Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

"Sources in position to know tell AllThingsD that Barra recently tendered his resignation, but that it came before a recent personal situation related to the end of a romantic relationship he had with another Googler, and is unrelated. That Googler is now seeing the company’s co-founder Sergey Brin. As AllThingsD reported earlier today, Brin has split with his wife, and is in that new relationship."

Whoa. Doesn't that seems like weirdly intimate details that really didn't need to be mentioned in a published article?



In this case, I think the personal details are relevant. The premise of this article raises the question, "Why him? Why resign? Why now?", which, if you're operating completely from the business/professional mindset, leads you to wonder if something is wrong in the Android shop.

But if he left because of an uncomfortable personal situation, then that is highly relevant to onlookers, because it removes unwarranted questions about the state of Android at Google.


But didn't the article note that the salacious details were irrelevant immediately after introducing them?

And if the suggestion is that perhaps personal issues nevertheless were a factor, then they still could have done without most of that gossipy detail.

It's distasteful, no excuses.


I sort of agree, but on the other hand it's definitely relevant in terms of why he might have left Google.

Plus, gossip sells.


I'm surprised it wasn't the lede.


Links to another AllThingsD article, x2 the ad revenue from the reader.




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: