Then again, I can't say I've encountered that tone of desperation at the places I've worked, other than for short spells when release time looms. Crunch mode's a lot of fun, but it's not sustainable for long periods. Enthusiasm, definitely - that was almost palpable at Trilobyte especially.

But agreed, unfortunate he's going. Like a few billion other LJers, I can't help but wonder if the recent spate of arbitrary, capricious journal deletions might have been the extra grain of sand that tipped the balance.