Thus Spaketh Idd Salim

A tough decision, for a tough coder. Google comes calling!

by on Jul.23, 2010, under Google and Africa, Personal

To Google or not to Google. That is the questionWell, yesterday, as always, I was just hacking some network that a certain client had authorized me to do medium-risk penetration testing on and I got an SMS. ‘new email from google’.

Normally, I have configured my SMS deamons powered by www.tumasms.com to only alert me (via sms) on emails from Mike of Zim, Mbugua, Zunguka Home, Server FAM and Disk Monitors and My wifey (only if the email contains keywords like emergency, baby, hospital and sick). Of course, this list changes every week. But somehow, my metaheuristics code deemed the google email as *important*.

So I switched windows and read the email and BAM! It was an enquiry from google as to whether Idd Salim would be interested to work for them, giving me a choice of Dublin, London or Zurich as my residence.

The dilemma

Alot of my friends, ‘students’, mentors and twitter followers see me as a classic case of a hustler who hopefully can prove that a Kenyan Enterprenuer can come from NOTHING to SOMETHING via code. We don’t have the funding of the facebooks of this world, so our best brains always turn into code-for-food gurus who hustle to pay for server bills, rather that sit and code! Most ‘investors’ we meet are just talkers, jokers, greedy, vultures, old-school or a combination of the 5.

I always advice people on how they should never give up on their cause and that I will personally do my CSR to make sure their code is more profitable, e.g. via APIs like for TumaSMS and pay.Zunguka and advice.

“Google has big tits like Pam and as hot as Hale Berry. When she turns her head your side, you BETTER be ready to embrace the chance with open arms and open legs. This is a once in a lifetime chance.”, Said Jack, My Accountant. “Respond positively to Google’s email.” He said.

“You need to move a step up, Salim. At the current state, you are better off getting a serious permanent job because this Kenyan Hassle Bull*#@t has no fruits. You could have been VERY FAR right now were it not for this self-employment crap. It does not work in Kenya. Not unless the government does something to support the BEST coders. You have the brains, but as long as you have to worry about rent and milk every month, then you will not exploit your full potential!”, Adviced Buju, angrily.

I am confused.

Back to code!

:, ,

  • Teddymwas

    wee fala sana come i will advice you on way forward over a game of pool …. hehehe

  • Jack Nyamwaya

    You & you alone being the wearer of the shoe would know whether it is too tight, an exact fit or too large……………..may you arrive at the right decision…………….

  • http://twitter.com/smartemwa james mwai

    Indeed its a tough decision. I'd say you sit back and do your maths well. For somebody with a company and a family that looks upon you and considering that Google is one of the best places for hackers to work in the world, It's indeed a tough decision to make. But just know the fact that they contacted you doesn't mean that you already have an offer although it gives you an upper hand over the other thousands of people who send their resumes to Google everyday. You still have to go through some of the most mind boggling interviews ever. You have to be good in core computer science concepts; think algorithms, Big O notation, data structures, discrete maths and most importantly your problem solving skills.
    I have failed on two Google interviews one of them being an internship and i had to be interviewed over the phone by different engineers from London, Zurich, mountain view, New York and Dublin and each one lasted for about an hour…. But it was a great experience talking to some of the brightest engineers in the world. To me even if I didn't make it, I came out stronger than ever every time. It was a great learning experience.
    All the best man!!!!

  • iddsalim

    U free today?

  • iddsalim

    Mpaka naogopa. This weekend ni mbuku tu… mbuku tu…

  • Dan Githua

    go for it dude. besides the obvius cash (sure you need) you have an opportunuty to interact with arguably the best minds in the game…and who knows you could later return a more avid and commercial coder….and open doors for many more

  • iddsalim

    Wazi sonko. Acha tuone.

  • http://twitter.com/Afrowave Afrowave

    Walalala! First, now that the wifey knows, my friend, you WILL go! Can you see it in her eyes? And the opportunity for the toi, oh, sorry toiz? Its ego-building, swagger-running, pocket-filling and chest-thumping once-in-a-lifetime email. You pump your fist into the air … YES!!

