>As a result, every developer wouldn't need to know how to write a parser/compiler, but rather would need to master the usage of the API the compiler-as-a-service offers. (For example, imagine JetBrains Idea for Java or Resharper for C# as a suite of open source, api-driven libraries). >Then, we could have IDE's with all kinds of features. In addition, we could write programs that transformed or modified our code bases. >This lets the "hard work" of compiler/parser building be centralized to a few developers, but spreads the benefits around to most everyone.

Oh no you are not wriggling out of that one. Every developer should know how to write a parser and a compiler, not full fledged ones, just enough to implement a small language. That is in essence what computing is about, composing and instantiating formulae, with a full grasp of its semantics. To call your self a computing professional without knowing about parsing is like calling yourself a medical professional without knowing anatomy. This can only happen in the world of computer programming. It is the very essence of what we do, and how such a situation exists is an indictment of the computing profession, its educationists and educators.

It is the very soul of computing.

We might get away with it in the eyes of the public who don't know better because we produce the results they want, internally we shouldn't kid ourselves.