Are You a 10x Programmer? Or Just a Jerk?

What I have observed is not 10x programmers. I have seen happy path programmers who ship quickly. Their code works in the specific way management has asked and no more. Step off the happy path, and there be dragons.

To use an analogy, management says "Build me a bridge!" So Mr Happy Path does so. It's a rope bridge. He gets the pat on the back, the promotion, and his bridge is now handed off to a "lesser programmer" to maintain.

Now management comes to the lesser programmer and says, "I just want to drive cars and trucks over the bridge. Can't you make it do that?!" So the lesser programmer now has to build a real bridge that can support 18 wheel trucks. That takes a really really long time to do, and it's hard work. Management can't be bothered to understand the details though. "Why is this bridge taking so long? 10x had the first one done in a week!"

Before long, 10x is called back in on the project to "rescue" it because it's so far behind schedule. He gathers the requirements and again builds exactly what management asks. A bridge that can support cars and trucks. How? Well, screw all this suspension stuff. 10x just dams up the harbor and drives a truck across the top. He's congratulated again, and the bridge/dam is handed back to lesser beings again.

Then management wonders why they can no longer get boats out of the harbor...

Just my experience with it though :)

Why not both?