That’s what I thought too, Philip! A curiosity about learning new things, to crack, ponder and figure out puzzles (even if the puzzle isn’t strictly a puzzle). I think it’s a fascination with how things work.

It’s that fascination that motivates a person long enough that a solution be found.

In the UK the one large trend I have seen is that programmers come from a science background, and that a large portion started as engineers (myself included).

I suspect that interest in language, mathematics or engineering could all be traced back to a childhood wish to play with or solve puzzles or problems. This may not be formal solving, just and environment where this kind of activity is condoned and even encouraged.

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“I can’t remember if I’m starting at 0 or 1!”
And the fact that you don’t have to start with 0 or 1 in a loop compounds the problem. For example, you could start with -10 and end with 20 if it makes sense for the logic.

And thanks for the Bletchley Park and Cambridge college reference. At least there’s *some* evidence that linguistic ability carries some weight in programming ability.

Particularly the code breaking part. Not only were the coders working with a programming language, understanding both English and German (that right?) makes it easier to quickly look out for patterns.

My problem with counting things in loops is typically I can’t remember if I’m starting at 0 or 1!

Although my background is mathematical, I do have some anecdotal evidence that a strong languages background can help in programming. Recall that a fraction of the code breakers at Bletchley Park had a languages background. Also I used to hang out with fellows at a Cambridge college and chatting to one of them he described how they’d written an early library management system in the 1970’s – he was a linguist.