We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14713074 and marked it off-topic.

heh didn't expect to see my name on a post about a company I left aeons ago, but there you are - someone proving OP's point perfectly

(ps I wasn't a director and I'm not OP, but obviously still one of many in the aforementioned mafia's hitlist)

Hehe, Herval was one of the good ones, cynical but funny and a good engineer :)