If you're over 40, and they over 30, you are all old for programmers. The new blood is coming in at early twenties. When I started out almost 20 years ago, I was working with a 50-something year old, and it was a great experience for me.

Get hold of the code generation tools from imatix.com . Specifically the gsl. This will bridge the gap between custom routines, and packaged libraries, by teaching yourself how to generate the libraries from a core requirement definition. It's a lot easier for old programmers to 'get' the gsl than it is for the current crop of IDE developers. Once you get your head around how that works, you will better understand the 'modern' approach, and especially it's limitations and drawbacks when it comes to performance and re-use. Complexity is a manifestation of poor code design, and somehow complexity has become cool.

The analogy of the bricklayer and the programmer is erroneous. When you buy commercial software and there's a bug in it, the supplier of the software fixes it on your time and your dime. You get the bug fix if you are paying support, and you do not get compensated for finding the bug and reporting it in the first place.

Code is written for many purposes, and each purpose requires different constructs which are not interchangeable because of the hardware each is written to run on. There are purposes for client-server, desktop, server-only and mobile, and other more specialised. Each purpose requires a different code structure, and ultimately all code written for each purpose is very similar, which facilitates the creation of code generation tools and the use of 4GL development environments, per purpose. The pinnacle of achievement in the building of systems with the elimination of coding is provided by the Remedy ARS [ available from early 90's ], which is applied to client-server. To date, there is no equivalent in the areas of mobile, desktop, server-only or any other coding purpose. There can be no one method to create all code for all purposes without writing actual code, by virtue of the underlying differences in fundamental functionalities.

Perhaps. But on the other hand it is a message to other Indian managed sites to dissociate themselves from hosting or referencing the content. A bit more high profile initially, with a forcible reduction in exposure in future, especially in India, where the families concerned are now humiliated. This little adventure will have professional repurcussions for the parents and relatives in business and public service circles.