Speaking from personal experience, I'd second what people are saying about doing this on a very small scale. However, there are soft skills engineers really don't have, nor want. Running a business "where everyone is a software engineer" is about so much more than the type of employee you hire.
You can walk/jog/bike/drive across the bridge from SF and get to Battery Spencer just on the other side (Conzelman Rd.) It tends to be windy up there. That image might have been taken just around Kirby cove road (dirt road -gated, but you can walk/bike down).
Dalton is awesome. Don't know him personally, but he spoke at Hacker School two years ago(?), maybe more. He speaks the truth, here and otherwise. I ran out of the auditorium afterwards like it was on fire ... or inspired.
Interesting side note about the article is VC funds tracking 'developers' early, for me at least.
Your profile reads ~"inescapable idealism" yet you sound like the most jaded person I've come across lately. Downvoting isn't the problem, it's probably cynicism. Nailed it.
An idealist can be positive about a state of affairs and the future. He need not be disappointed that utopia has not yet been reached. I find HN encouraging, because the tone and contents are mostly pretty good. So where does your disappointment come from?
If you downvote, you should be obligated to leave a comment. Downvoting otherwise feels like a victimless crime. I exaggerate obviously, but the lack of feedback stunts learning especially if you take the time to read the article and offer commentary.
I've been saying this for a while, but the "inmates have taken over the asylum". Not only that, but "Agile" is subject to really loose interpretations and it suffers as a result, both in implementation and practice.
It's more common than you realize. I haven't necessarily found a cure all, but talking about it... helps. Find yourself a professional mentor because this is a career issue.
On a personal note, I was (is) feeling the same thing for a long time. You have to decide what your life is going to look like. Pay attention to compromising decisions.
