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My reflexive response was "above average" but after few moments of reflection I'd say "average" because I know I will always have more to learn and it all comes down to what you have to compare yourself against.
If you were to ask me to think back to the small team of developers at my first job, I would say that I'm still below average. I had no real world experience and one of them was one of the best developers I've ever had the pleasure of working with. One of those sorts that coding seemed to come as naturally as breathing and enjoyed the process... his skill as a mentor? Not so much. Long story short, his knowledge and work ethic influenced the entire group to be better. At the same time my lack of knowledge became very apparent.
I'm now a more skilled developer than the majority of the team was at that time, but I'm sure they have all improved as well.
Now looking solely at more recent jobs I would have said that I'm above or well above average. Part of it is my experience and what I feel a "good" developer entails and also because I've now dealt with the complete opposite end of the talent bell curve.
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I see plenty of programmers around here that are better than I am. Certainly in terms of their knowledge of the languages and their internal works.
My strong suit, in programming and even back in real life, as a research chemist, has always been problem solving. Generally very rapidly and often with novel solutions.
"If I cannot find a way I'll make one" - Hannibal, and/or others
That being said, I can generally abstract actual programming to a very high degree - no longer targeted for a specific problem-group, but capable of handling the target and pretty much whatever else is thrown at it - even as needs change. The entire business could change - say from banking to fast food - and the applications would still work perfectly well as they don't care.
No doubt, some of this is from just plain experience, but, I honestly hardly know the operations of the company for which I now write - and it doesn't matter. A good thing, too, as they flail about adding and removing entities and business plans, the software quietly accommodates the changes. And then you know you got it right and it does feel good.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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...but mileage will vary depending on the platform, and who you ask.  There's always room to improve.
It was broke, so I fixed it.
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Since I've been coding for 40 years, It's likely that I made more mistakes (and learnt from them) than the average coder.
Thus, I consider myself "above average".
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So tell us about your "Fortran tips and tricks" 
Press F1 for help or google it.
Greetings from Germany
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Being able to code without copy'n'paste from SO then hoping and praying it'll work? 
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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Nah, average must mean that you can post a "Send codez pliiiiizzzzz!" post in Q/A and inform your boss that you expect to have the problem solved in a jiffy! 
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
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Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain
modified 6-May-19 9:02am.
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Very astute observation. Paraphrasing the title of that TV series "Orange is the New Black", I could possibly offer:
"Incompetent is the new average"
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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In my day, it meant that you (a) possessed a copy of Knuth, and (b) actually used it to look up algorithms. Today, I'm not sure some of the questioners in QA have even heard of him.
Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.
-- 6079 Smith W.
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Given the number of VB6 questions that still crop up I wonder if they've heard of Alan Cooper[^]?
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Although sometimes
1. Copy Paste
2. Review
3. Refactor
can be helpful in understanding a problem or algorithm.
i've learned so much from doing that. Weird things too, like how to compute string differences.
When I was growin' up, I was the smartest kid I knew. Maybe that was just because I didn't know that many kids. All I know is now I feel the opposite.
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"Average" programmers seem to prefer a 4 stage development plan:
1) Copy.
2) Paste.
3) Compile.
4) Panic.
Sent from my Amstrad PC 1640
Never throw anything away, Griff
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
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hahaha
When I was growin' up, I was the smartest kid I knew. Maybe that was just because I didn't know that many kids. All I know is now I feel the opposite.
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I read a survey once where they asked car drivers whether they thought they were above or below average.
90% were of the opinion they were above average.
(at least) 40% are having a faulty self-image
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I definitely AM an above average driver. It's ALL THE OTHER ASSH*LES on the road that are below!
Anything that is unrelated to elephants is irrelephant
Anonymous
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The problem with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine
Winston Churchill, 1944
-
Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
Mark Twain
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Sometimes I'm even brilliant but I know a lot of programmers who are (or will be when they will have the same experience I have now) better than me without them bei ng "highly skilled".
Therefore I'm average.
GCS d--(d+) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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den2k88 wrote: Sometimes I'm even brilliant but I know a lot of programmers who are (or will be when they will have the same experience I have now) better than me without them bei ng "highly skilled".
Therefore I'm average.
Really good description. I identify myself in the comment
M.D.V. 
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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Shall I make little statues on pedestals of both of you on my 3D printer? 
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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I don't understand the sarcasm... I find it a pretty good description and it ends with "I'm average"
So why do we would want to have a statue?
I didn't consider you that mediocre to be willing to put me in a pedestal. 
M.D.V.
If something has a solution... Why do we have to worry about?. If it has no solution... For what reason do we have to worry about?
Help me to understand what I'm saying, and I'll explain it better to you
Rating helpful answers is nice, but saying thanks can be even nicer.
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I 'm just testing my new 3D printer and need some good 3D files to try it out. Not that I don't have anything. Since last night it's printing one more part of my first test object and will probably be still at it when I come home from work. When all parts are finished, the whole thing is supposed to be 44 inches long, but that remains to be seen after a few more days of constant printing and buying a few more pounds of PLA filament.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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I also recently got a 3D printer! If you want something to try yours out, I recently created a model for a 27mm Menger sponge[^] of 3 iterations (printed in two parts that have to be glued; to avoid having to use support structures), just let me know if you want it
A 44 inch test object though  What are you printing?
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Thomas Daniels wrote: A 44 inch test object though What are you printing?
This[^]
My older printer was able to print it, but just barely. The new printer has a much larger build volume, so I tried to solve some of the problems by printing the whole thing at 200%, which by the way makes it the size of the original studio models.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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This is a 44 inch 3d printer, the most powerful printer in the world. With one print it can blow your head clean off. Now you have to ask yourself "Do I feel lucky?". Well, do you, punk?
GCS d--(d+) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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den2k88 wrote: the most powerful printer in the world
Not even close. Our customer here tests prototypes of buses. Guess how they make some of the parts for those prototypes.
And save your threats! Next on my list is a Tie fighter pilot's helmet[^] That should be protection ennough.
I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.
His last invention was an evil Lasagna. It didn't kill anyone, and it actually tasted pretty good.
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I'm an Incom fanboy, you just can't beat an old schoolt T-65 X-Wing. Integrated life support and hyperdrive are just worthier than TIE fighter's ion thrusters. And the training can be safely done on T47 Airspeeders, it's just a better platform 
GCS d--(d+) s-/++ a C++++ U+++ P- L+@ E-- W++ N+ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t+ 5? X R+++ tv-- b+(+++) DI+++ D++ G e++ h--- r+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
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