18 comments

  • Manik RatheeManik Rathee, 7 years ago (edited 7 years ago )

    I am so stoked for this. Helena has been teasing this project for a few months and it immediately peaked my interest.

    Hearing about others' experiences and struggles is so important, especially since many of us create products.

    I'm really glad she created this and I hope it grows into much more.

    (I shared this comment on ProductHunt as well)

    9 points
  • John PJohn P, 7 years ago (edited 7 years ago )

    The self-fellatio in this industry is beyond a joke.

    How can people be so self satisfied and smug about making shitty dumbass phone apps for VC money or hoping for a Facebook buyout... Yeah wow what a real difference you make to the world with your "Uber for *****" "AirBnb for **" "VR for *****" startup

    This industry is in serious need for a dose of reality, praying for a crash to cull some of this ridiculous chaff.

    4 points
    • Thomas Michael SemmlerThomas Michael Semmler, 7 years ago

      while I think you are right, I also think that this is not the right starting point for that discussion.

      10 points
    • Jorge Hernandez Jorge Hernandez , 7 years ago

      You took it that way? A glorified circle-jerk? I took it as highlighting some of the unknown folks that work endless hours behind the scene. get to know the unknowns. Its just a nice picture with a basic bio. They're not over glorifying them or making "rockstar" status claim... right? Did I miss something?

      Im feelin your anger, Im a big fan of hating things too... but Im kinda thinking its miss placed a bit here. eh just my read.

      13 points
      • Andrew ZimmermanAndrew Zimmerman, 7 years ago

        I'm not sure John Maeda and Om Malik are exactly unknown. I didn't see many people over 50 either.

        The first thing I thought looking at the site was this could be a parody. I'm glad it isn't and I'm glad something like this exists, but I'm personally not feeling it.

        2 points
        • Jessa ClarkJessa Clark, 7 years ago (edited 7 years ago )

          In what way does it appear to be a parody? Came off as incredibly sincere to me.

          Being 'known' and being part of an underrepresented minority in the industry are not mutually exclusive characteristics.

          0 points
          • Andrew ZimmermanAndrew Zimmerman, 7 years ago

            Because when I hear the word "techies" I immediately think of predominantly white people in their 20s and early 30s with unusual personal style, titles like"Widgeteer" or "Revenue Program Manager". The photos of the subjects often staring into the distance at a promised utopian future also doesn't scream "serious" to me.

            If I look around my office in the heart of the Midwest US I see about 20% Indian faces. There's about 20% women too, nearly all in their 40s (likely because of local women-in-STEM efforts here in the '80s and '90s).

            Mousing over the images gave no indication what lay behind, it could have just been a larger image. The above the fold info didn't really seem all that different from a social media profile intro.

            I had to read the "about" page as the site's purpose isn't readily apparent.

            I see more diversity at uifaces.com or randomuser.me. Granted, that's likely because the photos at the OP are likely done by a professional and look similar.

            I'm happy this exists (as previously stated); it didn't really grab me as a serious effort without having to put in effort to go into a profile and scroll well below the fold. Maybe being exposed to uifaces or randomuser and the proximity to April 1 (and the first link I clicked having an April 1 interview date) colored my thinking.

            1 point
            • Jessa ClarkJessa Clark, 7 years ago

              Doesn't that kind of speak for the need of a project like this, if you see a page of female/minority faces and automatically assume it's a prank?

              1 point
  • Account deleted 7 years ago

    My only beef with this is a LOT of people featured do not fit into their mission statement of "We cover subjects who tend to be underrepresented in the greater tech narrative."

    There is quite a large chunk of people here whom I would consider the OPPOSITE of being under-repped in the tech narrative.

    Still... it's interesting and executed well.

    3 points
  • Igor StumbergerIgor Stumberger, 7 years ago (edited 7 years ago )

    Wow, this is gold.

    The interviews are really well executed and the selection of people from completely different backgrounds is just perfect. Also design-wise, really nice! I think we need more like this, but from outside of Silicon Valley also.

    3 points
    • Mark JenkinsMark Jenkins, 7 years ago

      Agreed, very nice. I submitted then realised it was SV – Agree, need this outside and around the world

      0 points
  • Thomas Michael SemmlerThomas Michael Semmler, 7 years ago

    This is very important to me. All kinds of people work in tech.

    2 points
  • Pedro PintoPedro Pinto, 7 years ago

    This is so good

    1 point
  • Zoltán HosszúZoltán Hosszú, 7 years ago

    Great project, very well put together. I have no idea who most of these people are so the in-depth interviews are very welcome :)

    One question:

    Techies is a portrait project focused on sharing stories of tech employees in Silicon Valley. We cover subjects who tend to be underrepresented in the greater tech narrative.

    So the designers outside of the Valley are not part of the greater tech narrative?

    1 point
    • Igor StumbergerIgor Stumberger, 7 years ago (edited 7 years ago )

      I think the paragraph should be taken as a whole. If displayed out of context, like you did, it could be interpreted in a wrong way (and offensive).

      We cover subjects who tend to be underrepresented in the greater tech narrative. This includes (but is not limited to) women, people of color, folks over 50, LGBT, working parents, disabled, etc.

      That's how I read it and this way it and I think it makes more sense (at least to me).

      2 points
  • Jens KreuterJens Kreuter, 7 years ago

    pure gold!

    0 points
  • Jorge Hernandez Jorge Hernandez , 7 years ago

    Very cool. I like the style and idea.

    0 points