[fornever]

I wouldn't say that programming is primarily creative, at least not as an industry activity. Development overall can be creative, but the code itself is to a large extent utilitarian. I don't think the difference, as stated by the poster, is creativity, but workmanship. In that sense programming is more like a craft.

[GuiA]

The plan drawing and model making in architecture is to a large extent utilitarian; would you say that architecture isn't creative?

Have you seen a sculptor at work? There is nothing inherently creative about the hundreds of hours spent chipping away little bits of rock.

What you describe is true in any art - the macroscopic creative vision is supported by the microscopic repetitive work.