I definitely agree that computer programming is an art (as does Knuth and many others), and I believe that the emotions we feel when producing particularly clever bits of code are comparable to the emotions that a poet feels when writing particularly meaningful verses.

However, in order for programming to have the same footing as a "fine art" (on par with poetry or visual arts), it needs to have the same _relatability_ in non-programmers as it does with programmers. That is, it would need to evoke the same visceral emotion in a nontechnical observer, which is kind of a stretch at this moment. Nevertheless, I'm fine with programming remaining a true art only within a self-selected inner circle. Many other things are the same way.