And this is why I dislike the way that software people misuse the word "engineer".
Engineer means something. It means, "The person who signs off on the design and who is liable if the design sucks." If you're not legally liable for your software, you shouldn't be called a software engineer.
In fact in some states misusing the word engineer is against the law. For instance see http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/eng_req.htm where it says that using the word engineer in your title is against the law if you are not, in fact, an engineer.
Engineering is reportedly the world's second oldest profession, yet licensing has only been around since the mid-19th century, so I don't think it's particularly fair for the licensing regimes to make a claim of exclusivity on the word.
I've met many Electrical Engineers over the years. Some of them are licensed PEs, many are not. The vast majority of the EE projects do not involve a risk to human life and therefore are not required to use PEs. I've never noticed any angst on one side or the other over the use of the word "Engineer" to describe EEs who don't have their PE.
I also have met computer programmers who do write software that involves a risk to human life. They are every bit as meretricious and dedicated to building defect-free systems as engineers in any other discipline.
Arguably, there's no pressure to enact a licensing regime because there have been so few incidents in which software has actually hurt people. That's a testament to the professionalism of the computer engineers who write life-critical systems.
> They are every bit as meretricious and dedicated to building defect-free systems as engineers in any other discipline.
I think you may have meant "meticulous."
Meretricious: 1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry. 2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity. 3. pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute. [1]
I don't know if engineering is the world's second oldest profession, but its interesting to know what google says is the world's oldest profession: prostitution!
Engineer means something. It means, "The person who signs off on the design and who is liable if the design sucks." If you're not legally liable for your software, you shouldn't be called a software engineer.
In fact in some states misusing the word engineer is against the law. For instance see http://www.tbpe.state.tx.us/eng_req.htm where it says that using the word engineer in your title is against the law if you are not, in fact, an engineer.