This is a good first approximation of what programmers do all day, although actually programming a coffe-making robot to operate in a kitchen is considerably ha

This is a good first approximation of what programmers do all day, although actually programming a coffe-making robot to operate in a kitchen is considerably harder--it involves solving a large number of vision and mechanical problems, not all of which we understand. That said, much of the expertise of a professional programmer involves big programs, and how to keep them from turning into unmanageable hairballs. This is where, say, engineers who know how to program generally have trouble. Still, as a first approximation, this analogy is rather decent.