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If mechanical engineers were unregulated and built unreliable cars, they would still be mechanical engineers. If doctors weren't a licensed profession, they wo

If mechanical engineers were unregulated and built unreliable cars, they would still be mechanical engineers. If doctors weren't a licensed profession, they would still be doctors. If barbers didn't need a certification, they would still be barbers. Defining an "engineer" based on how much regulation they must follow is kind of ridiculous. It's putting the cart before the horse. Which is not to say that the software field doesn't need regulation to improve the protection of customer data and the reliability of increasingly critical services.

ubersoldat2k7 10y ago
Funny, the first MDs were the town barbers.
adityab 10y ago
I disagree. Titles exist to provide an assurance to people that the services they get from title-holders will be above a certain standard, with the threat of a serious penalty if the work is sloppy. This is the social expectation in many societies. If I find that a doctor doesn't sterilize needles or wash hands, they should face a penalty (regardless of whether it actually caused damage). We shouldn't have to specify up-front in some contract that we want them to follow $RULES as a set of deliverables. This stuff is therefore regulated. I used to think differently, but now I feel that software engineers should be similarly regulated. That doesn't mean everyone will now have to follow a ton of regulations to slap together the next nodejs app, those people can still be called developers. But whoever is an "engineer" should ensure that the work is well thought-out and should stop the developers they supervise from moving fast and breaking things. It's time the industry "grew up" as a whole. If "software is eating the world", we need to be damn sure it's not sloppy.
- marcoperaza 10y ago
  I think we actually agree on the need for regulation. I just don't think being subject to regulation is necessary to be considered an "engineer".

ubersoldat2k7 10y ago

Funny, the first MDs were the town barbers.

adityab 10y ago

I disagree. Titles exist to provide an assurance to people that the services they get from title-holders will be above a certain standard, with the threat of a serious penalty if the work is sloppy. This is the social expectation in many societies. If I find that a doctor doesn't sterilize needles or wash hands, they should face a penalty (regardless of whether it actually caused damage). We shouldn't have to specify up-front in some contract that we want them to follow $RULES as a set of deliverables. This stuff is therefore regulated. I used to think differently, but now I feel that software engineers should be similarly regulated. That doesn't mean everyone will now have to follow a ton of regulations to slap together the next nodejs app, those people can still be called developers. But whoever is an "engineer" should ensure that the work is well thought-out and should stop the developers they supervise from moving fast and breaking things. It's time the industry "grew up" as a whole. If "software is eating the world", we need to be damn sure it's not sloppy.

marcoperaza 10y ago
I think we actually agree on the need for regulation. I just don't think being subject to regulation is necessary to be considered an "engineer".