I don't understand this manifesto business. Everyone wants, and can get, something different out of a career in software development.
Why do the "501 developers" care that some people would rather program late into the night than go out with people. Likewise, why should anyone care that the they would like to have enough free time to engage in other hobbies.
If I want my job to define who I am, who are you to tell me that it's "wrong"? If you want the free time to do other things, go for it, but don't assume that the lifestyle you want would make everyone happy.
Because the expectations jobs have come in large part form the cultural expectations prevalent within the field. And your job's expectations can make you either unhappy or unemployed.
It seems to me that the manifesto takes a swipe at other developers who "[w]rite a technical blog [...]" (referring to that whole list) as if the way they do things is inferior.
It also appears to make the assumption that the only reason someone would be so involved in their work is that they are sacrificing their personal life to get a promotion or make more money.
>We recognize that your willingness to allow your employment to penetrate deeply into your personal life means that you will inevitably become our supervisor.
This makes it sound like "non-501 developers" just lie back and think of England so they can get a bigger paycheck. Maybe some people just enjoy working longer hours.
Why do the "501 developers" care that some people would rather program late into the night than go out with people. Likewise, why should anyone care that the they would like to have enough free time to engage in other hobbies.
If I want my job to define who I am, who are you to tell me that it's "wrong"? If you want the free time to do other things, go for it, but don't assume that the lifestyle you want would make everyone happy.