My original question is serious — does someone see value in this type of interview ?

I agree that Microsoft got this started, and now many follow under the idea that if Microsoft does it, it must be good. Both my wife and I worked at contracted at Microsoft several times from 1989 to 2005, and I was never that impressed.

And yet Google, Amazon, and many others hired ex-Microsoft people, and continue with this form of hiring. So as a serious question, why is it so pervasive. In my original post I laid out some negative reasons for the persistence of whiteboard interviews. I am hoping to hear some positive reasons for them.