[watters]

The corrupted forms of agile—which are so pervasive that they're now what most folks think agile is—have definitely make the experience of being a software engineer worse.

Some of what you're describing can be found in for-hire firms that build out software to spec for other companies. The risk (for you) there is that, sometimes, you might have to learn or use new tools/tech.

[spacemadness]

So many folks have tried to guide the industry to better processes, but in the end the anxiety ridden micromanagers and control freaks win the battle at most companies. I think the problem is in the structure of businesses and its internal incentives to management and demands from stakeholders coupled with software being hard to understand and estimate. Every process will devolve into micromanagement and control.