First off: It is rude to post the questions and expected answers, perhaps moreso when you just failed to pass the test yourself. That reeks of sabotage out of spite.
Then pulls the argument from authority, aggrandizing his accomplishments in an effort to salvage some of his obviously bruised ego.
> Is Google raising the bar too high or is their recruiting staff seriously lacking the skills they are supposed to rate?
Seems like Google raised the bar just high enough to weed out the unpleasant personalities. A job interview, even a phone screening, is not all about technical skill, it is also about soft skills: Is this person a pleasant and communicative person?
> Recruiter: wrong, it's file metadata.
> Me: the inode is an index uniquely identifying ...
Here is where the interview (or at least, this is probably how the author remembered it) went off the rails. Arguing with the recruiter and trying to right a perceived wrong was just plain bad strategy.
From there on out it starts being argumentative, and you can see the recruiter having none of it.
> Recruiter: Quicksort has the best big-O.
Here you can clearly tell the recruiter is just fishing for "correct" answers at this point. Just tell the recruiter with the big-O is here, don't be obtuse or difficult.
> Why not let me compare my code to yours in a benchmark?
Here it turns into a code-measuring contest. Not a very bright idea. By this point in the interview I find this author's personality very grating and needlessly argumentative. He can't do anything right by now.
> We will stop here because it's obvious that you don't have the necessary skills to write or review network applications.
The recruiter seems to agree with me, but I doubt this is what was said exactly. The conclusion may be similar though.
> Maybe Google should have stated that practice is not necessary for the job.
Maybe Google does know best what is necessary for the job. Or maybe the author knows, but he is too curt in getting his views across. Not a favourable trait.
It is hard to not get salty over a failed job interview. It takes strength of character to not burn bridges and try again in the future with a more pleasant humble approach. Take it as a lesson and move on.