Age does make a difference for most of us... (Score 1)

I learned Autocoder for the IBM 1401 in 1961 and have been coding ever since (I'm retired and just turned 70). As I moved more into the management role in SW development, I used to pick one major effort a year, eg learning to find hidden lines in a graphic projection one year in the 1980's, just for the challenge (for me). I'd carry around a notebook to write the code and review it over and over. Since it took me a long time to finish any effort it was the best desk-checked code I'd ever written. I agree with the comment about puzzle solving -- it's all one never ending puzzle and usually quite a pleasant activity -- until you screw up and nothing works for weeks at a time for "no reason at all". There is a definite change as I age though. While I can do most anything I want in C++ or Java in terms of algorithms, learning enough about new systems to do useful programs is getting tougher and tougher. I'd like to do some things in iOS but I dread the experience of being clueless for an extended period of time. Tying things together and making sense of a system doesn't come quite so easy any more, especially when your attention span is asymptotically approaching Sesame Street. It's a hard slog. I keep trying, but it's nice to have physical activities (like woodworking) to keep a balance.