I'm not sure iSnow is in another part of the world, because there are actually plenty of companies in North America that do not allow programmers to bring headphones or use IM at work.
I agree, but the majority of programmers are not working at software companies. As many old-timers pointed out to me when starting out, software developers are generally treated better at software companies than other companies that may see them more as a cost center than a profit center.
