I think the source of your confusion is based on a false assumption that speed has anything to do with programming skill or quality of output. I've never met a

I think the source of your confusion is based on a false assumption that speed has anything to do with programming skill or quality of output. I've never met a really good programmer who cared much about how quickly she finished a project. Only about doing it right. On the other hand, I've met a lot of bad programmers who were really concerned with writing code quickly, or bragged about how fast they could code, who's output was terrible. Now it may be that a skilled programmer comes to an answer more quickly than an unskilled one. But it's also true that a sloppy programmer comes to an answer more quickly than a careful one.