I think he's taking the surface level and assuming if we copy the surface level, we are going to get the rest. No. The reason Fog Creek works well, is because

I think he's taking the surface level and assuming if we copy the surface level, we are going to get the rest. No. The reason Fog Creek works well, is because it's very smart people, who care about what they're doing. They care because it's a product company - they get to make decisions that impact the product. They feel a sense of ownership. Contrast that with a sweat, uh sorry, I mean dev shop. Contrast that with doing contract work for big companies where you come in, leave 6 months later. Contrast that with start-ups that only exist because someone got free money. Contrast that with shit maintenance work at big corps. Does that about cover 95%, if not more, software jobs out there? There is no fixing shit workplaces because the foundation is rotten. When you have no say, when you don't care about the product, when you move around every few years - yeah, it's shit culture. There is no fixing that - most people long for a stable group of people they can make something happen with. Most people are confused about how much work and dedication it takes to make something great. Most people's actions create what most people complain about and they don't even know it. There is no fixing it, there is only becoming good enough to either start your own Fog Creek, or be good enough to join one.