8 ms·

Interesting questions for google employees: Does Google force you to use specific version of OS? Do they have pre-installed software? Is it not-okay to forma

by giis 10y ago

Interesting questions for google employees: Does Google force you to use specific version of OS? Do they have pre-installed software? Is it not-okay to format and install any OS you want? I work in startups, they provide only laptops and doesnt care about OS or software. There is no mandatory software requirement from company side.

CardenB 10y ago
Yes, they have Goobuntu. Believe so. No it isn't. Lastly, you have to ssh into a workstation to access any files and you aren't allowed to have files downloaded locally for this exact reason. He would have had to have gone through some trouble to even obtain these files locally I would imagine.
ocdtrekkie 10y ago
My understanding is that Google has users on Linux, Mac, and Windows, and has resources for managing all of them. As the other commenter points out, Goobuntu is a custom distro of Ubuntu that Googlers use. I do recall hearing people tended to need a justification for needing Windows, but I'm pretty sure OS X users are common.
QuercusMax 10y ago
For eng workstations, virtually all are Goobuntu unless you have a reallllly good reason (e.g. CAD software for mech e's, or work on Windows Chrome). For laptops, they're essentially just used as a dumb web terminal + ssh. You can get mac, goobuntu, or maybe even Windows. Since you aren't allowed to have source code on laptops (except certain special exceptions), it's not as big of a concern.
- valleyer 10y ago
  You aren't allowed to have source on your laptop? How do you edit it? Through some web editor? Serious question!
  - UncleMeat 10y ago
    SSH or a web editor.
    - valleyer 10y ago
      That sounds awful! Is that just a "laptop" rule (i.e. are "desktops" exempt)?
      - cobookman 10y ago
        Workstations mount what's called citc (clients in the cloud). And you can use whatever ide or editor you like. Code is never downloaded directly to the desktop. You don't really notice any performance issues with this and you get the benefit of being able to build or include any library without having to download it all. Laptops can't mount citc, and you need to either SSH/rdp into a workstation or use a web based code editor. Once you've used citc/Piper/blaze you'll find it's a great system and there is no good alternative... Yet As for OS choice I believe only goobuntu can be used to modify Google's code repo.
        CardenB 10y ago
        Wish they used citc/Git/blaze... but oh well. There's a wrapper internally but I heard it was crap, so I never used it.
        refulgentis 10y ago
        It's heavily used now. Works very well.

by giis 10y ago

CardenB 10y ago

Yes, they have Goobuntu. Believe so. No it isn't. Lastly, you have to ssh into a workstation to access any files and you aren't allowed to have files downloaded locally for this exact reason. He would have had to have gone through some trouble to even obtain these files locally I would imagine.

ocdtrekkie 10y ago

My understanding is that Google has users on Linux, Mac, and Windows, and has resources for managing all of them. As the other commenter points out, Goobuntu is a custom distro of Ubuntu that Googlers use. I do recall hearing people tended to need a justification for needing Windows, but I'm pretty sure OS X users are common.

QuercusMax 10y ago

For eng workstations, virtually all are Goobuntu unless you have a reallllly good reason (e.g. CAD software for mech e's, or work on Windows Chrome). For laptops, they're essentially just used as a dumb web terminal + ssh. You can get mac, goobuntu, or maybe even Windows. Since you aren't allowed to have source code on laptops (except certain special exceptions), it's not as big of a concern.

valleyer 10y ago
You aren't allowed to have source on your laptop? How do you edit it? Through some web editor? Serious question!
- UncleMeat 10y ago
  SSH or a web editor.
  - valleyer 10y ago
    That sounds awful! Is that just a "laptop" rule (i.e. are "desktops" exempt)?
    - cobookman 10y ago
      Workstations mount what's called citc (clients in the cloud). And you can use whatever ide or editor you like. Code is never downloaded directly to the desktop. You don't really notice any performance issues with this and you get the benefit of being able to build or include any library without having to download it all. Laptops can't mount citc, and you need to either SSH/rdp into a workstation or use a web based code editor. Once you've used citc/Piper/blaze you'll find it's a great system and there is no good alternative... Yet As for OS choice I believe only goobuntu can be used to modify Google's code repo.
      - CardenB 10y ago
        Wish they used citc/Git/blaze... but oh well. There's a wrapper internally but I heard it was crap, so I never used it.
        refulgentis 10y ago
        It's heavily used now. Works very well.