What I'm saying is that programming for fun on your free time is absolutely not the same as programming to pay the rent, and this is not straightforward when you start learning computer science (and that's what this article is about, right?). You have to respect a lot of things that stops you in the creation process, because the goal here is not to do cool things but do as you're told, to take decisions not for your entertainment but for your boss. Sure there are people that do whatever they want at work, but it's relatively rare. And this, my friends, is just my humble opinion.

Let me put it this way. On a regular week day, I spend around 12-14 hours a day programming (that might change with a kid on the way), only 10 of which are done for my boss. The point is I don't program to make a living. I just make a living by doing what I do best.

In other words, programming to me means so much more than what I give my employer. Just like the article says, it defines a way of life, that puts knowledge, learning and improving on top of everything else.