News - Google Campus opens in London

[HEXUS]

George talks it up.

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[crossy]

At the risk of sounding like a naysayer, there's a suspicion in my mind that "Silicon Roundabout" is sucking away funds that would have normally gone to similar "initiatives" in other places - e.g. there was the much touted "Silicon Glen" and I'm sure there was a Welsh equivalent at one point.

So yes, it's good news for London (and UK IT generally), but I'll only give a cheer when some of that "love" gets spread to other places! I still feel that this government is way too "London-centric" in it's views.

Of course if Google want to open a Scottish operation, then here's one guy that'd love the chance to put his c.v. in (not that I've got the slightest chance of a job offer from Google)

[Jonatron]

Silicon Roundabout, it's got rounded corners, which is a bit web 2.0 which is a bit 2007.

[cheesemp]

I agree with you crossy. Why London all the time. Its way to busy and hard to commute to/in - Why not a small town/city? Southampton for example (ok i'm biased) has several tech firms around (in out of town places like hedge end) so why not here or a similar place. I've just no interest in living or commuting to London so this campus is of no use to me.

[kopite]

Silicon Roundabout, it's got rounded corners, which is a bit web 2.0 which is a bit 2007.

Rounded corners you say?

Apple will be suing them any second now

On a serious note though it does seem another case of always london. Back in the Uk computer games industry hey day Liverpool had loads of big companies based there Including psygnosis now not so much

[crossy]

On a serious note though it does seem another case of always london. Back in the Uk computer games industry hey day Liverpool had loads of big companies based there Including psygnosis now not so much

Psygnosis - now there's a name I haven't heard in way too long. I had a t-shirt of theirs (a competition prize) until recently (missus threw it out). Ah, nostalgia ....

From what I understand, there's still an appreciable collection of video games companies in Dundee, there's a Rockstar office in Edinburgh, and of course there's Ubisoft Reflections in Newcastle.

Good to see that Osbourne managed to give the "creative industries" some tax breaks in the recent budget. (And no, I don't work in that industry!)

[Arthran]

there's either a Microsoft or Sony Office here in Milton Keynes (cant tell from the cryptic job adverts i've seen, but its definitely one of those 2).

But yeah, leave London and bring this kind of stuff to one of our better growth cities/large towns.

[OilSheikh]

Arthran, outside London, people live in mud huts, have no electricity, cook with sticks, ... am I right?


cheesemp, you are very funny. Difficult to commute in London? There's a bus stop every 5 mins. walk and in central London, there's an underground station every 10 mins. walk

[Mblaster]

I've just no interest in living or commuting to London so this campus is of no use to me.

But being in London makes it of use to as many people as possible, being one of the most densely populated areas, with some of the best public transport in the country.

[SiM]

London attracts some of the best talent in the world in all fields. Unfortunately, the same is not true for almost all other places in the country. Completely makes business sense for any multinational company not to stray too far from London.

If the London office is a success, we might see small offices opening up elsewhere in the UK, although it will take a few years.

[Hicks12]

agreed with crossy, its obvious why but its not helped by the government really wanting london to compete with silicon valley.

The government is so useless at helping businesses, its funny the the company i know are still in murkey waters with finance and the only way they seem to get funding (outside of government) is straight from the chinese government, they seem willing to throw millions to developments in the UK and even more at home, yet the UK wont spend a bit to help a UK business stay afloat when they have so many future techs that reduce costs massively for the government... odd.

They seem caught up in their own world really and ignore the rest of the country .

Regardless though, nice good... very nice building .

[cheesemp]

Arthran, outside London, people live in mud huts, have no electricity, cook with sticks, ... am I right?


cheesemp, you are very funny. Difficult to commute in London? There's a bus stop every 5 mins. walk and in central London, there's an underground station every 10 mins. walk

Have you been on a tube during rush hour? I currently communte 10 minutes in a car - I have little traffic and easy parking. Why would I trade that for the packed tube? Also I still stand by what I say - Why concentrate everything? It just causes more and more infrastructure issues in London while continuing to bleed all the high paying jobs from the rest of the country.

[OilSheikh]

Have you been on a tube during rush hour? I currently communte 10 minutes in a car - I have little traffic and easy parking. Why would I trade that for the packed tube? Also I still stand by what I say - Why concentrate everything? It just causes more and more infrastructure issues in London while continuing to bleed all the high paying jobs from the rest of the country.

Yup, I take the Central line every morning at 6-7. And, also take it home at 4. Can never sit but I can have verrryyy close moments with lot of ladies. I love the Tube!

[crossy]

London attracts some of the best talent in the world in all fields. Unfortunately, the same is not true for almost all other places in the country. Completely makes business sense for any multinational company not to stray too far from London.

I'm not going to get into the argument that "London is the centre of the universe, so you need to be here because everyone else is". Sure London has some of the leading financial folks, and Imperial (and others) are also "up with the hunt" in the computing field.
My issue is that there's other places in the country (cough, cough, Edinburgh) that also have excellent reputations in the computing field. Didn't I also hear that Manchester were also doing some wonderful work?

If the London office is a success, we might see small offices opening up elsewhere in the UK, although it will take a few years.

Not a chance, imho, they'll just keep ploughing the funds into this one - unless, of course, that crude buffoon Johnson loses the mayoral race. (I'm in full cynic mode this morning)

Yup, I take the Central line every morning at 6-7. And, also take it home at 4. Can never sit but I can have verrryyy close moments with lot of ladies. I love the Tube!

Damn you, I never thought of that (slaps forehead). Of course you can do that elsewhere - but I think if you try it on SPT (Glasgow) then you'll get more than you bargain for. (i.e. a kiss from Glasgow of the non-pleasant variety)