Goodbye, CSS-Tricks!
I woke up yesterday to the news that DigitalOcean has cut a bunch of jobs from the payroll. It sounds like a pretty big wave, and yes, my job was lopped off with it.
This is my first rodeo with sweeping layoffs… or even losing a job. I always expected I’d feel devastated if something like this were to ever happen, but I’ve gotta admit it’s all good. Anyone who knows me well knows that I never have one job, but many eggs in a number of baskets. That might be influencing my feelings a wee smidge. I realize not everyone is in the same boat.
What’s actually weighing heaviest in my mind is CSS-Tricks. It’s the only reason I was at DigitalOcean in the first place. I’m sad that I’ll no longer be editing or writing for the site, and I’m still processing that I didn’t realize yesterday would be my last day with it. I no longer hold the keys to the castle and my digital fingerprints are being dusted off the door handles as I type.
Alas, things change. Goodbye, website. Goodbye, all you dang talented writers who let me mangle your words. Goodbye, all you typos from umpteen years ago that I can’t unsee and wake me up at 3 a.m. in a cold sweat.
I’m not crying. You’re crying.
But seriously, the pleasure of working with CSS-Tricks has been all mine. I still can’t believe I was ever paid to read drafts and diddle around with code… for eight years!
And, hey, if you’re still with me and reading this, there’s a small ocean of talented technical writers, editors, content strategists, and developers who are now looking for work. You can’t do much better than to pluck someone from that bunch if you’re in a hiring position.
(What am I up to? Of course, thanks for asking! I don’t know. I’m already working on my Master’s Degree in Education. I’m doing that to support the teaching I do — front-end development and WordPress development — at Long Beach City College and Front Range Community College. I still freelance a bit, so I guess I could bump that up a bit more if, perhaps, you want to reach out and work together. Let’s make something!)
Oh, and speaking of hiring, it appears DigitalOcean is still in full hiring mode if you’re in the market for work. Well, according to the signature in this auto-reply.
Long live CSS-Tricks! ????
393 Comments
You’re a part of Internet history! Sad to see this story end, but I wish you all the best ????
@geoff Thanks so much for your outstanding work, Geoff! It was a pleasure to work with you. Good luck with future projects and challenges!
@geoff Darn ????
all the best for the next adventure <3
@geoff What?? I was planning a lot of articles to work on them together ????
@geoff This is unfathomable. I’m sure you’ll find something amazing to do next, though.
Best of luck wherever you go from here, dude! Thanks for the help & encouragement that I got from you with regards to my CSS 3D obsession. It was per your suggestion that did in fact start blogging, & having tons of fun with it!
@geoff Quite sorry to hear this, but thankful to have been able to publish a couple articles with your help!The “We’re Hiring” amidst layoffs seems in quite poor taste but I can only hope your future in education will be all the more fulfilling!
@css I know, right buddy? Our little home might be gone (for now) but it made me a lot of the best friendships ever, you included. :)
@matuzo Right back at ya! You amaze the heck out of me on a daily basis, and I’m grateful that CSS-Tricks brought us together.
Best of luck! I appreciate you so much for the editing you did on the articles I contributed.
@geoff thank you Geoff for the amazing work you did on css-tricks all these years. I had a pleasure working with you on the couple of articles I wrote there.Good luck for your future projects. I’m sure you’ll do great.
@patrickbrosset Oh man, thanks for all YOUR work over the years. You know how excited I’d get any time I saw a draft with your name on it. :)
Take care and all the best!
All the best, Geoff ????????
Oh no, I was about to send off my article ????
@geoff I hope you will find a better place but I also hope they made a big mistake and will contact you shortly to have you back!In all the cases, good luck and I am sure we will re-work together in the future. ????
@geoff Your writing was a highlight of the site, Geoff! Your voice there will be sorely missed, but I’m excited to see/hear/read what’s next.
Sorry to hear about this, Geoff.
I wish you all the best in your future!
@geoff sorry to hear this. It was always a pleasure working with you. Your feedback was always on point and your energy unmatched. Best luck in your next endeavor, and hopefully we get to work together again (and more than last time).
@geoff So glad I had th chance to collaborate with you there – I’m a big fan, and hope we get to do it again someday. ????
@geoff Oh goodness. When I saw yesterday that docs teams were big cuts in the Digital Ocean layoffs, I thought that was a shame because they had such good server-config guides. I completely forgot that they now owned CSS-Tricks & it might be included. ????Best wishes for new adventures.
@geoff I’m so sorry, Geoff. Thank you for all you brought to it ????
@geoff end of an era! Thanks for all the hard work and support you gave us writers on that ol’ blog ????
