The Pragmatic Craftsman         :: Simplicity from complexity :: | About Me |

Ben Watson, whose blog I just came across, lists the following Top 5 Attributes...

1. Humility
2. Love of Learning
3. Detail-orientedness
4. Adaptability
5. Passion

I think this is a very good list. I think effective programmers are humble. Why? Because you have to be able to work well with others. Just from my experience, it's hard to work with people with a lot of ego.

You just have to love to learn. Effective programmers constantly improve. How do you improve? By finding new ways of doing the things you're used to... better. You have to be exposed to new ways in order to do that. Being able to adopt and having a passion for the profession are essential.

Reference
Philosophical Geek -> Top 5 Attributes of Highly Effective Programmers, Philosophical Geek blog