Isn't the means somewhat incidental to the process and outcome though, and in that sense isn't it the same type of hobbyist or academic aspect that's as generally appealing as any other?
Programming is an appealing activity in a variety of ways if you're working on something appealing in an appealing context, otherwise it's just a tool like any other, therefore the tools are just tools and constrained somewhat to the appeal a tool can have, which isn't negligible, but isn't something I'd apply the word passion to; much like how I wouldn't describe using a computer as something I'm passionate about, or hiking poles or headlamps or skateboards or knives for carving unless my craft is knife making.
I enjoy the process (usually) of writing Swift and learning new things along the way, but the part that draws me back isn't the act of programming, it's derived from the problem; resolving the problem is often just as interesting sketching something out on paper or thinking about it, just like maths. Serious game developers probably get into it having what they'd describe as a passion for gaming or something, but 6 months away from their computer and I'm sure they wouldn't miss writing arbitrary c++ or wasting their bodies away in front of a screen for 10 hours a day quite as much, it's just often a necessary implementation detail.
Programming is an appealing activity in a variety of ways if you're working on something appealing in an appealing context, otherwise it's just a tool like any other, therefore the tools are just tools and constrained somewhat to the appeal a tool can have, which isn't negligible, but isn't something I'd apply the word passion to; much like how I wouldn't describe using a computer as something I'm passionate about, or hiking poles or headlamps or skateboards or knives for carving unless my craft is knife making.
I enjoy the process (usually) of writing Swift and learning new things along the way, but the part that draws me back isn't the act of programming, it's derived from the problem; resolving the problem is often just as interesting sketching something out on paper or thinking about it, just like maths. Serious game developers probably get into it having what they'd describe as a passion for gaming or something, but 6 months away from their computer and I'm sure they wouldn't miss writing arbitrary c++ or wasting their bodies away in front of a screen for 10 hours a day quite as much, it's just often a necessary implementation detail.