Are the minuses because you disagree? Please discuss.
For me, dealing with codebases generated by the untrained is a daily problem. I do what I can to try and help - I sound like a broken record rattling on about naming variables what they are and whatnot.
I actually agree in part with what you say regarding having the discipline of going to class and a teacher versus self-learning.
You are probably being downvoted because of the second sentence talking bad about self-learned programmers when it's a popular opinion that there are many self-learned programmers.
I personally only downvote when someone is being rude/out of line or says something that is flat-out false, never for opinions. I find HN to be harsh frequently (no specially more so than other inet places but still) and I'm actually a bad day away of taking the route others have taken and just leave.
I may have been too harsh. The problems i see are actually from experts in non computer science fields. They don't even know that software engineering exists, and are used to being right.
At least non statisticians are respectful of stats. Doesn't apply to programming.
For me, dealing with codebases generated by the untrained is a daily problem. I do what I can to try and help - I sound like a broken record rattling on about naming variables what they are and whatnot.