Perhaps, but it is not untrue. Which is why it's good for developers to know a bit of design/need-finding/marketing, even if you never want to be a "salesman".

Perhaps, but it is not untrue. Which is why it's good for developers to know a bit of design/need-finding/marketing, even if you never want to be a "salesman". As someone who has seen the process of trying to commercialize bleeding edge academic research up close, I can tell you that knowing about your potential users and their needs can save you from building the best possible solution for the slightly wrong problem.