Google has a software engineering ladder. It was introduced in 2002-2003. Many old-timers considered it Google's biggest mistake. Past a certain point in the l

Google has a software engineering ladder. It was introduced in 2002-2003. Many old-timers considered it Google's biggest mistake. Past a certain point in the ladder, promotions were a big deal and those who got promoted to that point got it publicly announced. Past another point, the CEO himself announced it in a company-wide e-mail.