Actually it is different. Using your analogy the actor is the programmer. Most of the time in Hollywood the actor matters more than the product. Also as an ac

Actually it is different. Using your analogy the actor is the programmer. Most of the time in Hollywood the actor matters more than the product. Also as an actor you are trying to get a part in someone else's product. So you need to be where the product owner is. As a programmer, you own the product. Noone needs to know you, and you product could be very famous without anyone knowing you. As an example take the movie SALT. It is quite famous. I know the actors. I do not know the name of the producer or writer. That would be the programmer. My point is, programmers do not need SV as much as actors need HW. Programmers are writers, and producers. You can produce a movie in your basement, and distribute it on Youtube for free. If enough people like it, you can get funding to do a more polished, cinematic version of it.