Earlier quoted context omitted.
Be realistic, there isn't really any culture that 100% of the best/qualified programmers would want to work in.
But the thing is, a company don't need 100% of the best programmers; in the extreme case of a small startup, you just need a handful of them to get off the ground. If you can make an environment that a few people love, even if most people wouldn't like it, that could be a competitive advantage in hiring. Companies like the ones that the article criticizes may actually be doing themselves a favor, even as they alienat…
(For anyone not familiar with them, they are a dating website that periodically mines their database and discusses observed trends in their blog)