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Would you get mad if your "Medical Doctor" wasn't? Or your "Lawyer" wasn't qualified? Or perhaps the "Engineer" who designed the trusses holding up the stadiu

• lamby 17y ago
  I was primarily talking about labels, not qualifications, but I do feel they are connected. There are plenty of people who call themselves "tree doctors" yet medical doctors have no problem with that (and certainly don't go all tribal and True Scotsman about it). Perhaps the difference is that in the public eye, the term doctor is synonymous with the qualification, whilst "engineer" has yet to reach that status?
  • smokinn 17y ago
    It's because in Canada the term Software Engineer has a very specific meaning. It means you did a 4 year Software Engineering programming program at an accredited university and then worked under a professional engineer for a certain number of years (I think it's 4?) and then passed your accreditation examination. I'm Canadian and I have a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. I don't call myself an Engineer because other than being against the law, I have a certain respect for the amount of work the people who earned the title went through. Also, if they majorly screw up, (though this isn't nearly as likely in software, it's usually happens when bridges or buildings fall down) an Engineer can have his accreditation revoked. Which is why legally calling yourself an Engineer in Canada, software or otherwise, has a certain status associated.