Ex vB Dev joins the facebook team

[Razasharp]

Well - wonder if they have taken on Scott (vB's ex Dev Scott MacVicar) because of his PHP skills or because he helped create a leading forum platform???

I hope he doesn't sell out. I for one don't trust Facebook one little bit.

This is probably the final post in my adventure since leaving Jelsoft in June, I'm pleased to announce to those who aren't in my inner circle that I'll be joining Facebook as an Open Source Developer Advocate (a position which combines engineering and evangelism).

Now for those wondering what exactly that means, I'll continue contributing to the PHP internals along with this I'll also be working on some Facebook developed PHP infrastructure technologies and tools and generally representing Facebook within the PHP community.

It's no secret that Facebook use PHP to power their site, they're probably one of it's biggest users and I'm really excited to work there. With all the smart people there one should expect some pretty amazing things for PHP in the coming year.

On a personal note it means that I'm moving from England to America, specifically San Francisco. I've already put this into motion and hope to have it completed at some point in January.

2009 has been a popular year for members of the PHP community to become funemployed, some of my current "colleagues" include Andrei Zmievski, Brandon Savage, Cal Evans, Chris Shiflett, Derick Rethans, Eli White, Nick Sloan and Sean Coates.

http://www.macvicar.net/blog/2009/12/funemployment-part-3-back-to-work.html

[Brandon_R]

He got hired by the biggest social networking site in the world. I expected nothing less.

[trilogy33]

Given the opportunity, would you turn it down?
That said I wish him well, sincerely.

Coincidentally, I'm also available if ya get stuck!!

[Grover]

Well... it's now never going to happen in this life... but IB can now consult Scott to learn about creating a true, sophisticated working social network platform!

(Really, the one thing that vBulletin still does best is providing a really excellent forum. Basically, that is it to put it bluntly. The social network facilities in vBulletin are waaaaaay to basic to take it seriously as a player in the social network world. This, is really most unfortunate.

I dearly hope that IB will release a roadmap after vB 4.0 is released, wherein their TOP priority is to -finally, finally-finally- extend the very basic social stuff inside vB. Come on... why release vB3.7 which gave us a start with the social things and then not walk the road further? There has never been anyone from Jelsoft/IB who shared their vision on this essential aspect. It is simply KEY to propel vBulletin to much anticipated higher levels.)

[bigwater]

vBuletin certainly is the best at forums, and Scott was certainly a big part of making vBulletin what it is. I wish him luck in the mindset transition from forums to social networking. I can see it as being a challenge, no matter your coding skills.

[Ryan Ashbrook]

Well - wonder if they have taken on Scott (vB's ex Dev Scott MacVicar) because of his PHP skills or because he helped create a leading forum platform???

I hope he doesn't sell out. I for one don't trust Facebook one little bit.



http://www.macvicar.net/blog/2009/12...k-to-work.html

I have no doubt in my mind that he got hired because of his advanced knowledge in PHP. I mean hell, he develops on PHP itself.

I highly doubt vBulletin had any influence on their decision to hire him. He's a top figure in the PHP world, and vBulletin has very little to do with it.

[Floris]

No surprise there. Scott obviously knows what he's doing and an asset to any platform development team. Congrats to him, PHP team, and Facebook. Good luck with the move to the USA Scott.

[Scott MacVicar]

Thanks all.

I'll be the lead on all open source PHP work within Facebook, helping make sure that everything makes it's way back upstream to the community it came from and any new technology makes it back out to the world.

[Abomination]

Scott, your PM box is full.

Face book is a lucky company.

[Jamie Edwards]

Well done Scott - Facebook have received a gem. Unfortunately, vBulletin has lost a cracker!

[Fusion]

Congrats Scott!