After more than five years with my current company, I finally snagged the ultimate in attainable by mortal developers status symbols - the window cube. If I crane my neck and recline in my really uncomfortable chair, I can see the same Times Square Building that Joel and his co-workers can see from their comfortable Aerons, except from the opposite side.

What looks like a fake skyscraper with a hole in the middle is actually a side view of the superstructure that supports the electronic marquee. It looks like there's a staircase inside the glass-enclosed space.