Comments on: Ends and Beginnings http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/ News, Views, Subterfuge Mon, 08 Mar 2010 05:18:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Former Levanta employee http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Former Levanta employee Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:51:43 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-154 The comment below is from another blog. But it is sooooooooooooooo true !!!! Very typical of the cast of characters at Levanta, but THIS one, man, this one stands out. No wonder the company went under.... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Another former Levana employee | Apr 8 2008 9:39AM GMT Hello, I am a former Levanta employee who was also laid off recently. Michael Perry’s comments above on the company’s management style (”You simply cannot run the company like its your personal kingdom”) are sooo true. As another example of the general approach and attitude of the senior management there, I think everyone there vividly remembers the absolutely nightmarish experience during the time a Swiss guy be the name of Beat Knecht ran the marketing group a few years back. Since then, this name has become synonymous with apocalypse and nigthmare throughout the company. Although he is just one of several examples, he clearly stands out. He not only thought he was above the laws of space and time, as quoted above, he actually thought he was as good as god. In reality, he was the most arrogant, condescending jerk people there have ever met in their entire lives. He was delusional and completely out of touch with reality. For example, at one point he wrote a memo to the entire company on a change in direction of the company. It came completely out of the blue; nobody was prepared, not even the CEO. When he was done sending the email, he walked around the office, and just said, “I (!) have now re-programmed the company,” and then left to go home — at three in the afternoon. We were all shocked. The email contained “instructions,” group by group. Until then, I didn’t know that employees were there to be “re-programmed” by HIM. Was it the team? No. Was it the leadership who ran the company? No. Was it the CEO? Nope. It was HIM who dared “re-programming” us all via email. We all thought this was absolutely hilarious. Just hilarious, but also very sad. He obviously though he was some kind of Jesus whose mission was to save us mere mortals from the evils of this world. At the end, we all had to laugh out loud in total awe and disbelief. What a moron. We wanted to tell him that it may be a good idea to take a communications class, but then we decided that this would do more harm than good. The comment below is from another blog. But it is sooooooooooooooo true !!!!
Very typical of the cast of characters at Levanta, but THIS one, man, this one stands out. No wonder the company went under….

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Another former Levana employee | Apr 8 2008 9:39AM GMT

Hello, I am a former Levanta employee who was also laid off recently. Michael Perry’s comments above on the company’s management style (”You simply cannot run the company like its your personal kingdom”) are sooo true.

As another example of the general approach and attitude of the senior management there, I think everyone there vividly remembers the absolutely nightmarish experience during the time a Swiss guy be the name of Beat Knecht ran the marketing group a few years back. Since then, this name has become synonymous with apocalypse and nigthmare throughout the company. Although he is just one of several examples, he clearly stands out. He not only thought he was above the laws of space and time, as quoted above, he actually thought he was as good as god. In reality, he was the most arrogant, condescending jerk people there have ever met in their entire lives. He was delusional and completely out of touch with reality. For example, at one point he wrote a memo to the entire company on a change in direction of the company. It came completely out of the blue; nobody was prepared, not even the CEO. When he was done sending the email, he walked around the office, and just said, “I (!) have now re-programmed the company,” and then left to go home — at three in the afternoon. We were all shocked. The email contained “instructions,” group by group. Until then, I didn’t know that employees were there to be “re-programmed” by HIM. Was it the team? No. Was it the leadership who ran the company? No. Was it the CEO? Nope. It was HIM who dared “re-programming” us all via email. We all thought this was absolutely hilarious. Just hilarious, but also very sad. He obviously though he was some kind of Jesus whose mission was to save us mere mortals from the evils of this world. At the end, we all had to laugh out loud in total awe and disbelief. What a moron. We wanted to tell him that it may be a good idea to take a communications class, but then we decided that this would do more harm than good.

]]> By: Open source pioneer Levanta goes out of business? - Enterprise Linux Log http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-136 Open source pioneer Levanta goes out of business? - Enterprise Linux Log Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:04:18 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-136 [...] is answering the phones, and a press release has yet to be issued; but on the Mikes Thoughts blog former Levanta Senior Director of Services Michael Perry said that the writing is on the wall. He shared a teary-eyed reminiscence of his time at the 9-year old Linux venture: Levanta is gone [...] [...] is answering the phones, and a press release has yet to be issued; but on the Mikes Thoughts blog former Levanta Senior Director of Services Michael Perry said that the writing is on the wall. He shared a teary-eyed reminiscence of his time at the 9-year old Linux venture: Levanta is gone [...]

]]> By: Mikes Thoughts · Three Years Later… http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Mikes Thoughts · Three Years Later… Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:06:32 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-135 [...] commented on and read and linked and relinked and reread. I have had a few posts with comments like my take on Linuxcare and Levanta and its passing. That’s cool! In fact, a number of old friends posted comments to the [...] [...] commented on and read and linked and relinked and reread. I have had a few posts with comments like my take on Linuxcare and Levanta and its passing. That’s cool! In fact, a number of old friends posted comments to the [...]

