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The fact that programming is an exceptionally ill-defined task. Computers are great at doing well-specified tasks. In many ways, programming is the act of takin

• dragonwriter 11y ago
  > In many ways, programming is the act of taking something poorly-specified and making it specific enough for a computer to do. Software development in the broad sense is that, sure; not sure I'd say programming is that -- taking vague goals and applying a body of analytical and social skills to gather information and turn it into something clearly specified and unambiguously testable is the requirements gathering and specification area of system analysis, which is certainly an important part of software development, but a distinct skill from programming (though, given the preference for a lack of functional distinctions -- at least strict ones -- within software development teams in many modern methodologies, its often a skill needed by the same people that need programming skills.)