The Geek Syndrome
I’ve long held that the ability to hammer away at certain technical problems requires a kind of brain wiring similar to autism.
(Wired via slashdot): Autistic people have a hard time multitasking - particularly when one of the channels is face-to-face communication. Replacing the hubbub of the traditional office with a screen and an email address inserts a controllable interface between a programmer and the chaos of everyday life.