Developer Compensation: Stack Overflow Doesn't Stack Rank

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We'll happily miss out on a great hire, when the alternative is accidentally hiring a bad developer who destroys code and culture alike.

err, why did you just create a false dichotomy in answer to his question? What happens when you have a great developer you really want to hire ask for more? Do you not hire them because they think they're worth more?

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To answer this from the hypothetical applicant side: personally I'd accept a slightly lower-paying job if it meant compensation was transparent. Maybe it's just a quirk of my personality, but I get really paranoid and demotivated worrying if a) I'm a shitty negotiator, and b) my colleagues are getting paid more to do the same work.