zlacker

In general, yes, but google specifically, no. When a company has a decent track record I'm willing to accept on faith that they will do what they say, or at least try to get close to it. Yes, business reality may change in that time.

However, Google has repeatedly demonstrated that they'll sell you something only to kill it off very quickly. They're great at innovating cool new ideas and absolutely terrible at getting anyone to maintain those ideas. And you can see that based on their hiring. They want the best of the best, people who want to do nothing but blaze new trails. Maintenance? Techdebt? No... not for these esteemed engineers. Which leaves... basically no one at Google to mop up after.