> How does one's passion and aptitude for hacking evolve towards this part of one's life?
If anything, programming has become more important to me as I have gotten older, for the same reason that mathematics has greater appeal to a maturing mind -- it represents a rational counterpoint to a world that, over time, seems to make less sense.
The answer to the last question depends on the geolocation. In developing countries, people won't enjoy programming when they get old, there are too many problems to solve in real-life that don't allow them to do what they like:/
Very true. It's a shame because IMHO programming can be a mixture of recreation and productive work. After retirement, the recreational aspect may come to the fore.
Also, I've met many programmers who were obliged to program with such persistence and effort that over time they learned to hate it. This is a risk with anything one chooses to do for a living, which is why it's prudent to avoid doing things for a living that you love.
I'm 68, and I should add that "hacker" meant something different when I first heard it used. :)
> Are you still employed or retired?
I'm retired, but I still program for enjoyment. I have a line of free Android apps published:
https://play.google.com/store/search?q=lutus&c=apps
> How does one's passion and aptitude for hacking evolve towards this part of one's life?
If anything, programming has become more important to me as I have gotten older, for the same reason that mathematics has greater appeal to a maturing mind -- it represents a rational counterpoint to a world that, over time, seems to make less sense.