What you're failing to see is the meaning of the phrase "looks like it was written by a poor programmer". That's a comment on the code only, given that it's possible for a fantastic programmer to write code like that. It's not, however, the same as "calling someone a poor programmer".
Likewise, someone looking at an abstract painting might say "that looks like it was painted by a 5 year old", which doesn't mean they're calling the actual painter a 5 year old. It's commentary on the work.
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What you're failing to see is the meaning of the phrase "looks like it was written by a poor programmer". That's a comment on the code only, given that it's possible for a fantastic programmer to write code like that. It's not, however, the same as "calling someone a poor programmer".
Likewise, someone looking at an abstract painting might say "that looks like it was painted by a 5 year old", which doesn't mean they're calling the actual painter a 5 year old. It's commentary on the work.