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From: iverson@xstor.com (Tim Iverson)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: Art vs. Engineering
Message-ID: <1991May16.203518.22420@xstor.com>
Date: 16 May 91 20:35:18 GMT
References: <1991May6.165902.2116@ssd.kodak.com> <36650010@hpopd.pwd.hp.com>
Reply-To: iverson@xstor.com
Organization: Storage Dimensions, Inc.
Lines: 41

In article <36650010@hpopd.pwd.hp.com> daves@hpopd.pwd.hp.com (Dave Straker) writes:
>This is probably a matter of interpretation. I would define Art as
>being based in 'feelings' and Science as been based in 'rules'.

The definition of science is not open to interpretation: science is defined
as anything that is founded on the scientific method.  Engineering is the
science of methods.

The definition of art is open to interpretation, but most agree that the
main goal of art is communication and that it is not based on feelings, but
on aesthetics.  It communicates feelings (among many other things); though
some say if it doesn't move you, it isn't art.

>If there is a key word I would use for Engineering, it would be
>'pragmatic'.

Engineering lies in the empirical as opposed to theoretical domain of
science, but it is purely a science, not an art.  It advances by applying
new methods and testing the results against the results of old methods.

>Perhaps where confusion is caused is when feelings are based in
>rules, for example where an engineer does what 'feels right', and
>is right - it feels right because he has internalised the rules to
>the point where he does not or even cannot describe them.

There is no confusion.  If a programmer uses a methodology, he is an
engineer.  If not, then he is an artist (or a hack :-).  The difference is
that good engineering can be done by anyone that understands the
methodology, whereas good art can only be created by someone with talent
(i.e. innate understanding of both work and medium).

I've been talking like the two are somehow antithetical - they are not.
Just as pewter can be made from silver an tin, so can a program be alloyed
of art and engineering.  Which is tin and which is silver is obvious, but
I'll leave it as an exercise for the flameproof :-).

>Dave Straker            Pinewood Information Systems Division (PWD not PISD)
>                        Unix:   daves@hpopd.pwd.hp.com

- Tim Iverson
  iverson@xstor.com -/- uunet!xstor!iverson