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This is exactly why I support "engineer" being a protected term, like Doctor. It should tell you that a certain level of training and qualification has been met
by LeonenTheDK 3y ago
This is exactly why I support "engineer" being a protected term, like Doctor. It should tell you that a certain level of training and qualification has been met, to the point that the engineer is responsible and accountable for the work they do and sign off on. Especially for things that affect safety.
Many software engineers these days are often flying by the seat of their pants, moving quickly and breaking things. Thankfully this seems to largely be in places that aren't going to affect life or limb, but I'm still rubbed the wrong way seeing people (including myself mind you) building run of the mill CRUD apps under the title of engineer.
Is it a big deal? Not really. It's probably even technically correct to use the term this way. But I do think it dilutes it a bit. For context, I'm in Canada where engineer is technically a protected term, and there are governing bodies that qualify and designate professional engineers.
- zvmaz 3y agoAre all "engineers" trained on human error, safety principles, and the like? The failures described in the article are precisely not software failures.
- jacquesm 3y agoThe important distinction is that engineers are professionally liable.
- mrguyorama 3y agoYes? Most engineering programs (it might even be an accreditation requirement) involve ethics classes and learning from past failures. My CS degree program required an ethics class and discussed things like the CFAA and famous cases like Therac-25, but nobody took it seriously because STEM majors think they are god's gift to an irrational world.
- jacquesm 3y ago> Thankfully this seems to largely be in places that aren't going to affect life or limb I've seen Agile teams doing medical stuff using the latest hotness. Horrorshow. I've also seen very, very clean software and firmware development at really small companies. It's all over the place and you have to look inside to know what is going on. Though job advertisements sometimes can be pretty revealing.
- freeopinion 3y agoI'm curious how you think the word "Doctor" is protected. Do you mean that History PhDs can't call themselves Doctors? Or chiropractors can't pass themselves off as doctors? Or you mean Doctor J was licensed to perform basketball bypass surgeries? Or perhaps podiatrists can't deliver babies?