DMGThe Problem with Programming
We programmers have a hard time Looking
Busy.
When my workload is light, I come in at 9, stare at a screen and type all day, and leave at 5:30.
When I am doing the work of ten mortal programmers, and performing superhuman feats of coding skill, I ... come in at 9, stare at a screen and type all day, and leave at 5:30.
Because of this, bosses have a tough time distinguishing slothful employees from bright ones working on hard problems. Both spend long periods of time staring and typing, and getting nothing accomplished.
So: the bright and the slothful alike are punished for working on hard problems.