"Duval details his side of the story: "Fired. Yes. Simply fired, for economical reasons, along with a few other ones. More than 7 years after I created Mandrake-Linux and then Mandrakesoft, the current boss of Mandriva 'thanks me' and I'm leaving, sad, with my two-month salary indemnity standard package. It's difficult to accept that back in 1998 I created my job and the one of many other people, and that recently, on a February afternoon, Mandriva's CEO called to tell me that I was leaving." Mandriva's CEO replies: "Gael was not fired. This term would imply something wrong on his part, which was not the case. He was laid off."
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Member since:2005-07-06
I've had two bosses in the past that micromanaged the life out of us employees, and I'm (VERY) happy to say that they got what they deserved. I left both positions and came to visit them later, only to discover that everything had gone down the tubes. Business people don't know the first thing about computer technology OR the world's user-base. All they know or see is dollar signs, and not the underlying skills of their people - and in the case of the Linux world, businessmen are practially irrelevant.
Sounds like a re-run of my life; last job I left just over 9 months ago, we were the fastest growing shop, and my department had the highest margins, highest profit growth and highest departmental percentage for a store in New Zealand - I left because I couldn't stand my boss; low and behold, I left, 2 employees have gone throw that spot, profit has gone down, so has margins; for me, I have no sympathy, I just hope that one day that the bosses excessive smoking and drinking knocks him off quickly.
The problem isn't with management, but management unwilling to sit down, shut up and listen to those in the know; and worse still the problem is perpetuated when you have management who think they know more than they truely do - know your limitations, and if you do need to seek advice, DO SO.
Woz from Apple KNOWS he would be a crap manager, as he said, he an engineer, he leaves the wizz bang show man ship up to Steve Jobs; both have their rolls in their organisation - no one man or women (if one needs to feel PC) can do 'it all'.
As for Fiorna; she was a clueless idiot promoted into a position that she was illl capable of doing; it was more a sad attempt of appearing PC - 'oh, look at us, we have a female CEO!' rather than appointing someone who needed to pull of a merger that was complex, complicated and filled with issues.
The problem with HP, they have no solid direction; they have no integrated, company wide stratergy which ALL their products can couple into - its more 'here is some crap, here is some services and blah" - sorry, if customers wanted that, they can easily go to Dell, and order a fleet of 10,000 corporate PC's at a lower cost and same quality than purchasing it off HP.
Member since:
2006-03-17
STUPID management that doesn't understand the basis of their company...
HP fired William Hewlett and hired Fiorna (sp?), who was apparently a real nasty person to work with. HP's shares and image dropped, so they finally let her go.
Apple fired Steve Jobs, and after almost going bankrupt and disappearing off the face of the Earth - hired him back (which saved the company)
In short, if you're just a "suit" that got put in place for your "management skills" - you need to remember something. YOU DON"T KNOW SQUAT!!!
I've had two bosses in the past that micromanaged the life out of us employees, and I'm (VERY) happy to say that they got what they deserved. I left both positions and came to visit them later, only to discover that everything had gone down the tubes. Business people don't know the first thing about computer technology OR the world's user-base. All they know or see is dollar signs, and not the underlying skills of their people - and in the case of the Linux world, businessmen are practially irrelevant.
I respect Gael Duvall's work and hope that Mandrake/Mandriva rightfully drops off the planet. I have no malice of intent to the programmers there, they are the ONLY ones that can save it - but until their managers get the hint from the outside world (which I think they eventually will) they deserve to completely LOSE the company they DIDN"T CREATE.
God speed Gael!! I wish you, your wife, and daughter happier days ahead - and in the future, don't let "suits" think they know ANYTHING... ...they don't!