Trained Perl professional or self-taught hack?

[punch_card_don]

Reading Perlmonks I'm often impressed by the depth and breadth of knowledge of Perl in posts. And sometimes I wonder - are these people trained professionals, or just self-taught hacks like me?

The last computer course I took was a first year Fortran course over 25 years ago. But as a research scientist, programming was an ever-present work tool. Something you just opened a book on, learned, and applied. During ~15 years as a research scientist, I programmed everything from an old Rockwell AIM portable computer for data acquisition from test equipment, to IBM 3000-series mainframes for statistical analysis data crunching programs, to silicon wafer probing robot controllers, and much more, in every language from Basic, to Fortran to Assembler to proprietary PLC languages.

But every one of those projects were hacked together by having a programming manual open beside the computer, extracting just enough knowledge to get the job done.

The other end of the spectrum would be someone with full trainig in general programming theory and in specific languages. People with on-going training to keep their skills up to date. Real programming professionals.

So, which are you?