Programming makes weird because even though I'm not coding, I'm thinking about my code all the time and as a result of that, I rather live in my own head than interact with people around me.
However, its also during these times ( not in front of computer ) that I often think of the most brilliant re-factoring, algorithms and ideas for my code. So strange as it sounds, socializing helps me to code.
After a long day at work, I find I need certain cues to tell my brain to cut it out and think about other things for a while. Sometimes it's a tasty beverage (be it beer, coffee, or otherwise), a long walk, or turning up a favourite album really loud.
I think this is the same for any individual whose job requires that you live in your head for a long time. I'm fairly certain artists who are deeply involved in their work experience this "surfacing", as I've come to call it.
I both agree and disagree. I think computer science as a whole has changed (not hindered) social interactions. As an undergrad student I'm constantly whipping out of different social scenes -- from working and hanging around my fellow computer science majors to interfacing with the rest of the world. Naturally, there are a lot of jokes/social quirks sitting on either side of that fence. More and more I have found myself not caring/thinking to judge which side of that fence I'm on and as a result I, on occasion, spit out something that makes no sense to my present company. While I am constantly thinking of new ideas/solutions for various computer science problems, the computer science mindset is one that I am constantly slipping in and out of.
However, its also during these times ( not in front of computer ) that I often think of the most brilliant re-factoring, algorithms and ideas for my code. So strange as it sounds, socializing helps me to code.