what is a programmer?

[Aramil of Elixia]

then don't

[htirwin]

A programmer is someone who has written at least one program, and who will write at least one more in their lifetime.

The moment a programmer will not write another program in their lifetime, they are no longer a programmer.

You would think this implies that nobody can ever be absolutely certain wether they are a programmer or not.

The limit as the difference between real time and the moment a person finishes typing an instruction approaches 0 = programmer, if and only if that instruction will be used. The limit as the difference between real time and the moment this instruction is successfully executed = validation.

However, because these moments are not likely to ever be simultaneous, a person can most likely never know if they are a programmer or not. It is however possible for a person to know that they were a programmer.