Looks interesting...

Same one that was linked a while back? 

Pretty cool little thing.

No apologies needed, that was back on the Blurum.

Yup, the shite one

The idea that you just push a desk around plugin your network cable and power which updates a map on a webpage so people can still find you is amazing.

Accountants learning code, more amazing. Everyone responsible for interviewing.

Can't find the link, but I was reading something this morning where an ex-employee stated that whilst there is a lot of developer freedom, it isn't quite as freeform as the handbook makes out; there's still a definite hierarchy of sorts - I guess you probably want to have some degree of accountability in managerial/financial positions. But still, the mere fact that the company produces that kind of thing to give out speaks volumes for how forward thinking they are.

I'm playing through Orange Box (360) again and enjoying it even more than the first time. I think HL2 has aged rather well. I'm determined to get into Team Fortress 2 at some point, but it's not easy for an outsider, being as team-based as it is. Are there any forum players?

This is also pretty interesting in terms of insight into their flat management structure. Haven't listened to it in at least a year but I remember it being worth a listen nonetheless: http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2013/02/varoufakis_on_v.html

Edit: upon seeing Steam being described as "open" in that passage it's funny how far it's come in three years. Remember this?

Three years ago, Steam as a platform didn't reflect the same core values that Gabe Newell was saying, I think that was the main point. Since then Steam has become a lot more open, and then there's SteamOS which does allow other other stores (since it is essentially Linux). Though again it's awfully convenient for Valve, they know EA won't be able to justify investing the resources in bringing over Origin to SteamOS and developing on Linux versus the next best alternative. As it stands they have a complete monopoly on Linux gaming anyway, and will do for quite some time.

Also: Android is far from open. And that extends right through to how third party apps from other distribution channels are at a disadvantage because of it. Great and revealing article, that.

Yeah, I get what you mean, just that the reality of the situation isn't as great as it could be. I've used Android without the closed source components and it's depressing (BlackBerry 10 comes with an Android 4.2 runtime, but obviously without the Google closed source stuff as they would never get a license for Google Play Services and the bundled apps and APIs).

Sony giving up on the Android-based PS Store and PS Mobile runtime is also a sad indication of how things are playing out.