I’m convinced much of this is all noise - people seem to be focusing on the wrong unit of analysis. Producing software and lots of it has never been a problem - coming up with the right projects and producing a vertically differentiated product to what already exists is.

That's true. The noise is being generated by people who are directly or indirectly incentivized to talk about it.

> coming up with the right projects and producing a vertically differentiated product to what already exists is.

Agreed but not all engineers are involved with this aspect of the business and the concern applies to them.