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> Citation Needed. People keep saying that, but you would not want a self taught engineer. I'm a self taught Engineer. I had no problem getting a job; my profe
by cloverich 14y ago
> Citation Needed. People keep saying that, but you would not want a self taught engineer.
I'm a self taught Engineer. I had no problem getting a job; my professional educational experience has not been an issue so far. I've taken over projects from CS graduates that break just about every solid design principle I've learned (when its actually capable of running, that is).
CS degrees are certainly useful, but in my experience they do not make a good engineer on their own. A self-motivated learner will always outpace one without such qualities, regardless of credentials.
- UK-AL 14y agoI've taken projects from self taught people that just don't understand basic state machine theory. NFA-DFA equivalence? Thompson's Construction? Powerset construction? Probabilistic automatons and more exotic stuff like Petri-nets. See we can all give anecdotal examples? Besides I was talking about engineering, not programming which often more far more formal in industry then programming is.
- jfb 14y agoThis is part of the reason I'm so opposed to being called an "engineer". I'm not. I write software. Because I file my own taxes, I'm now an accountant? Ridiculous.
- jshowa 14y agoThere is a difference between writing software and engineering software. There really isn't anything wrong with being called a software engineer because it follows basic engineering skills rather well.
- barrkel 14y agoAnd I knew (self-taught) more about compiler theory than my college lecturers. Self-taught implies a lot of motivation. What people learn depends on where the motivation was directed. And on the other hand, I'd be willing to bet a majority of people going through college treat things like compiler theory and more advanced discrete mathematics as ordeals to be endured, rather than tools to be used in the rest of their career.
- unimpressive 14y ago>I'm a self taught Engineer. I think he meant an Engineer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engineer The kind that build things that aren't made of computer code.
- sliverstorm 14y agoThat is to say, the kind that build bridges or airplanes or automobiles or dams.
- tdfx 14y agoProgrammers calling themselves engineers reminds me of chiropractors who insist on having people address them as "Doctor".
- neutronicus 14y agoI have a degree in nuclear engineering. Good luck teaching yourself that.