The world was a way different place 30 years ago. You couldn't reasonably have expected someone to have an extensive software portfolio or have experience at a tech startup. Now, both are commonplace among top hires.
The definition of a "top-notch" programmer is about how competently he/she can write required programs, not about how "commonplace" among Valley programmers are his/her biographical details.
ADDENDUM - An example of your bullet points working just as badly more recently than 30 years ago:
