Is skill-set diversity a help or a hindrance?
In this post at the Mini-Microsoft blog, Mini makes the argument that there are too few "qualified" applicants for the Microsoft programmer ranks, citing that they should be educated in "C/C++, Win32, COM, ATL, XML, DHTML, AJAX, .NET, debugging, performance, Watson analysis, design patterns, security, using our best internal tools and resources and so on." And instantly I understand why so much of VS.NET's auto-generated code is terrible, and why their Atlas library requires a developer "think like Microsoft" (answer: because no one else does).
Further:
[...] more and more candidates who can lay down the smack with Java and script can't manipulate memory and discuss deep operating system constructs just-in-time at all. I need you to be able to write a GC, not be in an unhealthy co-dependent relationship with one.
It's that sort of painfully dated thinking that maintains Google's ownership of web innovation while Microsoft struggles to be noteworthy. A talented, creative scripter has absolutely no domain over deep memory management and should never have to think about it: That's why you have talented, deep memory guys in the first place. What's the purpose? Advancement? I'd start looking for other apocalyptic signs if any of the AJAX wizards I know hint at working on some nice kernel code; I would no sooner expect a podiatrist to be studying neurosurgery. While collectively still "programmers", many of us have highly diverged specialties sharing little in common but tools of the trade.
Don't get me wrong -- being familiar with the clockworks required to make your code work is a Good Thing™ and often leads to higher quality code, but it's no substitute for creative thinking and one can argue that the focus gained by an "unencumbered" mind is equally valuable. As a master generalist myself, I tend to see my greatest shortcomings while overthinking problems and overarchitecting solutions -- a problem that doesn't plague those with shallow skills.
Perhaps Mini's viewpoint is a one-man reflection of the great cancer that keeps Microsoft from being great, though it's terribly ironic that it's coming from the guy so passionately trying to instigate change.