[Travis]

Are you really suggesting that the majority of people who have not coded have no shot at becoming a great programmer? What if they're 5 years old?

Then what's the difference between being 5 and being 20?

Seems very elitist to eliminate people based on the fact that they simply haven't been exposed to a field.

[SHOwnsYou]

I think you've missed the point.

The topic outlines the person in question is interviewing for a coding job.

If you come into an office looking for a coding job, but have never attempted to program before, you have not shown any level of commitment to the job of being a coder.

[Travis]

Gotcha. It's more of a signaling mechanism, rather than a generic way to identify coders at an early stage.

What do you identify with programming potential outside of a hiring context? I've been working with my friends to get them programming (it's the single most valuable skill a person can have in this age). I know that I can help them most by identifying their positive traits (and just pointing these out can reinforce those traits). So what do you think I should look for and "amplify"?

[SHOwnsYou]

Before you start trying to get your friends to learn how to program, make sure they are interested in it first.

I know several people that got into programming, hated it, but stayed involved anyway solely for the money -- They rarely like their jobs.

With that out of the way, I think the two most important traits are curiousity and good problem solving skills.

[petervandijck]

"Then what's the difference between being 5 and being 20?" -> you're not hiring a 5-year old. If you're old enough to hire you, you're old enough to have done some programming. Why would you hire someone who hasn't??

[Travis]

Right, SHOwnsYou pointed that out. I missed that the original context was hiring, and inserted the context that's relevant to me (my current situation).