Is programming a form of art?

Have any of you seen Mona Lisa Smile? Overall it is a boring movie, but it had some of the most talented actresses, as well as insightful ideas. In this movie, Ms Ann Watson the teacher (Julia Roberts) and Betty Warren the student (Kirsten Dunst) had this conversation:

Watson: What is art? What makes it good or bad? And who decides?
Warren: Art isn't art until someone says it is.
Watson: It's art!
Warren: The right people.
Watson: Who are they?

Do art exist in the computer world, among us working in the industry, among those watching porn late at night, or those net-addicted people sending instant messages across the Internet to complete strangers? Can programming be classified as a form of art?

There are lots of tools with which you can create a piece of art: pieces of metal, clay, cloth, paint and canvas, or even shades of light. Like art, there are lots of tools to complete your work. Different programming languages have different characteristics and styles, which you must choose carefully to present your work. There are always many different ways to write even the simplest programs. Looking at them casually without reading in detail, a well written program can be fairly similar to a poem. The word "program" even rhymes with "poem". Plus, we have writer's block, too.

However, unlike art, there are discreet criteria where programs can be judged. A program is not intended for display in its source form: they almost always serve real purposes, and there are commonly known good and bad styles.

So am I an artist? I do not know. The only thing I am sure is that I will be happier if I consider myself an idealist pursuing an unreachable perfection, than a nitpicky cheap labour finishing projects that could not be. It can also be used as an excuse for my bad temper.

Impressions on Mona Lisa Smile: 6/10