I'm not particularly committing to either hypothesis right now. If Uber is indeed screwing around with discovery I would imagine they're going to end up in very big trouble. I for one would pretty much consider that prima facie evidence every executive even remotely involved in that decision, including simply being aware of it, should be immediately fired by the shareholders and everything possible clawed back from them. I don't consider that out of the question, but it's a pretty serious accusation on its own. Uber's kinda big to get away with that sort of shenanigan.

Then again, a large part of Uber's success has been built upon shenanigans. It seems likely that they might develop an arrogance towards the legal system, after years of playing chicken with it.

You can generally predict Uber's behavior by assuming it behaves like a stereotypical frat house. The behavior is:

- Go for it and see if anyone complains

- See if ignoring the complainers makes them go away

- See if bullying the complainers makes them go away

- Can it be solved with money?

- Last resort: cheat.

- If you get caught, call the lawyers; in public, whine about the raw deal you're getting.

Unfortunately for them, the combination of Google alleging massive theft, the issues around Applebaum, and the high profile exit of some of their execs, none of that is likely to work.

Hey, what issues around Applebaum? Some googling didn't help me, the most prominent result is a journalist called Anne Applebaum.

Well, in hindsight I can see that's my fault... Jacob Appelbaum. My bad!

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13891513

I have missed the connection between Appelbaum and Uber. Does he work for them now?

Good lord... I was so tired I mixed up Uber and Tor.

I'm going to bed.

I certainly don't know the details, but it's hard for me to see a resolution to this where Uber isn't in trouble. Travis Kalanick has publicly stated that self-driving cars are necessary for the future of Uber, and anything that even puts a damper on that (in addition to all the talent they've already lost) is enough to likely kill them as - according to leaked financials - they are already hemorrhaging money.

I've never been bullish on Uber, but this is really bad.

It's worth remembering a few other things:

1) If the suit is true, then it will almost certainly zero out the investors, and destroy the careers and fortunes of the executives.

2) Uber has a long history of keeping and promoting executives who lack integrity and show a willingness to break the law.

As such, it is reasonable to assume that Google is making a good faith effort to argue the strongest possible case on their side; and that Uber is likely to lie, cheat, and steal to make the strongest possible case on their side.

> 2) Uber has a long history of keeping and promoting executives who lack integrity and show a willingness to break the law.

Knowing almost nothing about US Federal civil law, can inferences be drawn from that (and other previous behaviour of Uber)?

Because it's civil it would need to be presented or entered with relevance.