Digital Insider 21

[Dire Bare]

Mother Nature is keeping them from getting internet connections? I'm a big fan of time off and all of that - but I would think that a bulk of the work could be done remotely.

It's postmen who work despite rain, sleet, hail and snow (probably earthquakes, fire, and meteor strikes too). Not game designers.

I don't begrudge any company some downtime when mother nature plays rough. It's not like game design is national security or something. Relax.

And while I don't think it happened in Seattle over the holidays . . . yes, Mother Nature can kill your internet connection. Quite easily.

 

[mearlus]

It's postmen who work despite rain, sleet, hail and snow (probably earthquakes, fire, and meteor strikes too). Not game designers.

Seriously? We get 4 inches of snow here and our postman wont deliver. And they don't even need to get out of their little postal car to do it! I wont even get started on the fact that nearly every other day for the past 2 months we have received some of our neighbors mail in our box.

(Not to derail the thread, postal carriers and work despite weather is a touchy subject for me lately )

 

[Zaukrie]

Actually, in a previous DDI, they said that fixing the paypal issue was their highest priority. So, I'd expect to get updates occassionally on it.

I concede this may not be his most important role. But, I'll also say that they are bad at managing customer relationships, and there are major issues with DDI. If this is actually one of their core products going forward, I'd recommend putting more effort into marketing, selling, and managing it than they are.

 

[tomBitonti]

Corporate fail

It's easy to do stuff remotely- But not when it comes to the corporate world.

You need stuff like VPNs, and to give people access to those VPNs, and then you have to worry about how that effects people's salaries, and overtime, and taxes and stuff. Plus I think technically you can't make someone work remotely on their own equipment, so that means supplying people with remote equipment they probably won't use much...

Plus then you have people getting upset because other people just have the day off but you still have to work from home and get no extra benefit...

Headaches!

Lots of that (about VPNs) is true, but it doesn't matter. A corporation has to be able to do this stuff, or it won't survive in today's business and technical environment, especially a corporation that is promoting an online product.

A modern corporation (of any appreciable size) has to be able to work with diverse employees, in a multitude of physical locations, time zones, countries, and languages.

 

[Mistwell]

A modern corporation (of any appreciable size) has to be able to work with diverse employees, in a multitude of physical locations, time zones, countries, and languages.

I really do not think WOTC itself is "of appreciable size". We always assume they are, but I think realistically they are not that big, and do not work with many people that are outside of their immediate offices.

 

[Scribble]

I really do not think WOTC itself is "of appreciable size". We always assume they are, but I think realistically they are not that big, and do not work with many people that are outside of their immediate offices.

Thats it I think... The cost of setting up a VPN, maintining a VPN, getting equipment that is only occasionally used, adjusting people's pay, etc... is more then the cost of simply saying: "Hey guys we'll get you an update next week. Sorry for the delay."