I'm not sure why your comment needs to be so dismissive. The poster made it clear that this is something they heard second hand. I imagine with a company as large as Yahoo we will never get an authoritative answer to exactly how much value the telecommuting employees were adding.

I don't know a single person at Yahoo and I don't work there but I remember reading articles when MM implemented the new rules for telecommuting and if I remember correctly most painted the policy negatively. I'm glad to read another perspective on the topic even if it is coming from someone with only second hand knowledge.

It's obviously good to be skeptical of second hand experiences but I'm not sure they should be dismissed wholesale. I imagine part of the point of HN is to share our personal experiences. I've never worked at Boeing or Northrup but I have enough friends/colleagues who have or currently do that I can form some informed opinions on what it's like working there.

I worked there, and I agree with him. Is that authoritative enough for you?