First, the terms don't mean different things, despite the authors intention to make it so. Second, the idea he presents as coder is actually a basic operation

First, the terms don't mean different things, despite the authors intention to make it so. Second, the idea he presents as coder is actually a basic operation done by programmers at many different levels. A good analogy would be to liken it to a carpenter hammering nails. A good carpenter might spend many hours planning a project on paper, but at some point someone has to hammer the nails. It might be him, it might be an apprentice (read: junior programmer). Finally, I may be reading the comments in a different light than you, but I don't think anyone is using this forum to claim that programming, or even "coding", is an easy task. It is a skill that takes training and practice. As you get more skilled, you might find yourself doing less of the implementation or not, depending on your career. However, it is exactly that experience and increased skill that warrants the high salary. You wouldn't pay an apprentice carpenter a lot of money for those cabinets, but for a master...