[SteveGerencser]

Because the barrier to entry in programming is zero. Or near enough to it. Code on your free time, learn php on your free time. Suddenly you are WordPress developer.

Learning a trade can require very expensive tools, often time as an apprentice or journeyman, and learning at the very first stage of your career that your labor has value and you need to charge for that.

I can hire a programmer from anywhere in the world and often incredibly cheaply. I can't do that with a tradesman, they actually have to be local, often have more work than they can ever get done, and know that I can't outsource the construction project to someone 1,000 miles away.

[dilyevsky]

> I can hire a programmer from anywhere in the world and often incredibly cheaply

This has been tried many times with quite predictable results and you’re incorrect that you can’t hire tradesmen from far away - happens all the time.

[sokoloff]

Anytime I have a plumbing job, I can’t get a plumber to drive more than 10 miles to come do it.

[dilyevsky]

Small jobs sure, i had arborist crew come out all the way from Fresno, it's not uncommon to see texans building homes in NorCal, etc

[Aeolun]

> Because the barrier to entry in programming is zero.

Sure, a 10000 hour moat is not a moat at all.

[throw10920]

Barrier to entry. Not to mastery. You can write useful scripts with 100 hours of experience or less for some specific problems.