Jason Kottke blogged about working in places where you can hide. I agree very much about coasting employees sucking the life out of you. I’ll been there when management have tried to do some weeding, and watched everybody overreact (me included). I agree these things suck the life out of you.
But worse than people over estimating projects, is them overestimating, then “delivering on time” and getting praised for it. While others (not me because I was too jaded by this point) slogging there guts to get as close as possible to unachievable deadlines.
I really like my new company, small team, open plan, like a kitchen really.