There's two ways of being known as a hot-shit programmer. The first has been described by Joel ("Smart. Gets things done.") and Rands ("Be productive, be fanta

There's two ways of being known as a hot-shit programmer. The first has been described by Joel ("Smart. Gets things done.") and Rands ("Be productive, be fantastically clever when necessary, speak truth to power, hit your dates, and don’t ship crap."). These are people who deliver the goods. Deliver them often enough and folks will know your name. The second way is harder, particularly for the introverted. This involves self-marketing, being obviously and repeatedly correct. It also requires a bit of political adeptness and a bit of visionary helps as well. Both Joel and Rands have done very well here and there's a number of others who have made a name for themselves via the web. If you have a choice, choose this method as it yields better visibility. Although it also means that screw ups are magnified if and when they occur. Am I the best programmer going? No. If you're reading this, I suspect you're not either... But I work hard at delivering the goods, and I'm good at what I do. People like this get remembered when new projects start. No matter how big or small your niche is or how many you fill, impress others. And don't needlessly piss them off - people remember assholes far longer than good 'uns.