I worked at a place where pair programming was optional but suggested as a good practice. I worked there for 5 years. It was 4 years ago. My team did it and we

I worked at a place where pair programming was optional but suggested as a good practice. I worked there for 5 years. It was 4 years ago. My team did it and we still talk to each other almost everyday even if we switched jobs. I think it's a good experience if everyone likes it. I don't think we actually ever did 8 hours straight of pair programming. Between pauses and meetings it was more 4 hours per day. I also have a friend a Pivotal and what is described in this article doesn't sound at all like what he usually chats about. I think that what the author is feeling cannot be result of pair programming alone. I have to say though that many people dismiss it without even trying like some of the comments on this thread sound like.