And no I didn't have a lot of free time. I was working and going to school but when you're young you frankly don't need a whole lot of sleep.
You do if you have health issues, or mental health issues, or kids (some young people have them), or a long commute, or a second job, or if you're not young...
It's hard to recognize privilege when you have it.
If you happen to have rich parents who pay for the best college, that's an awesome opportunity. Nobody should have to feel bad about taking it!
If you are poor, but happen to have a lot of spare time, that's also an opportunity.
Complaining about privilege is not actionable. Focussing on opportunities is a lot more constructive: We can look for ways to give someone an opportunity!
It is actionable though. People can make hiring decisions on a candidates work rather than what they do in the spare time, just as they do in every other industry besides tech.
Of which Github and Open Source are but subsets.
The open internet is the substrate on which innovation runs.
They also weren't as visible and easily browsable.
So, you are perpetuating ageism then. Let’s see how cocky you are in 10, 20, 30 years when you can’t get a job because of all the bloggers crowing about their Github profiles...
That's not actually the case! Blind programmers are not rare, and as for the other: https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/01/max-strzelecki-warlocks/
You don't need to be young to code profesionally nor you need free time. Good job allows you to learn on the job. You need eyes and hands.