]]> By: Richard Morrell http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Richard Morrell Wed, 28 May 2008 06:27:43 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-134 Sorry its real early - meant LaDuke - brainfart Sorry its real early – meant LaDuke – brainfart

]]> By: Richard Morrell http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Richard Morrell Wed, 28 May 2008 06:27:13 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-133 I am grateful to Linuxcare. For starters I got to work with this big guy with the heart of a bear called Mr Michael Perry, I got to bounce off DuncanM, Dave Sifry and Messrs Tyde and LaTyde. I got to see how to build datacenters badly and how to spot a bluffer from 200 yards (Doug). To be around pre IPO f*ckup and to see how a company could grow and become almost a cancer that would eat itself outside the care and remit of the founders wishes once the VC monkeys essentially screwed it into the ground. I second Arts comments entirely. If I hadn't worked at Linuxcare I'd never have created and founded Smoothwall. Because of Linuxcare I refused $23m of VC money and founded entirely on revenue and ongoing profit and by doing so made more money in year one than both Linuxcare and Levanta ever banked. Eight years on with over 400 commercial partners and multimillion pound revenues it still dwarfs both Linuxcare / Levanta and unfortunately Sputnik which I had such great hopes for (and still do). I am grateful to Linuxcare. For starters I got to work with this big guy with the heart of a bear called Mr Michael Perry, I got to bounce off DuncanM, Dave Sifry and Messrs Tyde and LaTyde. I got to see how to build datacenters badly and how to spot a bluffer from 200 yards (Doug). To be around pre IPO f*ckup and to see how a company could grow and become almost a cancer that would eat itself outside the care and remit of the founders wishes once the VC monkeys essentially screwed it into the ground. I second Arts comments entirely.

If I hadn’t worked at Linuxcare I’d never have created and founded Smoothwall. Because of Linuxcare I refused $23m of VC money and founded entirely on revenue and ongoing profit and by doing so made more money in year one than both Linuxcare and Levanta ever banked. Eight years on with over 400 commercial partners and multimillion pound revenues it still dwarfs both Linuxcare / Levanta and unfortunately Sputnik which I had such great hopes for (and still do).

]]> By: Don McLaughlin http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Don McLaughlin Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:36:43 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-104 I worked for Levanta for about 14 months from 2005 to 2007; I just don't think they had what it takes. There were some smart people there, but not much direction. It's unfortunate really, they had a very good product. I worked for Levanta for about 14 months from 2005 to 2007; I just don’t think they had what it takes.
There were some smart people there, but not much direction. It’s unfortunate really, they had a very good product.

]]> By: Levanta Intrepid @ M@Blog http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-103 Levanta Intrepid @ M@Blog Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:59:49 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-103 [...] [UPDATE: Levanta is toast]. [...] [...] [UPDATE: Levanta is toast]. [...]

]]> By: Arthur Tyde http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-96 Arthur Tyde Sun, 06 Apr 2008 12:16:43 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-96 Well, I would not encourage anyone to talk to the press. What's the real upside? Linuxcare, pre-VC takeover was a great company with lots of potential. At least we were masters of our own ship. By the time it became big, ugly, and all about the IPO exit any resemblance between the company we founded and the company we found ourselves working for was gone. Still though, we pioneered the Linux services industry. We were all part of the single largest validation that allowed Linux to go mainstream. When Linuxcare was founded - there were still people at IBM facing disciplinary action or termination for loading non-IBM or non-Microsoft operating systems on IBM company hardware. The world certainly has changed... Well, I would not encourage anyone to talk to the press. What’s the real upside? Linuxcare, pre-VC takeover was a great company with lots of potential. At least we were masters of our own ship. By the time it became big, ugly, and all about the IPO exit any resemblance between the company we founded and the company we found ourselves working for was gone. Still though, we pioneered the Linux services industry. We were all part of the single largest validation that allowed Linux to go mainstream. When Linuxcare was founded – there were still people at IBM facing disciplinary action or termination for loading non-IBM or non-Microsoft operating systems on IBM company hardware. The world certainly has changed…

]]> By: Michael Perry http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-95 Michael Perry Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:07:06 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-95 Indeed Steven and others they have gone under. As of 1 April 08 they closed their doors and severed the staff relationships. Levanta's website still answers but its a story of "the lights are on but no one is home". I don't know why they have not done a press release other than there may be no one left there to do one. I got this information from a colleague there who was directly affected by the change. Sorry for the delay in posting this. Mike Indeed Steven and others they have gone under. As of 1 April 08 they closed their doors and severed the staff relationships. Levanta’s website still answers but its a story of “the lights are on but no one is home”. I don’t know why they have not done a press release other than there may be no one left there to do one. I got this information from a colleague there who was directly affected by the change.

Sorry for the delay in posting this.

Mike

]]> By: Steven Vaughan-Nicho http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/comment-page-1/#comment-94 Steven Vaughan-Nicho Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:42:59 +0000 http://lnxpowered.org/2008/03/31/ends-and-beginnings/#comment-94 Since Levanta isn't answering its phones--funny that--I was wondering if you had anything more to say about it kicking the bucket. Or, anyone who was more recently there, and might be willing to talk to a pesky journalist. Thanks in advance for any help. Steven Since Levanta isn’t answering its phones–funny that–I was wondering if you had anything more to say about it kicking the bucket. Or, anyone who was more recently there, and might be willing to talk to a pesky journalist.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Steven

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