Considering the AOL Way highlights them as a glorified content farm (that everyone scrambled to say doesn't apply to <i>them</i> leaving approximately nobody it <i>does</i> apply to) I don't blame them for leaving.<p>Churning out content on w/e the stats say is trending would be a shit way for a writer to express their creativity.
Wow - both Topolsky & Patel are out now[1]. Before was Ross Miller[2] & Paul Miller[3]. With all these Engadget people leaving, I haven't heard about anyone leaving their rival Gizmodo.<p>I wonder how Arrington feels about this. Arrington was pissed over Topolsky trying to kill the AOL/TC deal[4].<p>[1] <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/12/hello-i-must-be-going/" rel="nofollow">http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/12/hello-i-must-be-going/</a>
[2] <a href="http://ohnoros.co/post/3407371558/goodbye-engadget" rel="nofollow">http://ohnoros.co/post/3407371558/goodbye-engadget</a>
[3] <a href="http://pauljmiller.com/2011/02/leaving-aol/" rel="nofollow">http://pauljmiller.com/2011/02/leaving-aol/</a>
[4] <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/16/blog-fight-rules-of-engagement/" rel="nofollow">http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/16/blog-fight-rules-of-engagem...</a>
Some times the decision to leave is made many months before but actual resignation happens in March. February and March are the months when annual bonus is paid. It is a natural time to leave. I've seen a lot of March departures in the past years.
I don't imagine Topolsky will stray far from his existing career. He has a very visible position that people tend not to relinquish lightly. How many other bloggers are able to command guest slots on late night talk shows?