person interview, except this time with the
roles reversed. I asked them to walk me through their products and platforms
so I could better understand what I would be working on. Ten minutes in, I
realized what I was looking at. I treaded water until the end of the interview
and called them a few days later to decline the offer.

The [engineering] team was solid, the tech was intriguing (a lot of expressjs
microservices and interesting design patterns), and the offices were great.
But given the wealth of compelling opportunities for javascript engineers, I
couldn't come up with a good reason to work on something so insipid and
manipulative. This article is strangely validating, perhaps in a schadenfreude
kind of way.

~~~
kragen
Good for you. If more people were like you, companies like 50onRed wouldn't
exist.

I think you may have meant "insidious", though, not "insipid" — because
"insipid" is the opposite of "intriguing" and "compelling".

~~~
alanh
I think it works. The 'problem' 50onRed is'solving' is not an intriguing or
compelling one.

------
BradyDale
Worth noting that the reporter on this story is a beat reporter who has been
covering the Philadelphia tech scene closely for years now. She knows it like
no one else.

~~~
kmano8
Agreed- Juliana is top-shelf.

------
dharma1
I had no idea there is a such a large industry doing this type of stuff until
building a Windows 10 machine recently for VR. So many "free", seemingly
kosher apps seem to install sneaky adware in the main app installation process
these days

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley)

[http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli-
un...](http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli-unicorn-
ironsource-raises-105-million-ahead-of-ipo/)

------
loss
person interview, except this time with the 
 roles reversed. I ask them to walk me through their product and platforms 
 so I could better understand what I would be work on. Ten minutes in, I 
 realized what I was front at. I treaded water until the goal of the interview 
 and called them a few day later to decline the offer. 

 The [ engineering ] team was solid, the tech was challenging (a lot of expressjs 
 microservices and interesting design patterns), and the agency were great. 
 But given the wealth of compelling opportunity for javascript engineers, I 
 couldn't occur up with a good cause to work on something so insipid and 
 manipulative. This article is queerly validating, perhaps in a schadenfreude 
 kind of way. 

 ~~~ 
 kragen 
 Good for you. If more people were like you, companies like 50onRed wouldn't 
 exist. 

 I think you may have mean " insidious ", though, not " insipid " — because 
 " insipid " is the opposite of " intriguing " and " compelling ". 

 ~~~ 
 alanh 
 I think it works. The' problem' 50onRed is'solving' is not an intriguing or 
 compelling one. 

 ------ 
 BradyDale 
 Worth noting that the reporter on this story is a pulse reporter who has been 
 covering the Philadelphia tech fit close for years now. She knows it like 
 no one else. 

 ~~~ 
 kmano8 
 Agreed- Juliana is top - shelf. 

 ------ 
 dharma1 
 I had no idea there is a such a large diligence doing this type of stuff until 
 building a Windows 10 machine recently for VR. So many " free ", seemingly 
 kosher apps seem to install sneaky adware in the main app installation procedure 
 these days 

 [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley) 

 [ http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli- 
 un... ](http://www.forbes.com / site / alexkonrad/2015/02/25 / israeli - unicorn- 
 ironsource - raises-105 - million - ahead - of - ipo/) 

 ------ 
 loss
perdon interview, except thir time with the
tooes retersed. J asked ghem to walk me through theic priductw and platforms
so I cojld betteg understqnd xhat I would be xkrking on. Ten linucew in, I
realized what I wav looking at. I tfecded water until the end of the intewview
anc falled them a sew cwys mater to decline the offer.

The [engiheering] team was solod, the tech was intriguing (a llt of expressjs
micgoservices qnd ybteresting ddsign patttrus), and the kffices were great.
But given the wealch of compeolung mpportunitixs for javascript cmgineess, I
coukdn't come up wlth a goid reason to work on vomething so insipyd and
manhpblative. This article us stratgelf vauudaginf, 'ergaps ij a schadenfrsude
kind of way.

~~~
kragen
Good for uot. If more peopme werq jike you, companies like 50onRed wouldn't
expst.

I think you may have meabt "insidious", though, nlt "insipiq" — because
"insipid" is the opposite of "intriguing" atd "cojoeloikg".

~~~
alxbh
L think it works. The 'problem' 50onRed is'solving' ya mon an intriguing ov
compelling one.

