All the programmers I consider to be role models don't have time or care to blog, so I would support the hypothesis that they are mostly not great developers an

All the programmers I consider to be role models don't have time or care to blog, so I would support the hypothesis that they are mostly not great developers and only trying to sell you something. I personally never had much of a doubt. The old household names (like Fowler) that speak at conferences or write books I trust far more than your average blogger though. Development is a form of craftsmanship. If I was commissioning an artist I would look at their portfolio - not how they "talk about art". So the question is, have the folks blogging actually produced something well known? If yes, I'm happy to take their blog seriously.