Google Nabs Bing Maps Architect 94
theodp writes "In another case of Microsoft's-loss-is-Google's-gain, GeekWire reports that Google has made a big hire from Microsoft, bringing aboard TED crowd-pleaser Blaise Agüera y Arcas, the well-known software architect and designer who was among the Redmond company's elite ranks of distinguished engineers. Known for his work on services including Photosynth and Bing Maps, Agüera y Arcas called the move 'the hardest decision of my life'. A stunning preview of Photosynth was released by Microsoft last week, and TED just released a video of Agüera y Arcas demonstrating the technology at a conference earlier this year."
Photosynth invented moving pictures! (Score:0, Insightful)
WOW! I'm impressed with the new photosynth moving pictures. Seems almost like a video, only crappier.
Seriously I was expecting to be able to float around the target like in MeshLab or something. This new photosynth is just crummy video. What's so cool about that?
'the hardest decision of my life' (Score:2, Insightful)
Some people really don't have any real problems.
If the hardest decision is whether to work for one nasty tech gorilla or another slightly younger but turning out just as nasty tech gorilla, you've never really done anything of relevance to humankind.
Re:Not just Windows 8 (Score:2, Insightful)
You should really try black and amber!
Re:Google hurting itself (Score:4, Insightful)
It also was overloaded with fresh-undergraduate talent. However some tasks require a substantial number of people with significant experience, yet Microsoft only rarely went after them. In at least some cases the sole reason they hired talent was to silence them (Mark Russinovich I'm looking at you) not to benefit from them.
Their search engine effort is notorious for the lack of inside experts, and the person in charge is, as best as I understand, a non-techie.