●● IRC: #techbytes @ Techrights IRC Network: Monday, April 13, 2026 ●●
● Apr 13
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	"> IRCnow
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	Oh, thank you! I hadn't heard of them before I'll
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	definitely check them out. I don't think any of our
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	members have used IRC before, so I'll see what they
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	think about adopting another communications platform.
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	> Due to economic woes, many nonprofits that did things for free could not endure and survive.
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	Yeah, that seems to be what happened to BoxyBSD. They
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	weren't really incorporated either at least per what
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	the founder told me so it's a bit disappointing to lose
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	out on a potential club sponsor and supporter. It's always
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	good to know we've got y'all in our corner, though. :-)
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	I'll reach out to Dr. Stallman once he gets back to see if he
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	knows of anyone or anything that could help us as a student club.
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	I cannot tell you enough how much I do NOT want to tell people
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	"Just get your student email verified and use the gratis Big
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	Tech tokens/credits."
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	> See LifeBoat Fdn.
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	> April 15: Richard Stallman to Speak at the University of Texas in Austin, Texas
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	Amazing! Dr. Stallman had mentioned the speaking offer when he was
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	down here in Atlanta, but neither of us was sure it would actually
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	come together. He did say he wanted to connect with more students
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	at UT Austin and explore getting another LibreTech Collective started
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	there though it sounds like LifeBoat may already be filling that role
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	for them. I've already shared your links with a few friends. I'm just now
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	hoping there will be a video recording of the event!
[07:49]	schestowitz[TR3]	"
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> Oh, and of course thank y'all for publishing!
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> You beat the FSF to publishing pics :-)
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> 
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> Ive already shared links with our members
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> to the Techrights articles covering our LibreLocal.
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> 
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> I will keep y'all posted since were currently in
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> talks with Apereo and Dr. Stallman for a collaboration
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	> of some kind.
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	We are busy doing a number of series.
[07:50]	schestowitz[TR3]	RMS series are not urgent ATM.
● Apr 13
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● Apr 13
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● Apr 13
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1knz0tr74
[19:06]		-TechBytesBot/#techbytes- ( status 403 @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1knz0tr74 )
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	""
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	I work with that site too, and its been an odd place for a good long while now. Most folks outside Albany already know it runs a little different, and just feels off. Its the kind of place where people see things, but tend to look the other way and keep quiet.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Same leaderships been there the whole time. A lot of the workforce is on visas, so folks dont feel too comfortable speakin up when something aint right. They worry about retaliation or losing their visa status. Leadership knows that they can leverage this power dynamic and it kind of steers the whole situation. Thats how things ended up like they are in Albany. And truth be told, there aint a whole lot they can do ab
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	out it.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	5 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 2 reactions (+2/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @hn+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	@dw IBM as one of the most ethical companies in the world ? You must have confused Corrupt IBM CEO Alvind with someone else. He has even overtaken Ginny when it comes to lying and sweeping the uncomfortable things at IBM under the carpet. Think Red Hat, of course.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	11 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 6 reactions (+6/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @gg+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Wait a minute! Doesnt IBM get recognized every year as one of the more ethical companies, and also land on lists like Forbes Worlds Best Employers 2025?
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	1 day ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 10 reactions (+10/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @dw+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	@dp
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	I am not an Albany employee, but I interact with the site for many years. I agree with this take, but Id add that a lot of what youre describing didnt just appear overnight. Its been there for a very long time. The difference now is that the conditions have changed enough to expose it.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	For years, the lack of layoffs and steady hiring masked deeper issues, organizational bloat, uneven accountability, and a culture that tolerated a lot as long as things looked stable on the surface. Now that the business is under pressure, those same structural problems are coming to the forefront all at once: layoffs, favoritism, questionable promotions, aggressive PIPs, and a sharp shift in tone.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	What feels like a sudden change is really a long-standing dynamic finally becoming visible. And I think employees, especially those whove been there a while, have simply had enough. The tolerance that existed during the good years is gone, and people are no longer willing to overlook the inconsistencies and cultural issues that were previously brushed aside.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Id also add that theres often been a relatively small group that seems to control much of the direction and benefit disproportionately from the sites activities, while the kinds of major, durable milestones that truly move the broader business forward never fully materialize. That disconnect is becoming harder to ignore now that results are under more scrutiny.
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	1 day ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 9 reactions (+9/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @dr+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	@dn it was a place with no layoffs (occasionally getting rid of low performers) and they overhired and arent doing well and had a large layoff and are suddenly putting lots on PIPs so its quickly become toxic. Maybe lots of IBM was already like that but this place rapidly changed is my understanding from the few years I worked there based on talking to people who had been there a long time
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	1 day ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 8 reactions (+8/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @dp+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Honest question....why does Albany pop up in many of these threads?
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	1 day ago by Anonymous
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 4 reactions (+4/-0) | Reply
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @dn+1knz0tr74
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	Did IBM settle so they wouldnt have to publish the demographic breakdowns with the company? Or of who was laid off?
[19:06]	schestowitz[TR3]	"
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	"also you have been warned it is meaningless so dont come crying with there is no reward for all this work
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	1 hour ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| no reactions | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @dj+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 -1 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	@d8 hey man if that makes you happy great! Good for you! Go for it!
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	2 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 1 reaction (+0/-1) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @d9+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 0 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	@d3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Nope just very motivated. I just completed another badge, and for this years Watson X challenge I am leading a team. That is how much I want to learn more
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	2 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| no reactions | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @d8+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 +2 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	@cz dude you must be a troll
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	3 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 2 reactions (+2/-0) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @d3+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 -2 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	@d0
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	I am going to be a band 7 this year, I can sense it.
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	3 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 2 reactions (+0/-2) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @d1+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 +1 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	@cz you are a slave and you are happy, no more words needed
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	4 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 1 reaction (+1/-0) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @d0+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 -5 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	I got mine and I had a great talk with my first line and he said next years can be larger
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	It's all about upskilling. This weekend I completed 10 more Think 40 hours
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	4 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 5 reactions (+0/-5) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @cz+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 +4 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	When fat pigs sit at a table, eating with no restrain, they make messes and drop crumbs on the ground. Little piggies can eat too.
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	That is IBM.
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	The feast will not last long, the fat pigs will seek other pastures to plunder. That is the life of pigs.
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	15 hours ago by Anonymous
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	| 4 reactions (+4/-0) | Reply
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	Post ID: @ay+1kp1vnzg3
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	 +1 
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	It was a percent of income. Like 3.5 if core and 7 if top and nothing if low. It was around there so way more than before for those not ranked low and they had to rank a minimum of one out of six low and a max of one out of six high
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	"
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	"
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	A friend of mine still with IBM said his was much more than expected. Did Alvind and the PipMunks get more charitable?
[19:07]	schestowitz[TR3]	"
[19:08]		-TechBytesBot/#techbytes- ( status 403 @ https://www.thelayoff.com/t/1kp1vnzg3 )
● Apr 13
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● Apr 13
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