[gd1]

>none of the code involved trading strategies (the really valuable stuff)

Wrong. In HFT, the 'strategies' are the least complex part. They are often dead simple. A well written (fast) exchange connection is at least 70% of the game.

He's a thief and he got caught, but the HN community don't like that narrative.

[patrickk]

The HFT experts from the book were amazed he didn't walk away with trading strategies, rather "plumbing" code, which is useless outside of Goldman (specific to their network, also his new employer used a different programming language) apart from a memory jogging exercise, like keeping a notepad. It would be much easier to write the new code from scratch rather than reuse the Goldman code.

And he didnt steal code, he backed it up on a subversion repo. There was unlikely any malicious intent, yet you labelled him a thief. If he was so obviously a thief, why would HFT experts be furious what happened to him, once they learned the details? Why were charges dropped? Why use an agent with no clue in the matter as a pawn? What you're saying doesn't make sense.