[JAlexoid]

20 years ago you needed all of the same stuff in software engineering, as you described in music.

Things change... It costs as much to "release an app" as to "get a record out" today.

[scrumbledober]

But I don't need to "release an app" to make money as a programmer. I just need to work on small parts of an app that already exists and I can have a comfortable salary with reasonably good job security.

[JAlexoid]

As a musician you can also be a wedding band, sing only covers and make a living off it.

It's really not that different...