A bit hyperbolic, yes, but non-compete clauses are really a kind of indentured servitude or slavery. You either work for Company X, or you can't work for anyone in the field for a period of time that will make sure your skills are out of date and you're essentially unhirable. They are fundamentally in opposition to the founding principles of the United States and the federal government should follow the lead of states like California in abolishing them completely.
As long as the guy isn't bringing with him a bunch of proprietary info, just his skills, I don't give two shits if Amazon is pissed. Clearly the guy wasn't happy at Amazon or he wouldn't have been looking for another job, so maybe instead of using non-competes to force people to stay, Amazon should try to fix the culture and environment of its workplace so people don't want to leave. A novel idea, I know, and I have serious doubts that anyone in upper management at Amazon has the necessary level of introspection to even consider this option, but maybe with a little push from federal courts ruling non-compete clauses unenforceable...
Indeed, wish i had enough mod points.
It's very dissapointing to see how slashdot has become more and more depending trought the years, sure, im a relatively new slashdot registered user (having tracked slashdot from earlier as an "anonymous coward"), and i sure think more than one of the old users would agree that slashdot is going more and more on the slashvertisement....
10 to the 6th power Bicycles = 2 megacycles