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From: spf@clyde.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Computer Science: where it belongs
Message-ID: <16811@clyde.ATT.COM>
Date: Tue, 17-Nov-87 14:57:55 EST
Article-I.D.: clyde.16811
Posted: Tue Nov 17 14:57:55 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Nov-87 03:27:57 EST
References: <469@ndsuvax.UUCP> <16118@clyde.ATT.COM> <180@spock.UUCP> <1752@pdn.UUCP> <16526@clyde.ATT.COM> <353@PT.CS.CMU.EDU>
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Reply-To: spf@moss.UUCP (Steve Frysinger)
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Whippany NJ
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In article <353@PT.CS.CMU.EDU> jwb@CIVE.RI.CMU.EDU
John Baugh took offense at my comments about architecture and engineering:

>What gives you this impression?  Certification of structural integrity
>is required by a registered professional ENGINEER ...
   ...
>you'll never be able to design structures with that background, even
>if someone actually let you.
   ...
>The "who's curriculum is harder" syndrome ... pointless.
   ...
>John Baugh (a once practicing, now academic, engineer)

Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, John.  But you're obviously
thinking about "public" structures (arenas, hotels, etc), and I'm
thinking about houses and barns.  I've never known anyone who employed
an engineer to design a house.  In fact, most people I know don't
even employ architects; they design them themselves.  I've just
finished designing a two-story addition to our house, and a two-story
post-and-beam barn which is going up in the spring.  Anyone who
understands Newtonian mechanics and can read references on material
characteristics can do this (it helps to be able to draw well, too).
Many professions rely on mystification to protect their practicioners;
I don't claim that architecture and civil engineering fall into this
category, but they DO run dangerously close to the edge.

Perhaps for office buildings and housing projects the governments
involved show preference for engineering or architectural licenses.

Steve Frysinger, SFIT (Sheep Farmer In Training)
   (financed by doing computer engineering and psychology)