If you work in a team where there is a difference between the programmers and the architects, GET OUT! In a healthy environments programmers get to help shape the direction of the product and everyone should be able to voice their opinions or concerns so that the best decisions can be made.
That depends on whether or not you have it in you to be an architect (or your own boss for that matter) or are content just to lay the bricks according to someone else's plan.
Not all programmers were born to be architects, not all architects were born to be programmers either. There is enough special knowledge that goes in to design, engineering and assembly that there is room for specialization.
A really good coder can work just find with a really good 'architect' (systems analyst). "rockstars" tend to work only well with themselves, so they probably aren't part of a team to begin with.
The whole idea of teamwork is to work together but to let each individuals special talents take precedence.
If you are all three disciplines in one person then most likely you'll end up founding some startup.
Sure, and maybe right now is not the time to find a new job, but being treated like a construction worker should not be acceptable to any competent programmer. I'm not arguing that it doesn't happen, just that it doesn't have to be that way. Anyone stuck in those kind of conditions should know that there are better jobs out there where they can be treated like smart, competent adults instead of code monkeys.
I'm with cstejerean on this issue.
Remember the premise of the original article was an idealistic one, it basically said: "Which kind of programmer should you hire when you have a choice".
Given the goal is to make money I know which kind of team I would prefer. I'd definately prefer the one that automates everything out of the way as soon as possible because in an IT-heavy operation that really is one of the most basic dogmas in order to maintain momentum in the long term. If your goal is to cash out fast and close shop in 2 years then fine, spit and glue may be just right for your project. If your goal is to build to last then you'd damn sure better hire people who know what they're doing.
