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From: eugene@pioneer.arpa (Eugene Miya N.)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.digest
Subject: Re: Is Computer Science Science? Or is it Art? [sort of hope not]
Message-ID: <8709291725.AA04473@ames.arpa>
Date: Tue, 29-Sep-87 13:25:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames.8709291725.AA04473
Posted: Tue Sep 29 13:25:55 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 6-Oct-87 04:01:29 EDT
References: <12527.8709181200@hplb.lb.hp.co.uk> <8709290724.AA10633@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: pioneer!eugene (Eugene Miya N.)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
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Approved: ailist@kl.sri.com

In article <8709290724.AA10633@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU> solar!shf
(Stuart Ferguson) writes:
>+-- cdfk@hplb.CSNET (Caroline Knight) writes:
>| ... I believe that in software there is a better analogy with art
>| and illustration than engineering or science. I have noticed that this
>| is not welcomed by many people in computing but this might be because
>| they know so little of the thought processes and planning that go on
>| behind the development of, say, a still life or an advertising poster.
>
>This line of thinking appeals to me alot (and I'm a "person in computing,"
>having 10+ years programming experience).  I can apreciate this article
>because my own thinking has led me to somewhat the same place regarding
>"Computer Science."

I'm glad I waited a bit on this.  Two years ago, I met Nico Habermann of
CMU.  At that time I suggest CS could learn more from cognitive sciences
(psychology).  Habermann has an EE PhD.  He didn't like this idea due to
the softness.  I suggest others try this question on other hard
CS-types.  I only ask that you avoid analogies to introspection.

While the art analogy to computing has a certain appeal, especially the
iterative and prototypical aspects, and it also has Knuth behind it,
it also has some problems.  Rather than mentioned them, I suggest you
send mail to DEK and report back.

From the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers:

--eugene miya
  NASA Ames Research Center
  eugene@ames-aurora.ARPA
  "You trust the `reply' command with all those different mailers out there?"
  "Send mail, avoid follow-ups.  If enough, I'll summarize."
  {hplabs,hao,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix}!ames!aurora!eugene