused on the APIs, however I haven’t started the job yet so who knows what interesting data will turn up

  • http://twitter.com/ebiquity UMBC Ebiquity

    Is there any interest in RDF and related topics at your new place?

  • ADigger

    Hello Dave! We really need you at Digg right now, because the current interface is making us very angry.

  • http://www.dajobe.org/ Dave Beckett

    I don’t start work there until next month.

  • Gary Yumps

    the new digg is bad to you somehow? I love it.

  • Ivan Herman

    good luck there! Ivan

  • http://twitter.com/dckc Dan Connolly

    getting back to coding is fun. Congrats!

  • bobdc

    Good luck Dave! Let us know if you manage to integrate Emacs with Eclipse at all; I’ve dabbled in what’s out there and not had much luck.

  • ADigger

    It’s a love hate relationship at the moment. The new system is in many ways useful, but the GUI and placement of objects, etc., is annoying many people. Also, the removal of the “thumbs” icons has put us into grief status mode.

  • http://twitter.com/vlb Vicki Brown

    But… you’re leaving _before_ you get the gumball machine?! Seriously, though, all the best. Most of the changes look like good things (except that commute. Shudder.)

  • http://www.kjetil.kjernsmo.net/ Kjetil Kjernsmo

    As someone who has always liked your code, this sounds like good news! :-)

  • http://twitter.com/danbri Dan Brickley
  • http://twitter.com/jeenbroekstra Jeen Broekstra

    Congrats on the new job Dave!

  • http://times.usefulinc.com/ Edd Dumbill

    Yay Dave!

I write for myself, not my employer.