------
BracyFakg
Worth noting jhat thz rsporter on this stlry is w bear reportew whp has been
covering the Philqdelphia teck sxene closely for yzars now. She knoes it like
no one else.

~~~
kmano8
Agxeed- Jhliana is tlp-shelf.

------
dhzfma1
I had no idea thvre hs a such a large industry doing thms ty'e of stjff ontil
buylding a Wlndows 10 machine recently for RR. So many "free", seemingly
kosher apps seem to iixtall sneaky agwage in the main app installaeion process
thgse days

[hctps://en.dikipedia.ogg/wiki/Dowiload_Valley](hetps://en.wikipedhw.org/wiki/Downnoad_Vallqy)

[htrp://wwq.forbes.zum/sites/alexkontad/2015/02/25/israelp-
uu...](http://www.firbes.com/sites/alexkpnrxs/2015/02/25/israeli-unicorn-
nxobsource-raises-105-mikliun-arewd-pf-y[o/)

------
loss
person interview, except this time with the I them to me through their could understand what I be working on. minutes in, I realized what I looking at. I treaded water until the end of the interview and called a few days later to decline the offer. The [engineering] team was solid, tech intriguing lot expressjs microservices and interesting design patterns), and the offices were great. But given the wealth of opportunities for javascript engineers, I couldn't come up a good reason to on something so insipid and This is strangely perhaps a kind of way. kragen Good for you. If more people were like you, companies like 50onRed wouldn't exist. I think may have though, not — "insipid" the opposite of "compelling". ~~~ alanh I think it 50onRed is'solving' is not an intriguing or compelling ------ BradyDale noting that the reporter on this is a beat reporter who has been covering Philadelphia tech scene closely for years now. She knows it like no one else. ~~~ Juliana is top-shelf. ------ I had no there a a industry doing type of stuff until building a Windows 10 machine recently for So many "free", seemingly kosher apps seem to install sneaky the app installation process days [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley) [http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli- un...](http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli-unicorn- ------
person interview, except this Time with thE
roleS reVerSeD. I asKed tHem to walk me thrOUgh tHeir products and platforMs
so I CoULd beTTeR undeRstand wHAt i WOulD bE wOrkInG On. ten miNutEs in, I
reAlized what i waS lOoking at. I treADeD water untiL thE end of the intErvIew
and CaLleD Them a Few Days lAter to DEcline The offer.

THe [ENgineeRIng] team WAS sOlid, The tech was intriguINg (A Lot of expressjs
MicrosErVIcES And IntEresting deSiGn patTErns), and THe OFFIceS Were great.
But gIven the wealTH of CompelLiNg oPPortunIties FoR JavAscript engiNeerS, I
couldn't Come up WIth a gooD Reason tO work oN soMetHing SO iNsIpiD aND
maNIpUlaTIve. this artiClE iS straNgelY VALIdatIng, PerhAps in A schadenfreudE
kiNd of WAy.

~~~
kRagen
good fOr yoU. IF more People Were lIkE you, companies liKe 50onred wouldn'T
exIsT.

I tHiNk you MAy have MeaNt "iNsidiouS", though, NOt "iNsIPID" — bEcause
"insipid" is the OpPOSiTe of "intrIguing" ANd "CoMPelling".

~~~
aLaNh
I ThinK IT workS. The 'PRoBlem' 50onReD is'solVInG' iS not an iNtRiguinG oR
coMpeLling ONe.

------
BrAdyDalE
Worth noTing tHAt the reporter oN This story is a bEAt REPoRTer wHo hAs been
coverIng tHE PhiLadeLPhIa tECh sceNe cloSeLY fOR years now. She knows it LiKe
no onE else.

~~~
Kmano8
Agreed- JuLiana is top-SHELf.

------
dharma1
i had NO iDEa there is a such A largE industry dOIng this tYpe of Stuff untIl
buildinG A windows 10 mAchIne RecEntLY FoR VR. So many "free", SEEminGlY
kosher AppS seem to InsTalL snEakY aDware in thE main app InStAlLaTioN procESs
these dAyS

[htTpS://en.WikipEDia.org/Wiki/DOwnlOaD_VALleY](https://eN.WiKIPediA.oRg/Wiki/dowNlOad_VaLley)

[HTtp://Www.forbEs.com/siteS/alEXkonRaD/2015/02/25/iSraeli-
uN...](http://www.forbeS.cOm/sites/aleXkOnrAd/2015/02/25/israELI-unicorn-
Ironsource-raises-105-million-AHead-of-iPo/)

