[io]

I couldn't disagree more. Doing the grungy work of getting a big project ship-ready doesn't automatically mean there's a death march underway. It means you're a team that's disciplined enough, grown-up enough, to focus on the good of the project, as opposed to what's fun.

There's no reason that kind of work can't also be rewarding. Running a marathon is hard work, not pure fun, yet people find the endeavor rewarding.