[jiggy2011]

There are probably a few real "10x developers" out there but the reality is that there are so many lazy and under qualified developers out there that it's not hard for anyone who has put concentrated effort into learning to program to look like one.

[eitland]

Yep. I'm hardly a 10x engineer but time and time again people tell me I'm the only one to solve basic questions.

As one person who hired me said: there are an awful lot of people who want to have a fat programmer salary but very few who can tell me what design patterns are good for.

Basically once you get past the recruiters there's very little competent competition.