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From: tla@kaiser.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: software engineering
Message-ID: <573@kaiser.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Mar-87 17:21:17 EST
Article-I.D.: kaiser.573
Posted: Fri Mar 27 17:21:17 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 28-Mar-87 18:44:32 EST
References: <340@ndsuvax.UUCP> <141@tijc02.UUCP> <1285@rti-sel.UUCP> <4414@utah-cs.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Liberty Corner
Lines: 39

Several recent articles have suggested that the time has come to
separate Computer SCIENCE from Computer ENGINEERING.  I have some
concerns that the administrative and academic separation will lead
to an undesirable conceptual and communication separation not unlike
that that has developed between business oriented data processing
and computer science.  In the later case vocabularies, conceptual
models, and solutions (even to problems that are shared) have grown 
apart.  This is largely because the two camps do not talk to each
other.  The increasing diverging vocabularies makes this gap
accelerate.  Admittedly the problem domains are somewhat different
but where they do overlap it is a shame to reinvent things the other
camp has already invented.

I am worried that emphasizing the separation between CS and CE will
lead to a similar lack of communication and cooperation.  Admittedly
other fields of engineering have maintained reasonable connections
with their underlying scientific collegues (EE and Physics, ChemE
and Chem, ...).

Another recent article also cited the difficulty that most CS
departments are not large enough to maintain strength when divided. 
I wonder if a more reasonable first step is to explore separate
curricula within a single department.  Establish different course
requirements and different degrees but offer each from within a
single department with many faculty participating in both programs. 
Even some courses should be in both programs.  Then if later there
appears to be strong administrative reasons to separate the programs
it can be done.  Having them together also encourages more
discussion of each program by those considering themselves primarily
interested in the other.  This should be healthy as long as neither
group becomes so intolerant as to try to force its views on the
other.


			     --	Terry L Anderson
				AT&T Bell Laboratories -- Liberty Corners
				UUCP:     ...!ihnp4!kaiser!tla
				TeleMail: Terry.Anderson
				(201) 580-4428