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But it does ensure a minimum bar for those licensed to practice professionally. So, theoretically (heh), even the worst licensed MD/architect/etc has met the mi

by dacort 16y ago

But it does ensure a minimum bar for those licensed to practice professionally. So, theoretically (heh), even the worst licensed MD/architect/etc has met the minimum requirements for practicing. I'm not saying they can build an 80-story skyscraper, but in software we have no such means by which to measure potential practitioners. And getting a pilot's license is a little bit different from being licensed to practice medicine. It also depends on whether you're referring to a private or commercial pilot. Private pilots only need 40 hours[1] of time in the air. And even once a commercial pilot is licensed, there are other regulations in place. And a driver's license is an even lower bar, of course. So no, licensing (in any form) does not ensure that the licensee is "good" or "brilliant," but it does allow us to ensure a minimum bar that does not currently exist in the software industry today. (And no worries, it's a pet peeve of mine as well. At least at it relates to the software industry.) 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_United_States#Private_pilot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_certification_in_the_Unit...

reneherse 16y ago
Right. What all these different examples of licensing do is provide some level of protection from complete technical incompetence. Which of course is a worthy pursuit, I just don't agree that the best way to do it is necessarily by licensing. (And unfortunately I'm not going to be able to precisely articulate some alternatives at 3am :) The historical pattern in the US seems to be that professional licensing, introduced as protection from incompetency, inevitably evolves into a way of limiting competition in a field by restricting the number of practitioners. At least on architectural exams, to the best of my knowledge, the maximum number of those who "pass" each year is set in advance. It's a slippery slope once you start regulating entry into a field. The regulating body comes under political pressure from anyone with a financial stake, especially practitioners, educators, and major consumers. I'd wager that soon after you need a license to call yourself a software engineer, you'll need an accredited degree and years of internships before you can sit for the licensing exam. It's played out in similar fashion in the other professions. There are other ways of ensuring competency without the use of government or quasi-government institutions. In software development, incompetency generally wastes time and money, not lives. With stakes this low, perhaps something as simple as a standardized testing service that could be used by HR departments to screen applicants would be viable... (Please pardon my designer's ignorance if something like this already exists in the development world :)

by dacort 16y ago

reneherse 16y ago

Right. What all these different examples of licensing do is provide some level of protection from complete technical incompetence. Which of course is a worthy pursuit, I just don't agree that the best way to do it is necessarily by licensing. (And unfortunately I'm not going to be able to precisely articulate some alternatives at 3am :) The historical pattern in the US seems to be that professional licensing, introduced as protection from incompetency, inevitably evolves into a way of limiting competition in a field by restricting the number of practitioners. At least on architectural exams, to the best of my knowledge, the maximum number of those who "pass" each year is set in advance. It's a slippery slope once you start regulating entry into a field. The regulating body comes under political pressure from anyone with a financial stake, especially practitioners, educators, and major consumers. I'd wager that soon after you need a license to call yourself a software engineer, you'll need an accredited degree and years of internships before you can sit for the licensing exam. It's played out in similar fashion in the other professions. There are other ways of ensuring competency without the use of government or quasi-government institutions. In software development, incompetency generally wastes time and money, not lives. With stakes this low, perhaps something as simple as a standardized testing service that could be used by HR departments to screen applicants would be viable... (Please pardon my designer's ignorance if something like this already exists in the development world :)