Autism - programming geeks: the destruction of myths

In April 2016, Alex St. John, one of the developers of the DirectX Microsoft technology platform, wrote an article in which he defended an eighty-hour work week, spoke contemptuously about balancing work and personal life, and called porcelain toilet bowls "incredibly decadent luxury." The St. John article was strongly criticized for supporting what many consider the exploitation of work and relationships in the video game industry.

In the wake of criticism, a PowerPoint presentation written by St. John came up , in one of the slides of which the engineers with Asperger's Syndrome are called the "holy grail" for employers. “They work like mechanisms,” he wrote. “They are not interested in politics, do not get involved in relationships and never change jobs.”

Delusion of genius

In works of art, the idea that people with autism spectrum disorders become ideal programmers is popular. Lisbet Salander, the main heroine of the book “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” by Stieg Larsson, is very introverted and makes friends with great difficulty, but is also a very talented hacker. The hacker prodigy Elliot Alderson, the hero of the series “Mr. Robot”, is also a disorder of this spectrum.
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“Be on the lookout for a holy grail — an engineer with Asperger Syndrome.” From the sensational presentation of Alex St. John.

“I think all techies are a bit autistic,” wrote Douglas Copeland in his novel Slaves of Microsoft. This cliché from the fictional world has passed into the real one. Kathryn Stewart, director of Orion Academy High School in Morag (California) for children with high-functioning autism, once described Asperger syndrome as an “engineering disorder.” In 2011, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange told a newspaper reporter: “I, like all hackers, are a bit autistic.”

This stereotype has been fully accepted by many software companies. In April 2016, Microsoft launched the Microsoft Autism Hiring Program with the goal of hiring full-time people with autism. The resume sent more than 700 candidates, and at the moment the company has hired 11 people. She is now implementing this program in the United Kingdom. Many people believe that autism is in the DNA of Microsoft. The founder of the company, Bill Gates, the press constantly diagnosed habits characteristic of autists: concentration on trifles, swaying, monotonous speech in interviews. The stereotype of a brilliant programmer is stable. But is he true?

"This is a fallacy," says Gary Moore, one of the founders of the Nonpareil Institute . His Texan company is engaged in youth education with autism and software development. “One of the false notions is that all people with autism are considered intelligent. In fact, they are like any other section of society. Not all of them will become programmers or technical geniuses. Some will be able to go to college, get a degree and get a job at Microsoft. But most are not capable of this. ”

Moore founded the Nonpareil Institute in 2008 with his friend Dan Selec. Both have sons with autism (“He’s not a rain man. He’s not a genius or a savant. He’s a guy with an average IQ and a serious autism stage.”) And they wanted to create a program that helps people like their children find work.

However, as a result of this process, some managed to get jobs that, according to Moore, often were claimed by hundreds of candidates. “In reality, most adults with autism cannot find work,” says Moore. “The problem with the technical industry is that companies most often require four years of college and an interview.”

Creating a more comfortable working environment

In addition to the difficulties of the employment process, the constraints of the work environment may present significant difficulties for high-functioning autists.

“Many have difficulty working with other people, and such cooperation is a must in software development,” says Moore. Working conditions in large gaming studios can exacerbate these problems, especially in companies that stimulate employees in ways described by St. John.

"The gaming industry is extremely exhausting," says Moore. “60-70-hour working weeks and tight deadlines. All this puts pressure on the weak points of autists. Most can't handle it. ” In fact, autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed in about one percent of the world's population, and about 80 percent of this group is unemployed.

Cody Gillmer, 23, is an independent game developer in Longview, WA. Gillmer was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome at the age of 10, and at 16 he began to develop video games. The stereotypes spread by the press are absolutely not suitable for Gillmer.

“Autism is perceived as something like mental superpower, as if we are seeing mathematical constructions in the air. In my case, this is completely wrong. Programming with complex math takes me a lot of time. ”

To date, Gillmer has managed to participate in various open source projects, but has not yet worked in gaming studios for most of the reasons mentioned by Moore. “For me, the big problem is to“ disconnect ”from noise, both visual and sound,” he says. “I still have some kind of anxiety disorder, probably due to this cause. I am exhausted by disagreements. I feel that the other person does not understand something, that I cannot explain to him, and it hurts me almost physically. I always have background anxiety. Do they understand me correctly? Is it logical I say? Do they underestimate me because of strange speech? All this contributes. ”

To solve the problem, Nonpareil Institute itself has become a software developer and provides jobs for students who have completed its programs . About 30 former students are currently working at the Institute. The company is currently developing four games.

“We want to create console games that will make millions of dollars someday,” says Moore. “Of course, this is a serious bar, so we start small, learn and master the creation of small mobile games. You never know - suddenly we will create a hit that earns enough money so that we can support ourselves. ”

Despite the misconceptions and erroneous information that surround the advantages and disadvantages of hiring autistic people in video game companies, there are large studios that, like Microsoft, are seeking to hire people with autism. Moore gives them unequivocal advice. “The gaming companies personnel departments often tell us,“ not for the protocol, ”about the difficulties of hiring people with autism spectrum disorders,” says Moore. “Our advice is simple: lower the bar of requirements. Organize an internship that does not require a diploma. See for yourself whether the candidate can do the job. ”

This is the approach that Microsoft uses in its new program. Instead of an interview, the company holds an event that allows candidates to show their skills.


Kyle Schwaneke, Xbox Software Development Engineer with Asperger Syndrome. He owes the device to Microsoft to a unique interview process for people with autism spectrum disorders.

Despite all the books, movies, and TV shows that feature autistic programmers geeks, autism is still highly stigmatized. “The internet has killed my pride in being autistic,” says Gillmer. “The constant use of this diagnosis as an insult made me hide it. Therefore, I try not to report about him until I feel that communication with me is starting to cause problems. ” For this reason, candidates often hide their neurological condition from employers.

“Many people don’t tell their superiors about their diagnosis,” says Moore. “They are shy of it. Therefore, it is very important to conduct an educational program on autism. Hiring autistic workers is one of the problems. But it takes a lot of patience, understanding of the essence of the disorder and ways of working with such people to avoid behavioral problems and difficulties that are not always obvious to the employer. ”

For Gillmer, the biggest problem with living with autistic disorder is self-doubt and loneliness. “I am constantly worried that I am speaking illogically. This often kills my desire to communicate with people. Because of this, it is difficult to build connections and meet other game developers. Therefore, I feel like an outsider or an impostor. " Despite the difficulties, Gillmer hopes to someday be able to open his own studio. He already came up with her name: Creative ³ Games.