Pros: Lean staff means more responsibility for individuals. There's an amazing sense of pride for working at Apple, even when the company wasn't doing so well. People are always impressed that you work for Apple.

Cons: Lean staffing means there's usually no backup. I've heard many stories of senior folks who were burning out, but there was no one to take over for them. The "crunch time" for OS development could be long, with folks eating dinner on campus for multiple months straight.

Pros: The work is cutting-edge, fast-paced, and interesting. My colleagues are enthusiastic and capable, and management is really excellent: mentors and leaders, not tyrants or bureaucrats. I noticed the difference in morale immediately when I first walked into the company. People looked relaxed and like they were having fun. Contrast this with some of my previous companies where people were walking around with frozen faces or hunched over in cubicles; the atmosphere was like a labor camp. Give credit to the management at Apple: this high morale doesn't happen by accident. Managers here respect the engineers and help them to get the job done. Questions are encouraged, and ideas are rewarded. I've worked for enlightened managers in good teams in previous companies, but it never seemed to last. They lost out in the unending political infighting, and they were soon replaced or their projects were disbanded. Here, I see the exact opposite.

Cons: It makes me regret not having come here much earlier.

Pros: Great place to work when in the right group.

Cons: The benefits are not very good compared to other big players.