All the best! ????
Best of luck my friend ❤️
It was a pleasure to collaborate with you.
It’s so refreshing to read such a positive words from you in this situation.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Oh, no. Glad to hear you’re landing on your feet, but so sad to hear CSS-Tricks will be losing a parent who has been raising it so lovingly.
I’m so sorry to hear this.
You have been such a pillar of that platform for so long and we all really appreciate that work! Thank you for all you’ve done for CSS-Tricks
Oh, no, what a huge loss for css-tricks ???? Wish you all the best, Geoff
So sad to hear this, you are an amazing editor an was such a pleasure to work with you. Wish you the best in what’s coming next!
So sad to hear about this! Leaving a job is never fun, but having something deciding that for yourself even less. Thank you for the work you have put on CSS-Tricks, for giving me the confidence that my content was worth being published on a website I have read with my junior developer eyes for year. All the best for your future!
@geoff I’m really sorry, man. This sucks. You’ll always be a tour de force of blogging.
@geoff I’m really sorry, Geoff. ???? But you were an indispensable part of something really special. A site that inspired us all on a daily basis and that has changed careers and lives. Your work made a real difference. Good luck with whatever comes next! ????
Good luck to you and it was a pleasure working with you on the articles I submitted.
Geoff,
It was a pleasure working with you on the two article I submitted and good luck in your next adventure!
Step 1: acquire website
Step 2: fire main person responsible for making said website great
Yes that seems like great business sense to me!
Am really sorry to hear that
Aw sheesh. Sorry to hear about this. I enjoyed our time writing together
Honestly, the best part of writing an article for @css was collaborating with you and @chriscoyier ????
Wish you the best buddy. And hey, I’ll be emailing you from time to time if you don’t mind????
This is actually sad to see. ????
The best part of writing there was getting to collaborate with you through these past few months I joined. I hope you find a better place, Geoff.
Thank you for all the editing you’ve done on my work and all the things I’ve learned from you.????
Thank you Geoff, and good luck!!
It’s been an honor Geoff.
Thank you for all your help on all my articles. I wish you the very best moving forward.
Hope we get another opportunity to work together again some day my friend.
@geoff so sorry to hear about this. I did one article with you and it was so fun. Hope you get something else lined up that is as enjoyable for you, on top of your other bits!
Oh man. :/ All the best Geoff, thanks for all your hard work! I always loved reading CSS Tricks and your recent notes! ????
I hate this. Sorry, I will miss working together. Hoping all the best for you ????
@css is destination zero to many who want to get through a front-end challenge quickly. Thanks for all the work on it.
On separate note, @digitalocean, are you in your mind today? What sense does it make to layoff a person who made the thing that is bringing you free ads daily!
@lofi I remember the article well! I still love that frosted glass technique. :) Thanks for rooting me and CSS-Tricks along all this time.
@matthiasott Gah, coming from you, that means the world, my friend! I’ll continue being one of your biggest fans. :)
@fonts Only because I learned from you! Seriously, the work we did together for all the years we got to do it is something I’m carrying with me wherever I go. I always read your posts when I start missing the golden days. ????
@andy Oh gosh, right back at you! You inspire and amaze me on a daily basis. True story. ????
@AmeliaBR It’s sorta like whiplash! You’re going full-steam one day and then come to a screeching halt the next morning. But, hey, I owe you a great deal of appreciation for all your contributions, insights, feedback, and just plain great collaboration over the years. I’ve always been a huge fan and will continue to be!
@mia I seriously hope we get to do that! I promise I’ll make it out to Denver to hang.
@alvaromontoro I’d take that opportunity in a heartbeat, man. Thanks so much for being a big support all these years — getting to work alongside folks like you is what made the whole experience worth it :)
@tylersticka No no no, YOUR writing is a highlight of the WEB! You don’t know how much your support means. I’m a huge fan, have been for years, and will always look forward to seeing your name on a byline. ????
@css Temani, my man! I know we’ll work together again. It feels weird knowing I won’t have one of your drafts on my desk this month. But, seriously, the rhythm we developed over the years is truly something special and you have never failed to amaze and inspire me with your unquenchable thirst for pushing CSS to its limits. ????
@geoff ????????
All the Best Geoff! I cherish the memories of working with you! Thank you for all your great work!
@geoff ????????
End of an era!!! Thank you for the job well done on CSS Tricks. I wish you best of luck with whatever you do next. ????
End of an era!!! Thank you for the job well done on CSS Tricks. I wish you best of luck with whatever you do next.
