Joel on Software blogs this topic with a typically provocative and engaging point of view. In short, depending on your business, yes – there is a difference – a big difference. Quote:

Here’s why: duplication of software is free. That means that the cost of programmers is spread out over all the copies of the software you sell. With software, you can improve quality without adding to the incremental cost of each unit sold.

Essentially, design adds value faster than it adds cost.

Or, roughly speaking, if you try to skimp on programmers, you’ll make crappy software, and you won’t even save that much money.

Much more in the post.

Via Matt Homann.