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From: yoda@ittatc.ATC.ITT.UUCP (Todd C. Williams [Jedi Knight])
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Re: the "programmer" title
Message-ID: <1712@ittatc.ATC.ITT.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5-Feb-86 21:59:10 EST
Article-I.D.: ittatc.1712
Posted: Wed Feb  5 21:59:10 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 20:42:39 EST
References: <1711@ittatc.ATC.ITT.UUCP> <461@hoptoad.uucp> <128@ttidcc.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: ITT-ATC, Shelton Ct.
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I (Todd Williams) originally said:

>>   	So the reason I don't say "programmer" is that I fear that someone
>>   will think I dropped out of high school, couldn't find a job, so I went to
>>   "COMPUTER TRAINING INSTITUTE" for 6 months, and... voila!

Laura Creighton posted a followup (that contained some good points, but was
quite defensive)

Jerry Hollombe posted a followup, also discussing CS degrees, etc.


So let me just defend myself (and apologize) by saying the following:
	I didn't mean to relate college degrees ( especially CS degrees ) to
programming ability.  I agree that there is no direct relationship here.
	I just wanted to mention these fly-by-night organizations that claim
that *ANYONE* can "BECOME A COMPUTER PROGRAMMER IN SIX MONTHS".  I got quite
a few responses <-thanks!-> from people who agreed with me that these places
and their advertisements tend to mis-educate the general public as to what a
programmer is.
	I meant no offense to non-CS degree holders (I don't have a CS degree),
non-degree holders, non-high school graduates, or anyone else.  My point is
just that the general public has the wrong impression of what a "programmer"
is, and I wanted to show an example of where that impression is formed.


Jerry Hollombe said:
>                                      the  problem  is  the  general  public
> doesn't  know  enough  about  the DP business to distinguish between titles
> like "coder", "programmer", "systems analyst",  "programmer-analyst",  etc.
> In fact, these titles have different meanings at different companies.

...and that was a good summary of the problem.



And let me bring up one more (similar, supporting) point:
	The most important factor to the ability of a programmer is *NOT*
education, (technical programming education included), but rather it is
something called PROGRAMMING APTITUDE.  [ cf. "You either have it, or you
don't" ]  Some people just don't have *ANY* aptitude for programming: you
can teach them all you want, but it don't sink in; the lucky others need
little education to excel.


OK, did I redeem myself?  :-)
						-Todd
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