90% of a population can easily be above average in a real life scenario where most of the group is roughly equal with few elements dragging the average slightly below their level.

Example: nine 11s and one 10, the average is 10.9 and 90% of the population is above it. If you want to split a group in half then you need to use the median.

I'm glad that someone is finally giving the 0.1x programmers like myself the credit the deserve.

0.1x could still be above average

http://wiki.c2.com/?NetNegativeProducingProgrammer

The wisdom I [like to] hear is that as long as you're above 0x, you're golden.

That would still be higher than the 0.0x Wally in the Dilbert comics.

Also, developer skill is not a one-dimensional attribute, e.g. you could be better at writing maintainable code but worse at translating business requirements into $$$. Most developers are probably above average in one metric.

90% of programmers are almost certainly better programmers than an average person. 90% of programmers are almost certainly not better programmers than an average programmer.

Alternatively, you could have nine 5s and a 1 and you have an average of 4.6 with 90% above average.