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I get it, this is hacker news after all, but it really could be worthwhile for the profession to differentiate between someone who picked up Python for a weekend project, and someone with 30 years experience with real-world systems.

Would you get surgery from someone in a back alley? Is that credentialist crap?

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> differentiate between someone who picked up Python for a weekend project, and someone with 30 years experience with real-world systems

Why do you need credentials to differentiate these two?

The first surgeon had no credentials and no “relevant experience.” And that surgeon probably didn’t do a great job at first.

This industry is still within memory of the first digital computers. Now we have lots of rote work, some interesting and novel areas, and a small sliver of wacky innovation. But I think many here cherish that self-image of the self-taught inventor… this is “hacker” news after all. I for one am not ready to give someone undue credibility because of a title or piece of paper.

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