"And going toe to toe against the "Degreed" programmers there was no contest. They were smarter, more focused and better able to handle the task because they learned what they NEEDED, rather than what the school taught them."

Now you are say that programmers without degrees are better?

Come on.

It has to do with how smart and how much practice the person has. But they way you put it sounds like it is better no to have a degree.