Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ukma!husc6!redsox!campbell
From: campbell@redsox.bsw.com (Larry Campbell)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Programmer Licensing?
Keywords: software safety, government regulation
Message-ID: <1487@redsox.bsw.com>
Date: 14 Nov 89 01:04:07 GMT
References: <39400056@m.cs.uiuc.edu> <242@cherry5.UUCP> <4600@ae.sei.cmu.edu>
Reply-To: campbell@redsox.UUCP (Larry Campbell)
Organization: The Boston Software Works, Inc.
Lines: 20

In article <4600@ae.sei.cmu.edu> rsd@sei.cmu.edu (Richard S D'Ippolito) writes:
-How is this argument different from the one used against licensing of other
-professionals, such as engineers, plumbers, and beauticians?

The major difference is that most licensed professionals provide their
services to individuals who are presumably in need of protection from
charlatans.  Doctors, dentists, lawyers, electricians, beauticians -- all
provide services to individuals who could be injured, or even killed, by an
incompetent practitioner.

However, programmers almost always provide their services to business or
government organizations, who should (I believe) be smart enough (or cynical
enough) to protect themselves.

Therefore I oppose programmer licensing, but not the concept of licensing
in general.
-- 
Larry Campbell                          The Boston Software Works, Inc.
campbell@bsw.com                        120 Fulton Street
wjh12!redsox!campbell                   Boston, MA 02146