Isn't HTML and CSS a base line, every programmer knows this?
"This UX is awful? "
But that doesn't make them good UX designers.
So one could argue it's really hard to get really good at HTML and CSS and not care about UX at all.
But yes, a fool with a tool is still a fool - if that's the point you're trying to make.
Just that a lot of programmers aren't necessarily known for their design aesthetic.
So you could 'not be a fool', and be very good at HTML/CSS, and yet not really understand or care about color, flow, layout.
But, to your point, surely they will absorb something in the process. But it is far from a given.
Isn't this the entire argument between Apple-Microsoft, Jobs-Gates?
Gates isn't a fool, neither are MS programmers, but they aren't known for good 'ux designs'
There are a lot more technology experts than good Design experts.
Yes, it isn't a baseline. I'm talking about what is, not what should be. In some (large) circles using HTML or CSS is regarded akin to writing machine instructions rather than python. It should be avoided because no one understands it and you'll create a maintenance problem.