I've been programming long enough that I know the magic incantations to get started in a few languages. But I am still in Anon's shoes any time I learn a new language or library. As the article says, "Even for experts, programming is an exploratory process." So, I'd say everything in this article applies to programmers, too.

Categorizing people into programmers and non-programmers neglects the people who need programming but not at an expert level. Some interns and students won't excel as programmers, but they still can bring programming into what they do instead, especially if efforts like Light Table succeed.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised by this kind of pushback against reimagining programming — I've seen it as a response to some of Bret Victor's projects. Skepticism is great: Maybe the ideas behind Light Table are wrong or badly implemented. But we gain nothing from glib dismissals that seem to regard any attempt at improving or simplifying programming as beneath them.