Harassment: ASML, near-shoring "productivity" hacks

This post describes the organizational and abusive shitshow at ASML concerning the near-shoring hires that were originally loaded up in droves, initially to work at a Dutch ASML location, and later also for 50%-50% remote work.

Way of working

Let’s first go through some considerations with regard to the way-of-working when remote teams or remotely located people are involved. This was roughly the way-of-working in our case. Most of it should be obvious. Essentially, we’re working with and around the restrictions that are imposed by circumstances of having team-members in remote locations. In this case, specifically the near-shoring country of origin.

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On Design vs Architecture

As mentioned in interim: impersonal feedback, I originally started writing this post on 2019-07-09.

An outline of the fundamental differences between architecture and design. How to distinguish between the two? What is the impact when one - unintentionally, or at least it should be - influences the other?

Defining the boundary

First, we need to be clear on what the boundary is between architecture and design. All too often, this is not clear and instead is being argued by “reasonable influence” or “undesirable situation” whether or not something is or is not part of architecture. Way too often, does architecture unnecessarily influence (e.g. restrict) design and as a consequence quality of an application.

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Interim: impersonal feedback

Not not taking things personal

Let’s start with the obvious. The comment of “not taking things personal” is never, or should never be, about personal attacks that “supposedly” are freely allowed to be launched upon the “receiver” because the “receiver” should “just” accept all the crap thrown at them as-is. There are many varieties. One can often not argue that these comments are illegal, which is a different matter entirely. However, there is a very clear distinction between taking a personal, targeted comment personally, or taking any arbitrary comment as-if it is personal, or looking for a personal reason in an argument that refers merely to objective concerns.

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Analysis: are HOTP-based one-time passwords zero-knowledge proofs?

I found surprisingly little information on this topic. Even just searching for the terms “HOTP” and “zero-knowledge proof” resulted in very few entries. So I decided to evaluate this for myself. If it turns out bad or redundant, at least I spent some time investigating an interesting topic and learning why I was wrong. If it turns out to have some truth to it, it would be an interesting find. The post itself is likely more elaborate than strictly necessary due to also investigating Zero-Knowledge and related properties.

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Harassment: (re)normalizing expectations

When in a prolonged period of continuous attacks, it might be important to (re)normalize expectations of reasonable, normal, acceptable behavior and interaction. These memes and quotes helped me along the way, as concise nuggets of truth, wisdom or clarity of thought. Note that I do not claiming that all of them apply all the time, but they do help to set a reasonable base-line to compare one’s current situation against.

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Harassment: ASML, miscellaneous events

This post will be updated with additional stories as need arises. I will update the publication date and changelog (at the bottom) accordingly.

Following are a series of miscellaneous remarks and scenarios that didn’t quite fit in with the larger stories, or risked side-tracking the main story too much with all the tangents.

Clarification: documenting my experience

There have been several attacks on the validity of these harassment stories. I have no intention of making up stories. Furthermore, given the relentless, repeated attacks, certain people should find many recognizable elements in all of these stories. These are events as they occurred.

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Harassment: ASML, 2nd team: high-prio project

This story essentially embodies the remainder of the group-lead fuck-up story, told earlier. There may be some overlap, as it concerns the same project, though I try to focus on the content primarily. Chronologically, this follows up on the adventures in the first team.

Switching teams (cont’d)

As described at the end of first year, team one, I was “asked” to switch teams. That is, I was asked repeatedly, with both PO and group lead having ulterior motives to do so, even though others indicated it might not actually be a good idea. Then in the last days before and after reluctantly agreeing to switch teams, PO pushed and trolled with various snide remarks, making clear I was not wanted, at least according to him.

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Harassment: ASML, licensing (complete)

NOTE/CLARIFICATION the decision to make this information public did not come lightly. I have been under continuous, persistent attacks for 6 years (not counting the harassment and abusive practices at work), with no ability to any sensible form of communication, no resolution, no discourse, constant harassment and abusive behavior. There are numerous human rights violations and completely regard for any (sensible) rules of civilized society. I had, repeatedly, for years warned and set boundaries. Everything got ignored. Eventually, with the publishing of UX “Trojan horse” story, I set a deadline and also –with some slight delay for consideration– scheduled the post for the full licensing information, and announced the deadline. I have been transparent about all of this. They continued to completely disregard my human rights and any recognition of civilized society. The deadline passed. This post became public. Let me be clear about this: I feel absolutely zero shame, guilt or responsibility for exposing this information. Every option for resolution and reasonable treatment had long been exhausted. They chose this route (at the very least) 8 years ago.

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Harassment: ASML, UX Trojan horse

A “Trojan horse”. That’s roughly what it behaves like. It’s a stakeholder, but also with representation within each team. And these team members tend to push features in with cheap excuses instead of them being treated like any other stakeholder and having features introduced through (and in collaboration with) PO, with proper curation, prioritization and proper treatment among stakeholders. The following is more specifically about the complications that arise from this behavior.

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Harassment: ASML, 1st team: PO pushing features

important I did not want to finish this post. However, I keep being pushed into the same abusive process, over which I have no input, no control, no ability to verify or scrutinize. A process which interferes both locally, i.e. in my home town, and on the internet. Which abusive people time and again push me into without my constent, without acknowledgement, without checking. And that, the way it is presented to me, operates on mutually inconsistent and/or mutually exclusive rules, making it a never-ending process with no proper resolution. THIS CANNOT GO ON ANY LONGER. This post will be posted, hopefully the last, because even within an abusive inconsistent process they lied to justify continuing this, while I have VERY OFTEN, VERY EXPLICITLY indicated to stop. I believe I have been very patient with this going on for 6+ years while providing me with very little information – leaving me in the dark – and violating my rights all this time.

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