Confessions of a Google Tourist ( via Stan)

On Wednesday last week I managed to visit Emmanuel and get a guided tour of Googleplex. Patrick dropped me off and asked him to take good care of me. I got free lunch and free dinner - I consider that very good care.

Google is all about software engineering and scalability, now with G+ they are getting into some social engineering as well. As a contribution from the society of people priviledged to visit Google and if you use it file a bug/feature request mentality I get from open source, I started filing thing straight away:

1. The visitor registration screen asked if you were from Sudan(s), since sometime last month there is no more Sudan. The registration text needed updating.
2. The glass elevator needs to have the ability to play through time, so that I can show the Southern Surveyor arriving and leaving the docks outside work and the snow levels shifting on Mt. Wellington. I would also like it to have a roof and a floor (whatnick pavement view to be released soon) and seamlessly transition into streetview.

We then drifted off into philosophical discussions about software and refactoring being somewhat similar to Mandala's. Make it - learn about it - throw it away - do it again. The stroll down from Googleplex to the Mountain View Wetlands is great for taking in the squirrels and owls along with other wetland birds.

After the walk, we finished off the evening with stacks of crepe and conversation. The little boy seems to like the "Sterling Dervish" from Forkometry which is a good sign.