It is not nice to see a closed office... or end of an era

After twenty years faithful service, our office in Tefen was closed on Thursday. The rooms were emptied, useful equipment shipped to elsewhere, anything else was donated, the paper and other "junk" shrewed and the building was returned to the industrial park.

I worked twenty years in the place, in 4 companies - without leaving my room: in Informatics, in PMSC, in Sterling Software and finally in Computer Associates (CA) (actually I worked in three different room in the building).

I don't show the office's last days - I want to remember it as it was in its glorious time: home to most of us. I will miss you.

Looting the office..

Our office in last couple of year (and even decades) is going to be closed at the end of the month. Not only most of my colleagues are fired, but the place will be cleaned up and returned to the industrial park. All the equipment, furniture, flowers, pictures, all the history of 20 years will be gone.

CA decided to sell part of the equipment and donate anything else remaining. So in the last couple of weeks we were fully occupied dismantling the place. Everything movable was moved: desk, chairs, computer tables, cupboards, pictures and so on. Actually only the carpet remained untouched. In spite of the fact we took everything with permission, my feeling was like looting a place, just like in the old times during wars: the barbarians occupies the city and take everything movable. When a cupboard was taken, all the documents, disks, books were spilled out to the floor. Sometimes I fee I am walking on Dalfur's streets.

Yesterday the company's technical staff came and started to wrap up H/W: computers, phones, cables. They piled them up and packaged them for shipping them out. Rooms were filled up with 5 and 10 year of computers before some charity organizations came and took them away.

My heart is bleeding: this office was like a second home. It is sad to see it raped and plundered. But this is life, and life will continue. I will move home and will start working from home. At least I can go to my "office" unshaven:(

So long Tefen! Thanks for your service and your facilities. You will be definitely missed!

Farewell and good luck!

Last week we say good bye and good luck with a final trip and with a farewell party at Oded, our director's, place.

The folks are getting to be positioned. In a couple of days or weeks, nobody will remain unemployed. So the atmosphere at these departing events was good. But still, sadness was in the air.Good bye and good luck to everybody. I will miss you!

Closing an era... and an office...

I came to Tefen more than 20 years ago, in November 1986. I worked during this time in 4 different companies, but without leaving my office. I started at Informatics, which was overtaken by PMSC, who sold us to Sterling Software, who was acquired by Computer Associates in February 2000.

During this time I worked with a lot of people and in different projects. We had our ups-and-downs; we had our successes and failure. Now it is over. The era of Tefen is ended and a new period is started today: era of post-Tefen.

About a month ago we were in formed that our project is canceled, as the company decided to leave the market. Due to financial problems the company tries to minimize expenses and as a result our positions (at least most of us) are terminated. The official layoff papers were handed out today. Except some handful of people most of the team is going home. Some colleagues move to another office in CA, in another part of the company. Me and two of my colleagues are remaining (temporarily) in the office for a short project in another group in CA. Of course the office will be closed and we will be relocated to another office or will continue working from home - nobody will maintain an office planned for 30-35 persons just for three of us.

So the Tefen Lab, in the Tefen Industrial Park has come to its end after 20 year of service. Rest In Peace! You provided us a good place to work in; you had a good company to work with. You will be always remembered.

/* Thanks Asi for the pictures! */