I won't call this kind of programmer good or bad, IMO this is just the result of 2 factors: 1. This specific person leaning towards being a contractor rather t

I won't call this kind of programmer good or bad, IMO this is just the result of 2 factors: 1. This specific person leaning towards being a contractor rather than employee. They are more focused on solving technical problems and improving technical skills, but not learning the problem domain, their company's business model and organisational structure. 2. Never being personally accountable for the result of their work, because the company takes teams/departments accountable, instead of individual people. Number 1 by itself is not a bad thing. Number 2 will be fixed as soon as this developer works for some time as a real contractor or if the organisation gives him a 1-man project and holds him accountable for it. After that they will learn to make sane technology and architecture decisions.