Personally I think it's the math emphasis in programming that scares so many away from learning about programming and computers. When I was in college Fortran/Cobal were just about the only computer courses available. That had about as much appeal (as a Music Performance Major) as being a CPA.

Math and I are mentally opposed to each other and yet compared to the general public I have a symbiotic relationship with the machines and the industry. How can this be if Math is so important? Simple, I don't let the math get in the way of my creativity or vision. My music background provides the logic required. Math people have a hard time understanding this. But music (Sheet Music) has much more in common with programming than equations.

Sheet music is the assembly of timing from chaos into an order that can be interperated in a logical fashion. Which is programming! By placing such an emphasis on Mathmatical/Analytical logic Universities and the Industries limit the fields capability and creativity. Logic, as Mathematicians use the term, is finite, while logic from a Musicians standpoint is an abstraction and works just as well at comprehending what is required to create the desired programatic result.

Math should only be a requirement if specialty IT degrees are sought for math intesive industries.