3 ms·

> On the one hand, there would be merit in requiring a professional license for programmers like in other engineering fields - a lot of the mess in our industry

by braveo 9y ago

> On the one hand, there would be merit in requiring a professional license for programmers like in other engineering fields - a lot of the mess in our industry could be removed if at least some jobs would require a license Right, and we all believe that the Volkswagon debacle really was some nefarious programmer doing it without any knowledge of management. I'm tired of developers getting blamed for this shit, put the blame squarely where it belongs, on the people with the money who are making such decisions.

watwut 9y ago
Through, to be fair, plenty of developers are cool with such management decisions as long as the company is cool or the decision helps their career too. They may even proactive come with proposing ideas to management. Management is ultimately responsible for the overall culture. However, bad cultures find plenty of eager employees. We are talking about skilled people able to find job elsewhere if the ethics was consideration - we are not talking about uneducated dudes having no choice.
- braveo 9y ago
  oh right, it's not the managements fault because the developers are the ones coming up with the nefarious ideas.
ForHackernews 9y ago
If developers were licensed professionals, they would have added backup to say "no" to managers making shady demands. "I'm sorry, I can't do that, it's against my professional oath" "That violates the software guild bylaws." "I can't do that, I'd lose my license!" Lawyers, accountants and other real professionals answer to higher principles than their boss.
- braveo 9y ago
  no it wouldn't, they would just hire someone who was willing to do it.
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    They'd probably find someone willing to risk their license for extra money, but it still makes hiring such people more expensive, and could make the management rethink the whole idea.

3 ms·

> On the one hand, there would be merit in requiring a professional license for programmers like in other engineering fields - a lot of the mess in our industry

by braveo 9y ago

watwut 9y ago
Through, to be fair, plenty of developers are cool with such management decisions as long as the company is cool or the decision helps their career too. They may even proactive come with proposing ideas to management. Management is ultimately responsible for the overall culture. However, bad cultures find plenty of eager employees. We are talking about skilled people able to find job elsewhere if the ethics was consideration - we are not talking about uneducated dudes having no choice.
- braveo 9y ago
  oh right, it's not the managements fault because the developers are the ones coming up with the nefarious ideas.
ForHackernews 9y ago
If developers were licensed professionals, they would have added backup to say "no" to managers making shady demands. "I'm sorry, I can't do that, it's against my professional oath" "That violates the software guild bylaws." "I can't do that, I'd lose my license!" Lawyers, accountants and other real professionals answer to higher principles than their boss.
- braveo 9y ago
  no it wouldn't, they would just hire someone who was willing to do it.
  - TeMPOraL 9y ago
    They'd probably find someone willing to risk their license for extra money, but it still makes hiring such people more expensive, and could make the management rethink the whole idea.