Keep in mind, that many job interviews are for a position that would be a step up for the candidate. And also keep in mind that there are a lot of lame programm

Keep in mind, that many job interviews are for a position that would be a step up for the candidate. And also keep in mind that there are a lot of lame programming jobs out there that just require a narrow technology skill set. Asking if a candidate programs in their spare time can be a really good indicator of whether they are up for the challenge of learning something new, or whether they're just looking for a bigger paycheck. Other professions have more formal, expensive, and rigid requirements for certification and continuing education. Programming does not. Consider spare time projects as one potential proxy for the former.