Same! Not gen x, but I also grew up with it feeling like the only way to get into computing (let alone programming) was to be an enthusiast. Today's locked-down platforms don't encourage the same pipeline.
The conclusions drawn are reminiscent of something we've heard for a long time: software engineering, as a discipline, needs to grow up. We can't lean on enthusiasts forever. We need better structural solutions to improve quality. It feels decades away, though.
