[pcurve]

I like this assessment much better. Software programmers are finite in number.

Maybe ordinary software programmers are like crude oil because there is finite number of them, but still abundant. And fairly fungible.

Talented ones are like highly enriched uranium in that they're much more rare than crude oil by volume.

But they're still fungible because they can jump ship and decide to burn themselves at a different company.

[pjc50]

And stack ranking is "refining" the programmers by heating them under pressure then skimming the top?

decide to burn themselves [out] at a different company

Truth in humour, dude.