Interesting conclusion. I think there's a balance. Young hackers have amazing energy and still-empty lives (no mortgage, kids, etc). They truly enjoy coding

Interesting conclusion. I think there's a balance. Young hackers have amazing energy and still-empty lives (no mortgage, kids, etc). They truly enjoy coding for long stretches, reading about coding in their off time, etc. They also tend to be fearless learners. When was the last time you saw a 45 year old pick up a new instrument? Younger folks are more willing to jump on new technologies. That's powerful. As you say, older folks are more efficient. But perhaps the wisdom they've gained makes them more powerful in lead dev/management roles where they can apply that wisdom to a larger group of younger rockstars.