[madhadron]

You're describing a very small number of companies that all copied each other's systems. The idea of a terminal role, for example, is pure Facebook. These do not apply in general across the industry except where managers from those small number of companies came in and shoved them in before they were fired.

[seangrogg]

In all fairness, a LOT of this was copied over from the military. From ranks to "High Year Tenure" (aka "Up or Out") nothing here is particularly innovative.

[digitalPhonix]

Amazon had the concept of terminal role (SDE2, but I’ve heard it has changed) long before facebook existed.

[sgillen]

In my experience a lot of tech companies, at least in the Bay Area, have all copied this system.

[tmp10423288442]

I believe L5 was Google's terminal role at one point (over a decade ago) - not sure if it's changed since then.

[vkou]

It became L4 ~5-7 years ago, but who knows these days.

[hawaiianbrah]

Terminal roles are definitely not a Facebook concept originally … Microsoft has had it for at least 20 years.

[fingerlocks]

I'm guessing the terminal role is the 64 Senior? That's nearly everyone on my team. Someone has to retire or die to get a shot at Principal.