longtimeranon

> I'm a coder. I've been a coder a huge chunk of my life. This attempt to label "coder" as some kind of idiot is really pissing me off,

If you want to call yourself a coder, fine. However, there is still a difference between Linus Torvalds and someone who, for example, has at most hacked a few things together in JavaScript, and I think the terminology should reflect that in more ways than just "beginner" and "expert."

I also think calling ourselves "coders" and calling what we do "coding" isn't going to gain us the respect or prestige that terms like "software developer" or even "programmer" would. If you're happy being called a "coder," in the sense of "Zed Shaw is a great coder," that's fine, but personally, I'm not.

> Now, the site is down so I haven't read the article

It was down for me too. I was responding to the comments that seemed to take great offense at the apparently horrible, elitist idea that maybe, just maybe, it might be worthwhile to have a term that distinguishes professional developers from people who've done some exercises on code.org.

This is exactly the sort of thing I'm talking about! Doctors in the US are the highest paid in the world because of protectionist laws that don't allow foreign doctors to practice (no H-1B competition), that prevent new medical schools from opening, and that make them the only legal source of many health services like prescriptions (in many states), and yet people like you continue to defend them:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/11/20/doctors_pay_u...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/13/w...

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2013/02/19/nurse_practit...

With the media coverage of code.org, Leo the Homeless Coder, and the code schools and bootcamps springing up everywhere, the message the general public is getting is that whatever "coding" is and whatever "coders" do doesn't really take a whole lot of skill or effort. If anyone can apparently do it with a few weeks of training, why should they be paid $80-100+k?

Either coders=programmers and we should expect increasing competition and decreasing wages, or self-described programmers need to somehow distinguish themselves from the unskilled "coder" masses.

Yet in these very comments, every response I've seen is essentially endorsing the "coding is easy and anyone can do it" message.

It's strange to see so many otherwise intelligent people advocating for their own marginalization. Doctors would never say things like "everyone should learn medicine" or "anyone can be a doctor." Instead they erect barriers to entry to eliminate competition and force you to pay for their services, driving up the cost of health care, and the stupid general public loves them for it.

What is wrong with programmers? Are we simply too egalitarian for our own good?