An interesting POV, although one I must say I disagree with. Please don't get me wrong, because I am no advocate of bloated teams or layers of hierarchy. It's a fact that most great software packages are the vision of one, two, or at most a handful of developers. But keeping it to one developer is taking it too far (unless that developer is Rick Strahl or someone like that). By definition it's self-limiting. And where I have seen it tried it has invariably been a manifestation of the one developer's insecurity. He doesn't want to share, negotiate, or feel threatened that someone else might have a better idea. That's been my experience, anyway.

There are two kinds of software developers. Those that want to rule the world - and those that do not think they can rule the world and just want to be part of something - you know wear a white shirt and tie Monday through Thursday - Aloha Shirt on Friday - look like those IT "people" models in those Microsoft ads.

Rick's good - for sure - paid his dues - works hard - has a lot of ambition - he's smart - good looking - heck he sounds just like me!:-)

I've known of Rick for a long time - I know he get's it on - but I'll compete against him anytime (and charge about half his hourly rate)!

Rule: If you have heros - if you think this or that developer is better than you - then it's quite possible you don't want to rule the world.

If you go to the bathroom and look real close at the way your hair is parted - you're political. If you think more about lunch than how much zing some control you've been tuning will work - then most likely - you won't rule the world.

If you get off work - go home - and code till your face falls off trying to out do Rick (or me) then you (obviously) want to rule the world - too!

As far as those insecure guys - it's either genetics - they think in terms of a paragraph instead of a chapter and book - or they're just doing it because it's better than working at Circut City. THose guys - the insecure ones - can't make it on skills - so they get political - whisper in ears - suggest the boss change to dot NOT - because they suck with the current tool and at least with dot NOT their incompetence won't stand out for a while.

Imagine spending an entire career trying to hide how imcompetent you are.

Everybody on the UT is sick - we're all real bad-A developers, The wussies never ask a question (never offer an answer either) - because they're more afraid of looking stupid than solving the problem.