<p>It takes a special mind to be a programmer. In real life, I have a few guys that play in a band at some clubs after hours. One guy bikes around the world during his spare time, another a cabinet maker, a hunter, mountain climber…I am a woman manager of those guys, who probably knows latest fashion as well as my 20 year old daughter.</p>
<p>There are a lot of nerdy guys in the CS field, but nerds rule nowadays. CIOs are very well respected at most major firms. In today’s world, technology is often the most expensive expenditure any firm could have, and it’s also the most important, it doesn’t matter if it’s dog food company or a financial company.</p>
<p>Yes, people in my department are paid well and treated like valued asset to the firm. They also have the luxury of “working from home” that people in other professions may not be able to.</p>