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We're discussing this a lot on HN these days, and I feel like a bit of a broken record... so I'll summarize quickly: who decides who gets to be a software engin

by geebee 10y ago

We're discussing this a lot on HN these days, and I feel like a bit of a broken record... so I'll summarize quickly: who decides who gets to be a software engineer and who doesn't? I personally consider software to be far from the domain of engineering. It's a different field, as different as actuarial work. Would a math major be allowed to sit for the exam? A CS rather than SE major? Someone who self-studied very thoroughly? I also really hate the idea that software "engineering" would become one of those fields, like law, that largely coerces people into a three year $150k+ degree paths. Licensing doesn't bother me in theory - the most important thing, I'd say, is that it remain largely indifferent to how people acquire the knowledge necessary to take whatever entrance exams exist (like the actuarial field). They can be very rigorous (they certain are for actuaries), but they must allow multiple paths that can't be locked down and and converted into brutally expensive degrees by a cartel of gatekeepers. I am not confident this could be avoided, and it would be much worse than nothing. I also think that michaelochurch wrote a very insightful essay on "clerks" and why lawyers were historically motivated to "secede" into a profession, with an analogy to present day software developers. I'm fully aware of everything around all this, but I do highly recommend finding a cached copy and reading it, very interesting essay.

sakopov 10y ago
I think as software creeps into every part of our lives the industry will be heavily regulated. And as that becomes the norm, every developer will be regulated in accordance with the industry standards. This way every software developer can be held responsible for the awfully stupid shit they do these days. Look at the IOT industry right now. Look at the security breaches because of rookie programming mistakes. They keep happening because nobody is liable and responsible. If you get "Sorry our shit is hacked and your SSN and credit card numbers are floating all over black market now" email in your inbox that's pretty much as good as it gets. Sometimes you're not even that lucky. In the end you get screwed and the company that you trusted with your data... Well who knows what they're gonna do. They surely don't feel obligated to disclose anything with you. This is the sad state of our industry. I don't know if licensing and certification will fix any of this, but I feel like sooner or later some kind of regulation will be enforced.

by geebee 10y ago

sakopov 10y ago

I think as software creeps into every part of our lives the industry will be heavily regulated. And as that becomes the norm, every developer will be regulated in accordance with the industry standards. This way every software developer can be held responsible for the awfully stupid shit they do these days. Look at the IOT industry right now. Look at the security breaches because of rookie programming mistakes. They keep happening because nobody is liable and responsible. If you get "Sorry our shit is hacked and your SSN and credit card numbers are floating all over black market now" email in your inbox that's pretty much as good as it gets. Sometimes you're not even that lucky. In the end you get screwed and the company that you trusted with your data... Well who knows what they're gonna do. They surely don't feel obligated to disclose anything with you. This is the sad state of our industry. I don't know if licensing and certification will fix any of this, but I feel like sooner or later some kind of regulation will be enforced.