> current Apple employees here, maybe they can weigh in.

Unless things have changed in the last 15 years, my understanding was that they actually are barred from doing just that

Where do you think Mark Gurman's story came from?

Anonymous sources that he trusts enough to be Apple employees, which isn't what OP is referring about, rather them saying something here.

Naturally then you need the proof any random nickname is actually who they say they are.

> Naturally then you need the proof any random nickname is actually who they say they are.

I don't need proof. I know that Apple employees visit HN and sometimes comment. In any case, this is not a high-stakes product leak: I'm just asking for their personal impressions of this company-wide meeting that has already been reported.