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From: edwards@uwmacc.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: software engineering
Message-ID: <1306@uwmacc.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 28-Mar-87 10:05:56 EST
Article-I.D.: uwmacc.1306
Posted: Sat Mar 28 10:05:56 1987
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Apr-87 01:49:40 EST
References: <340@ndsuvax.UUCP> <141@tijc02.UUCP> <1285@rti-sel.UUCP> <4414@utah-cs.UUCP> <7802@clyde.ATT.COM>
Reply-To: edwards@unix.macc.wisc.edu.UUCP (mark edwards)
Organization: UW-Madison Academic Computer Center
Lines: 31

In article <7802@clyde.ATT.COM> spf@bonnie.UUCP (Steve Frysinger) writes:
:You see, though I know there are more liberal definitions, I believe
:that science is the study of what IS by application of the scientific
:method (which I will not belabor, but which is intrinsically
:empirical and NOT inventional).  I've studied some science.
:
:Now, I'm led to reconsider what "computer scientists" do.  Do they
:"discover" algorithms that are floating in Plato's Ideal realm?
:Then they are like mathematicians who "discover" new algebras.
:And maybe this is what some folks mean by science.
:
:I think that without TOO much handwaving I could make a convincing
:argument that most (if not all) of what "computer scientists" do
:(even those researchy folks) can be reduced to algorithms (yes, even
:language theory, though that leans heavily on abstract algebra too).
:
:So, my claim is that there is no computer "science" -- there is
:computer engineering, some research and some applied.
:
:Thoughts, anyone?

 So let me put some words in your mouth. 

 Computer Scientists are just glorified programmers that attempt to
 solve problems (create algorithms) for specific areas of science
 without the benifit of having been really formally trained for it.

-- 
    edwards@unix.macc.wisc.edu
    {allegra, ihnp4, seismo}!uwvax!uwmacc!edwards
    UW-Madison, 1210 West Dayton St., Madison WI 53706