Why are we debating whether some programmers are better than others? Of course some are. What we should be asking is whether hiring 10X programmers is worth it.

Why are we debating whether some programmers are better than others? Of course some are. What we should be asking is whether hiring 10X programmers is worth it. Today it seems every open position requires a "rockstar" developer, even for simple work. The demand for "rockstars" is so great, CEOs of tech companies complain of talent shortages, and companies resort to talent sniping. I suspect most programming jobs could be done well by an average programmer, thus ending the so-called shortage of good programmers and giving inexperienced developers the chance to further their skills on the job.