This is a lot of whats changed in the 20 years I've been in the industry. My first job as an engineer, EVERYONE got an office. Even the new grads. It was assumed you'd need a work space and some quiet to think.

My last job (I'm not taking another), we were packed in like gerbils, cages stacked on top of each other and most of my coworkers were non-technical. Yes, many "programmers" are now non-technical people. They're not scientists anymore, they're janitors.