Hi
I started a programming website, but how do I get people to link to me?

Try swapping links with another website on the same topic?

exactly..
start an affiliate program and talk to other webmasters for a possible link exchange...

content, content, content.

Write/Get content that people will want to link to.

You could always do a Google search for link exchanges, there are sites out there that have dedicated themselves to setting up link exchanges.

You have to be careful with link exchanges because it's not only the number of backlinks but also the quality of those links. Google and others tend to discount link farms and many link exchange methods, particularly certain types of paid links. Here are some other ways to develop backlinks:

1. Make meaningful posts in forums in your niche and, if allowed, include your site in your signature.
2. Make meaningful comments in blogs that relate to your niche and include a link to your site.

Note that most WordPress blogs and many forums use 'nofollow' tags that will discount your backlink in Google. Also many forums aren't fully indexed in search engines. However, such links are effective in traffic building and in getting secondary links on other blogs and forums if you have quality content.

3. Submit your site to directory sites, particularly those within your niche. These don't often deliver a lot of traffic but as long as they aren't spammy will help in link building.

There are some other gray or black hat tactics that you can use as well although I won't go into them here. Google and you'll find them although use caution because, used incorrectly, they can cause your site to be delisted/banned.

I must agree, I thought about this after I made my post and realized my mistake. When I first launched my site I started signing up with link exchanges and noticed some were starting to spam and I got out fast. It's been a while and I forgot about some of the hassles it caused

Another trick to get links and go up in the PageRank in Google is to create a Google Bomb. This is a popular trick, i'm sure you heard about it. Make a lame web page like freewebs or something then put a ton of links to your page. Only links to your page. You are sure to go up in the PR

That won't work because Google checks for the IP address of the site when referencing links. If the same IP address has 1,000 links to yoursite.com then google will know something is up.

Then create multiple freewebs accounts and put links.. if Google checks for the domain name you're OK, but if it checks for the IP i'm not quite sure what will happen..