Dude, I'm positive I'm a coder because I spend a whole lot of time coding, and I think I do it pretty decently -- and "search in Google" is a key part of my workflow!   So is debugging.   Hopefully copy-and-paste-coding-without-knowing-what-i'm-doing is not, however, true. 

But no need to be elitist about it. 
________________________________________
From: Code for Libraries [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of Friscia, Michael [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2012 8:45 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] What is a "coder"?

Thought process of a coder:
1- I need to open a file in my program
2- ok, I'll import IO into my application and read the definition
3- i create methods and functions around the definition and open my file
Total time to deliver code: 5 mins

Thought process of a non-coder
1- I need to open a file in my program
2- I open up a web browser and go to google
3- search "open file in java"
4- copy/paste the code I find
5- can't figure out why it doesn't work, go back to step 3 and try a different person's code
6- really stuck, contemplates changing the programming language
7- runs some searches on easier programming languages
8- goes back to Google and tries new search terms and gets different results
9- finally get it working
10- remove all comments from the copy/paste code so it looks like I wrote it.
Total time to deliver code: 5 hours


___________________________________________
Michael Friscia
Manager, Digital Library & Programming Services

Yale University Library
(203) 432-1856


-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark A. Matienzo
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 10:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [CODE4LIB] What is a "coder"?

Some discussion (both on-list and otherwise) has referred to "coders,"
and some discussion as such has raised the question whether
"non-coders" are welcome at code4lib.

What's a coder? I'm not trying to be difficult - I want to make
code4lib as inclusive as possible.

Mark A. Matienzo <[log in to unmask]>
Digital Archivist, Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library
Technical Architect, ArchivesSpace