This seems like a boneheaded thing for DO to do. This will likely killed CSS-Tricks :(
Crazy, went down a Twitter rabbithole about the Digital Ocean news and found myself at an old Modern Tribe teammates blog! Cheers to the next phase my friend ????
As a newer dev, I have depended upon CSS Tricks articles for several years. This is very sad news. I am heartened by all of the comments and wish you the best of luck in your upcoming journey!
Sorry to hear this. You’re a great editor and collaborator, and CSS-Tricks won’t be the same now.
This sorry to hear this Geoff, but sounds like you’ve got a lot to keep you busy. Maybe you should start your own CSS website :)
It was always great working with you, good luck with everything.
Thank you for all your work on CSS-Tricks, and all the best wishes as well—looking forward to learning what’s next ????
It was always a pleasure to work with you as an editor, Geoff! Godspeed on your future adventures, and thanks for all your great work for aspiring and seasoned web developers.
Start a new website and let me know about it
So sad about this news!
css-tricks loses a great designer/developer and one of my favourite “teachers” and yes … it definetely won’t be the same anymore!
Thank you for years of great work and thank you for having shared your knowledge.
Wish you all the best of luck
Absolutely gutted for you Geoff. CSS Tricks has been my “go to” resource for more years than I care to remember, and I’d like to thank you (and Chris) for making me the front-end dev that I am today. Also, it was a pleasure working with you on my article. Good luck with all your future endeavours!
Geoff – it was an honor to work with you on some of those articles. You made my writing better. I’m grateful for how gracious you were and how you always encouraged me. Bless you.
This is that random trash comment you are looking for
:)
@geoff I learned how to design with CSS Tricks. There’s a whole lotta garbage on the Internet… I remember how relieved and reassured I first felt when I realized that the site was legit and a reliable resource. It has always been required reading and an endless source of “oh, that’s neat.”
Sorry to hear about the layout Geoff. I have been laid off before from a company where I invested much of my energy writing technical blog posts for their blog. In my case, the company sold and the blog was eventually shut down. It’s brutal to watch your work disappear like that. Hopefully, DO keeps CSS-Tricks going forward. Best of luck!
It was nice working with you Geoff. I must say, you are a wonderful editor and writer! Wish you the best. ????
Sorry to hear this, Geoff :( It was a privilege to collaborate w/ you a few times on CSS Tricks posts. Very sad to hear that won’t be happening again.
Love your work! it was the inspiring work helped me in lot of projects and modules. Best wishes.
Hearing about the loss of your most favorite jobs with the layoff is heartbreaking. It was a pleasure to meet and work with you (and Chris) through @CSS. Have a great start to your next endeavor!
Great time working with you. Thank you for all your contributions
Hey, Geoff, I’m just another anonymous reader who appreciated the work and effort you put into CSS-Tricks all these years. Thank you. All the best wherever you go!
@geoff Thanks so much for your hard work! Your advice helped me kick off my tech writing career. It was always great to collab with you. Good luck with your future endeavors!
Thanks for everything and best of luck going forward!
Well shit I’m just now catching wind of this. Thank you for everything you’ve done at CSS Tricks. You’ve done so much for the web and for me personally. Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for CSS-Tricks!
Thanks Geoff for the positive contributions you have made to web development. You will be missed! ????
I hope that you find a happy path going forward!
Sorry to hear man! I’ve been on a CSS-Tricks kick lately and have really been enjoying your articles. Hope all is well beyond the bummer layoff news.
Hey Geoff, I just learned of this today. You were amazing to work with, so warm and encouraging even when I felt my writing was mediocre. I know you’ll do well. Let me know if I can help in any way.
Geoff, thanks for everything. I found CSS-Tricks when I was 14 and its probably the single most important resource of my entire career. I’m now living a comfortable, stress free and fulfilling life in no small part thanks to CSS-Tricks and you and Chris specifically.
I’m frankly pissed that Digital Ocean came in and bought one of the single best resources on the internet, just to kill it. As of now there have been no posts in over a month…
I appreciate your kind words, Lucas! Warms my front-end heart to know that anything I wrote may have helped you and your career. That’s the power of community!
Hey man, you did good job. You are a part of history. Thanks.
就说嘛，最近咋没更新。
Ran your comment through Google Translate:
The short answer: No one’s there to write, edit, or publish articles anymore. A few articles have been published since I left, but those were ones I had edited and prepped before I was let go.
The saddest part is that Digital Ocean has completely obliterated the site. It’s slow and looks terrible compared to all the hard work Chris Coyier put into those articles. Even the guys over at syntax.fm mentioned how Digital Ocean completely fucked it. The website is an unusable mess now. But, we all know DO is one of the worst “tech” companies.
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