[GBond]

> Elitist, protectionist mechanisms like this

In fairness to lawyers and doctors, they serve needs that have a larger societal impact thus the need to to have more stringent process of instilling the right training and enforcing ethics.

Programmers are perceived to be be neutral in this regard.

People understand this concept as it applied to lawyers and doctors. Most folks frown on ambulance-chasers and boob-jobs plastic surgeons.