Google's data centers are guarded by stormtroopers

Someone was stupid enough to leave a computer terminal running with what I can clearly make out to be Google's future strategic plan.<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/d0tD5" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/d0tD5</a><p>---<p>Enormous Android figure locked up in a cabinet:<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/7Njc6" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/7Njc6</a><p>---<p>Guy getting Rickroll'ed twice<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/7IJMk" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/7IJMk</a><p>---<p>I'm going to assume this is Buster from Arrested Development, hiding inside of a box.<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/61kbM" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/61kbM</a><p>---<p>"Please keep the door closed... Or I'll call the Brute Squad"<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/DJJYr" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/DJJYr</a><p>---<p>"Caution - This Sign has Sharp Edges"<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/Mo0uE" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/Mo0uE</a>

The pranks emphasize how carefully Google narrated each shot on here. Earlier today on HN I saw a link to a Wired article about Google giving us an insight into their datacenter. Although somewhat true, the article is very superficial and hardly mentions any tech details, and the indoor street view very carefully avoids the interesting stuff.<p>Try going next to a server on the streetview, it'll skip right past where you clicked and only show you close-ups from empty racks or racks without servers. Also I can't see anything about their cooling systems, which you hear a lot about and would be interesting.<p>Also, don't mention how some things are blurred out, and how there is a huge curtain on one end of the streetview tour. I was honestly disappointed by how little Google told us, compared to the sensational title.

Did anybody else notice the RoombaMaster error thrown when you have a Flash debug build?<p><pre><code> TypeError: Error #1009: Cannot access a property or method of a null object reference. at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba.controls::ElevatorControl/handleNewConfig() at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba.controls::ElevatorControl() at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaMaster() at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaModule/constructRoombaMaster() at cityblock.flash.flash10.feature.roomba::RoombaStub/handleLoadComplete() </code></pre> If that's an easter egg then they really went deep :)

This is cute and all but is essentially a reddit level posting.

Isn't he a little short for a storm trooper?

Sorry, but I have to call bullshit on the headline. There is, in fact, only ONE Stormtrooper pictured. Not plural "Stormtroopers". ;)<p>Vader must have made budget cuts.

Google looks like such a cool company to work for. I'm sad I'll never have the skill set to be hired by them.

While I'm not one to normally say this... That little R2D2 beside the Storm Trooper looks so cute! :)

Someone's going to make a FPS map based on these...

I just realized you can use 'w,a,s,d' keys to move around the camera instead of the mouse.

glide over to the google kitchen, someone is stealing some food: <a href="http://goo.gl/GPQXJ" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/GPQXJ</a>

Found Android! <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&#38;ll=35.898541,-81.547941&#38;spn=0.007466,0.011405&#38;sll=35.900197,-81.547024&#38;layer=c&#38;cid=7373938251588581469&#38;panoid=XEnj_lhwkg_mUh2WhyaVBA&#38;cbp=13,40.33,,2,3.17&#38;gl=US&#38;t=m&#38;cbll=35.898532,-81.547978&#38;z=17" rel="nofollow">https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&#38;ll=35.898541,-81.5479...</a>

Rickrolled by a noogler. <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/2pMoe" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/2pMoe</a>

Notice that way down the hall past the stormtrooper is a sign that says "Pharmacy" Wot?

There's also a small R2-D2 standing next to him. Zoom in if you can't see it.

My favorite Google data center prank was the Oregon one. Next door to where they built it was a window factory, so a sign appeared on the data center fence which read "Voldemort's School of Defenestration"

That's good, if there's a firefight they won't hit anything.

About 25 employees waving outside of the Data Center: <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/cZfN9" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/cZfN9</a>

Scooters for gettin around datacenter! Awesome. <a href="http://goo.gl/maps/SiBpj" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/SiBpj</a>

In this economy, everyone needs a second job

Very tempted to make the obligatory droid joke at this point. Have thought better of it though.

No photographing the server room?<p><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/1n7jW" rel="nofollow">http://goo.gl/maps/1n7jW</a>

So.. guarded by people who die easily and can't shoot straight?<p>Someone! Call Con SOLO!! Obi's WAN Kenobi died suddenly!

appropriate

<p><pre><code> "If your account is less than a year old, please don't submit comments saying that HN is turning into Reddit. (It's a common semi-noob illusion.)" </code></pre> pg, is it time to update the guidelines? Or at least ask that people read and follow them? This submission and its comments seem to indicate that the illusion is becoming reality. More specifically, there is already a story[0] on Google's datacenter in which one's intellectual curiosity can be gratified. This one is little more than a meme with Google's name on it.<p>[0] <a href="http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4663946" rel="nofollow">http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4663946</a>