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I've never understood why some people use the term "software engineer" when there are many, more appropriate titles for this profession. Something as simple as

I've never understood why some people use the term "software engineer" when there are many, more appropriate titles for this profession. Something as simple as "software developer" conveys the same thing and better describes what vast majority of "software engineers" do. There's also this, from the article: >“Professional engineers are held to high professional and ethical standards and work in the public interest,” it said. “The public places a high degree of trust in the profession and these layers of accountability and transparency help keep Canadians safe.” I cannot agree more. Such standards and concerns are found within a minority of software development roles (critical, risk, etc.); the majority of work in this field does not hold to the same account which is fine for the type of work. Nobody is demanding all software developers be held to the same standards as professional engineers; there is no movement to force everyone wanting to write software be required to go through the same education and development as professional engineers. Again, there are plenty of other, more correct terms to use. I would like to see a more concerted effort to bring back and/or develop new standards and criteria for genuine professional engineering in software. People who desire such a career will have something to pursue. Everyone else can continue to being software developers ... which is fine. Simple.

NathanOsullivan 4y ago
I don't understand why Computer Programmer (or just Programmer) went out of fashion.
- tmtvl 4y ago
  If I ever get to decide on my professional title at a company I'll go with "code monkey". It's as respectful as the profession deserves.
  - notadev 4y ago
    I’d like to call dibs on “digital plumber” for DevOps Engineers
- joshxyz 4y ago
  hell also the term Coder, which hilariously gets misinterpreted as Encoder (a copy paste work), which I kind of prefer just to keep it in the low low
edmcnulty101 4y ago
I work at LinkedIn and everybody jerks themselves off by calling themselves engineers. Silicon Valley likes the ego wank of being called engineers.
- el_dev_hell 4y ago
  It’s not really the specific employees making that call. Being a “principle engineer” is the job title in the contract.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - Nicksil 4y ago
    >It’s not really the specific employees making that call. Being a “principle engineer” is the job title in the contract. If it's your job title and you're not working for yourself, then it's likely there's little-to-nothing you can do about. This concerns folks referring to themselves as engineers.
    - Nevermark 4y ago
      If you are applying for jobs described as opportunities for “software engineers”, and you qualify, it makes total sense to refer to yourself as such. “Software engineering” is a common globally recognized phrase. Anyone overthinking a popular phrase after decades of use doesn’t understand language. It is as ridiculous as a medical association getting worked up about PhD grads, a rapper, or the author of “Seuss” books being referred to as “doctor” without a medical license. You can’t regulate global language trends. (Successfully)
Manozco 4y ago
Maybe because some of us are really Engineers (with a degree in Engineering) It's not because I specialized in Computer Science at the very end of my studies that I'm not an Engineer.
- Nicksil 4y ago
  > Maybe because some of us are really Engineers Well, yeah. If you're an engineer then call yourself one if you'd like. My comment concerns folks who are not engineers yet refer to themselves as such.
  - joshxyz 4y ago
    yea and frankly it sounds better in resume thats why most prefer to use it lol
moaf 4y ago
I think the term was used simply to attract talent and give prestige to the role. I saw a video recently where Chamath Palihapitima claimed to have invented the job title Data Scientist to convince a candidate who held a Ph.D to join Facebook. I’ve also found that people external to the tech org love to refer to everyone in the tech org as engineers, regardless of their role, again to likely add prestige or clout to their role. “Our engineers are working on it”, “I’ll review with engineering”, etc.
tejohnso 4y ago
I never understood it either. If you haven't taken a Software Engineering degree, and you haven't passed the requirements of the professional engineering regulatory body in your jurisdiction, then why do you think you should be calling yourself one? If you're a bridge builder, go ahead and say so. But don't call yourself a Civil Engineer just because you build bridges.

NathanOsullivan 4y ago

I don't understand why Computer Programmer (or just Programmer) went out of fashion.

tmtvl 4y ago
If I ever get to decide on my professional title at a company I'll go with "code monkey". It's as respectful as the profession deserves.
- notadev 4y ago
  I’d like to call dibs on “digital plumber” for DevOps Engineers
joshxyz 4y ago
hell also the term Coder, which hilariously gets misinterpreted as Encoder (a copy paste work), which I kind of prefer just to keep it in the low low

edmcnulty101 4y ago

I work at LinkedIn and everybody jerks themselves off by calling themselves engineers. Silicon Valley likes the ego wank of being called engineers.

el_dev_hell 4y ago
It’s not really the specific employees making that call. Being a “principle engineer” is the job title in the contract.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- Nicksil 4y ago
  >It’s not really the specific employees making that call. Being a “principle engineer” is the job title in the contract. If it's your job title and you're not working for yourself, then it's likely there's little-to-nothing you can do about. This concerns folks referring to themselves as engineers.
  - Nevermark 4y ago
    If you are applying for jobs described as opportunities for “software engineers”, and you qualify, it makes total sense to refer to yourself as such. “Software engineering” is a common globally recognized phrase. Anyone overthinking a popular phrase after decades of use doesn’t understand language. It is as ridiculous as a medical association getting worked up about PhD grads, a rapper, or the author of “Seuss” books being referred to as “doctor” without a medical license. You can’t regulate global language trends. (Successfully)

Manozco 4y ago

Maybe because some of us are really Engineers (with a degree in Engineering) It's not because I specialized in Computer Science at the very end of my studies that I'm not an Engineer.

Nicksil 4y ago
> Maybe because some of us are really Engineers Well, yeah. If you're an engineer then call yourself one if you'd like. My comment concerns folks who are not engineers yet refer to themselves as such.
- joshxyz 4y ago
  yea and frankly it sounds better in resume thats why most prefer to use it lol

moaf 4y ago

I think the term was used simply to attract talent and give prestige to the role. I saw a video recently where Chamath Palihapitima claimed to have invented the job title Data Scientist to convince a candidate who held a Ph.D to join Facebook. I’ve also found that people external to the tech org love to refer to everyone in the tech org as engineers, regardless of their role, again to likely add prestige or clout to their role. “Our engineers are working on it”, “I’ll review with engineering”, etc.

tejohnso 4y ago

I never understood it either. If you haven't taken a Software Engineering degree, and you haven't passed the requirements of the professional engineering regulatory body in your jurisdiction, then why do you think you should be calling yourself one? If you're a bridge builder, go ahead and say so. But don't call yourself a Civil Engineer just because you build bridges.