[ashark]

I think that, among other reasons for its existence, open offices (especially when coupled with office-having supervisors) are one of many weapons arrayed against programmers to keep them from properly entering the professional (high-middle) class, or even (following Fussell's categories here) high-prole. Middle or (ideally) mid-prole only.

[abc_lisper]

There is a lot of truth to this. Image matters. Not giving a proper office for you to do your work is a slight, implying that you are not that valuable.