perhaps a more pertinent question would be "how many companies would let Steve Yegge choose to stop working on the project he's assigned to?"
freedom like that is earned, and i'm sure not everybody at google has the same status he does.
freedom like that is earned, and i'm sure not everybody at google has the same status he does.
I don't know anything about Steve's situation, but I would assume he did these things.
It seems unlikely that there aren't any projects that have to be done but that no one wants to do.
On the other hand, there are plenty of companies out there that would randomly assign you to an unglamorous project -- and make it your permanent job, to boot. I've been at some of those companies. They roll the proverbial dice when you first join, and whatever the outcome, that's your fixed-in-stone role. Such companies care more about needs to be filled than about the people they're hiring.