    But … the lights dim, the cheers die out, the crowd goes home, the silence comes in … the truth as you know it begins its whisper…

    You have just past the “mûkuru” of brokeness, entered the lands where people want your opinion on how to make it. Vijana wa mtaa, now call you “mbuyu” and “gota” you with respect. You are in charge of the family and can dictate the growth forward.

    In a few years, being surrounded in by white faces, who in secret say how Google is helping your life, “Idd, Idd who?” “Did you say Idi” Others will say that if it wasn't for Google … google …. gurgle….

    The sickness for home, the edginess of Nairobi will haunt you. Every time you pass by home, a little of you dies.

    And then 10 years from now, you'll ask yourself as you stare into your toiz' eyes and say, “I worked for the larget Internet company in the world. My child, I want you to be better than me”. Then the “I want you to live the life I should have” begins … again. Then the Toi says, in a slight majuu accent, “Daddy, what is it?

    Mûrûme, with Google, you'll be be another tough African Hacker, and doors will open. Soon you will stop hacking, and begin to manage hackers. And you'll make loads of cash. Some of your partners might fill betrayed, but hey, its life… isn't it?

    Or, if you stay, the “haters” will tell you that foolishness doesn't look good on you. The clever ones will say, “You are either very brave or very stupid, only the end will tell.”

    East Africa is here for the taking, M-Pesa, Ushahidi … p.Z? You may actually become mega-filthy rich, just maybe. But the journey will be totally yours .. no one else's.

    The clock ticks … the dice rolls … and then … stops.

  • iddsalim

    And I thought I could blog…

  • devil

    sell. out.

  • Bankelele

    Tough call; a better pay package and more learning & experience make it an irresistible offer (they obviously know your stuff to make you an offer) would be good, but corporate walls may also stifle you (even at google)

  • iddsalim

    ndio noma mzee…

  • iddsalim

    ha!! Thus spaketh the devil!

  • Kalekachali

    Am really happy for you. Don't let that opportunity knock on the door and find nobody home. All the best and congratulations.

  • iddsalim

    thegyo! acha tujaribu…

  • Emile

    nice.

  • Alwova

    Chief go for it…it is said only fools cant change there mind(*ur not one*)…it wont be a mistake for sure ..but if some idiots courtesy of there idoicy thinks otherwise and laugh at it…you know only fools laugh at mistakes..i know yes you can…decision is yours

  • Kelidel

    Idd, there is one thing that I think is in your core. The need to build a legacy.

    Corporates don't allow you to do that. You will be a staff id number in an office created by another legacy maker, relevant to them only when it suits them. Mark my words, when they have sapped out the coding juice running through your veins, you are going to be riding on the 'what ifs' lane.

    Don't give up your dream for pocket change. That is what it will be like to you when you will see what guys will be doing with the fuel you have fanned.

  • http://soloincc.blogspot.com solloh

    they will sap your hacking talents, give u some crazy applications to hack and u will feel mzuri, end months will find u smiling always, but the bottom line is that u will have to play ball else they shove u out. but as long as u play nice(and at times not so nice as they will allow) u may be set…

    tough decision dude…

  • http://twitter.com/mambenanje mambenanje

    dont take it…you are proud of Africa and want to show the younger generation that they can make it from Africa

    take it…you doubt the future you are building with your current company…weigh the risk and rewards of the current company(financially) and also the sell out strategy

    whatever…the final decision maker is you

  • Pingback: The metamorphosis from a programmer to a coder « Thus Spaketh Idd Salim

Looking for something?

Use the form below to search the site:

Still not finding what you're looking for? Drop a comment on a post or contact us so we can take care of it!

Kenyan Blogs Webring Member

Possibly related


Blogroll

A few highly recommended websites...

Archives

All entries, chronologically...