I think you need to also look at it from the DBAs stand point. If they did whatever the developers want and the system goes down or more likely other parts become slow, it is the DBA who gets the call.
In a large company like SW, the developer requesting some change for their app may have no idea how else the db is being used. What if their requested changes took down the db and prevented reservations from working?
My examples are extreme, but I have seen similar things in my years as both a developer and a DBA at times.
Took me a while to get back here but I do understand your point and it's totally valid. That door swings both ways.
That's why it's hard for the two camps to work side by side.
NoSql gave power to the devs at the expense of the experience and wisdom of the database folks. I bet many many applications and systems were completely screwed datawise more than once because of devs and NoSql.
In a large company like SW, the developer requesting some change for their app may have no idea how else the db is being used. What if their requested changes took down the db and prevented reservations from working?
My examples are extreme, but I have seen similar things in my years as both a developer and a DBA at times.