Can an introvert be a successful programmer?

Question

I have this...friend. He is currently a hobbyist programmer so up until now he's only worked alone. He's worried that his (very) shy personality will affect his ability to work on a team and have his work constantly scrutinized by others. He's smart, a good programmer, and he loves programming. He also communicates well outside of face-to-face situations (Internet).

So to avoid asking everyone to be psychiatrists, suppose you were interviewing the person described above. They're a good programmer, but they're shy. Would you hire him?

Answer 1

In a word:

YES!

Answer 2

Everywhere I've worked, they've always ranted about good communication skills. This is subjective but often a major factor. If I was hiring then I would be aware of this and just concentrate on how well a candidate did in the technical test.

Answer 3

Someone who's an 'introvert' in the world at large might not set off any abnormality sensors in a group of programmers. They'll definitely have to get used to communicating w/ their team and having their work examined (as well as examining the work of others). Otherwise, should not be a big deal.