I guess, it's subjective to a degree. There probably is a slight grey area. But on the whole, I think its the "generally" recognised a-holes. i.e. some-one most would describe as an a-hole.
This blog post is ludicrous. Seriously, how bloated does your head have to be to insert your own quotes in your blog articles? Check this out:
"There is nothing, in software engineering that can’t be done by other “non-genius” programmers. Further no one developer is greater than a community of developers. - Coding Ninja"
Are you so sure about it? A million mediocre mathematicians couldn't have achieved what Grigori Perelman did, and a million of mediocre developers couldn't have produced the tools we use nowadays. There is absolutely no evidence that a community of average guys could have come up with something like LIPS or Smalltalk. If you claim otherwise, then please mention ONE example. We're all standing on the shoulders of giants, and only a myopic cretin would deny the staggering impact they have on all our lives and our profession.
The reason for the self quote, is because the block quote only has one style on that theme. Thus in the past readers have been confused between external quotes and internal quotes. That is the reason (as a means of reference).
Secondly, the example you gave is about mathematics. In that context I agree. But in the context of software programming this is not the the same. The statement stands.
Do you know who McCarthy and Alonzo Church were, what the lambda calculus is, and in which way LISP relates to mathematics? If this is all Greek to you, then please look it up. Next time, though, please do some research BEFORE you write blog posts. It will save you from being ridiculed.
Yes I'm aware, you still haven't backed your statement. The context is "software engineering" not about creating the next LISP. So please answer that before throwing ad-hominem's?
Who creates the tools that allow, in your world view, average programmers to compete with "geniuses"?
Further, you are the one making bold claims, so the burden of proof lies on you. There are more than enough examples of great software written by "geniuses". But now please mention one great (groundbreaking) project that was written by an army of mediocre programmers.
No, you have completely miss-represented that article. No where did I say to the effect that a group of non-genius can be the same as a genius. This is something that you injected (incorrectly). Now you are asking me to defend something that you incorrectly suggested and attributed to me!
The claim I made (if you actually read it carefully) is that in current field of software engineering (99.99% of software, boring Line Of Business software, OS, Kernels etc.) can and are done by average developers. And they do not require "super developers" with inflated ego's aka the a-holes.
You however taken away that to some how mean "geniuses". That is an error on your comprehension and interpretation.
Likewise I know a few people who are disliked because they have a number of weird personality traits but I don't take offense to them at all.