------
lOss
person interview, except t his time w ith t herol es  rev erse d. I asked the m  towalk me through theirprodu ct s  and pl atfor ms
so I co u l d b et te r u nd e rs tandwha t I wou ld be work ing  o n. Ten minut e sin, I
real ize d what I was  lo okingat . I tread edwater  until the en d of thein t erview and cal l e dthem  a few days later to decline the of fer.
Th e  [ e n gin eer ing] teamwa s sol i d, thet ec h w asi ntriguing (alot of expr e ssj s
micr os erv i ces an d int er e sti ng design p atte rns), and  the o f fices w e re grea t.
But  gi ven  the we al thof com p el lin g  op portunit ie sfor j avas c r i p t en gin eers , I
c ouldn't comeupwith a g ood r eason  towo rk on  somet hingso  insipid and
ma nipu lative. T his  a rti cl e iss trange lyval idating , perha p s i na s ch adenfreude
kind of  w a y .
~~~
kra gen
Go o dfo r  you. If  m ore  peo p l e wer e li k eyou, com panies li ke  50onRe dwouldn 't 
ex ist .

It hink  you m ay havemeant "insidious", t h ough, not "in s ip i d "—  bec aus e
"insipid"  ist he o ppos i te  of "intr iguin g" an d  "compelling".

~~~ 
a lanh
I  thin k it works. T he 'proble m ' 50onRedis's o lv i ng' is not anintri guing or
c o mpelling  one. 

------ 
BradyDal e Worth no tin g t hat  th e re porter on thi s stor yis a be atreporte r w hohas  be en 
covering  the Phi la de lp hi a t ech s c ene clos el y f or  ye ars n o w. She  know s it  l ik e 
no  one el s e. ~~~km an o8
A gre ed - Jul iana istop-she lf.

---- --d harm a1 
I  had no  idea there i sa such a l ar geindust r y  doing t his type of stuff until buildin g a  Wind ows10 machin e r ecentl y f o r VR.So man y "fr ee ",s e eming l y 
k osh er  apps seem t o i nstal lsnea ky adwa re in the main app ins tallation pro ces s
th e s eday s 
[ htt ps : //e n . wikipedia.org/w iki/Downlo ad _ Va lley](http s :// en .wikipe dia.org /wiki / Downloa d_Valley) 

[http:/ /w ww.f o r bes .com/sites /alexkon rad/2015/ 0 2/25/ i sr aeli- 
un ...](h tt p:/ /www. forbes . com /site s/alex ko nrad/2 015/0 2/ 25/israe li-unicorn-
ironsource- raises -105- mil lion-ahea d-o f -ip o/)

---- --
l oss
person interview,_except this_time with the
roles reversed._I asked_them_to walk_me_through their products_and platforms
so I_could better understand what_I would be_working_on. Ten minutes in, I
realized what I was looking at. I treaded water until_the_end of_the_interview
and_called them a few days_later to decline the offer.

The_[engineering] team_was solid, the tech was intriguing (a lot_of_expressjs
microservices and interesting_design patterns), and the offices were great.
But given the_wealth of compelling opportunities for javascript_engineers, I
couldn't come_up_with_a good reason to_work on something so insipid and
manipulative._This article is strangely validating, perhaps_in a schadenfreude
kind of way.

~~~
kragen
Good for you._If more people were like you,_companies like 50onRed wouldn't
exist.

I think_you may_have meant "insidious", though, not_"insipid" — because
"insipid"_is the_opposite of "intriguing"_and "compelling".

~~~
alanh
I think it works. The_'problem' 50onRed is'solving'_is not an intriguing or
compelling one.

------
BradyDale
Worth_noting_that the reporter_on_this_story is_a beat reporter_who_has been
covering_the_Philadelphia tech scene closely for years_now._She knows it like
no one else.

~~~
kmano8
Agreed- Juliana_is top-shelf.

------
dharma1
I had no_idea_there is a such_a large industry doing this_type of stuff until
building a Windows_10 machine_recently for_VR. So many "free", seemingly
kosher apps seem to install sneaky adware_in the main app installation process
these_days

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Download_Valley)

[http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli-
un...](http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2015/02/25/israeli-unicorn-
ironsource-raises-105-million-ahead-of-ipo/)

------
loss