An Inside View From a Google Employee
A purported Google engineer named ZorbaTHut conducted an extensive forum interview describing internal practices and culture at Google circa 2006, covering topics like the company's flat hierarchy (just five levels for engineers), the actual flexibility of the famous 20% time policy (adjusted based on project deadlines), the prevalence of Linux systems, and hiring processes that emphasize skills over credentials. The interview also touches on practical matters like click-fraud concerns with AdSense, confidentiality rules around unreleased products, and the company's approach to programmer autonomy, suggesting Google's management philosophy trusted skilled workers to manage their own time and didn't micromanage their work-life boundaries.