I didn't read it that way. I also find it ironic that in arguing against self-important people, there is a hell of a lot of self-importance inherent in the post (and yours, too).
The degree (or lack of) isn't the issue. Having a CS degree doesn't make you immune to any of your assertions. What you're describing is just a bad programmer.
I believe the GP's argument is about programmers with CS degrees who don't 'get' simplicity, because they can't validate their own intelligence and qualifications with it. I would never tar all programmers with the same brush, but much like the ignorant 'get it done' guy, there's the ignorant 'flex my brain muscles, fuck everyone else' guy too.
Of course I am describing a bad programmer. Your point is well taken, many programmers with CS degrees are terrible, many programmers without CS degrees are terrible, and there are some good among both.
There are of course many ways to be a bad programmer. "Look how smart I am" is one kind, but I don't worry nearly as much about them because I have found that far more often I am dealing with the "get it done" kind of bad programmer.
It'd be interesting to trace at what point the "look how smart i am" developer turns in to a "get it done" developer, vs drops out of the field.
Or to track how many people might self identify as a "get it done" developer who might be labelled as a "look how smart i am" developer (and vice-versa).
The degree (or lack of) isn't the issue. Having a CS degree doesn't make you immune to any of your assertions. What you're describing is just a bad programmer.
I believe the GP's argument is about programmers with CS degrees who don't 'get' simplicity, because they can't validate their own intelligence and qualifications with it. I would never tar all programmers with the same brush, but much like the ignorant 'get it done' guy, there's the ignorant 'flex my brain muscles, fuck everyone else' guy too.