In my recent blog posting "The Secrets to Becoming a Great Programmer" I discuss a couple of characteristics of great programmers. You can read about those characteristics at
The Secrets to Becoming a Great Programmer
What other characteristics make a programmer great? Do you agree with my assessment?
One of the secrets is how programmers are managed. There is a very funny story by Orson Scott Card (I know, but this was good) on netjeff.com:
"Here's the secret that every successful software company is based on: 'You can domesticate programmers the way beekeepers tame bees. You can't exactly communicate with them, but you can get them to swarm in one place and when they're not looking, you can carry off the honey.'"
The article continues with how businesses fail because of inappropriate changes to team management. Personally I think that one of the strengths at ARM and some other high-tech companies is that almost all the managers are, or were once, very technical and understand how to balance creativity, knowledge, and discipline.
A great programmer wants to be inspired by an even greater programmer, and be admired by other programmers.
A great programmer needs something great to do and the freedom to do it.