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From: bks@ALFA.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Engineers are just as much in the dark as programmers.
Keywords: Computer Scientists vs. Software Engineers, Devil's Advocate
Message-ID: <24857@agate.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: 25 May 89 20:13:49 GMT
Sender: usenet@agate.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: bks@ALFA.berkeley.edu (Brad Sherman)
Organization: University of California, Berkeley
Lines: 26

Come off it you guys.  "Real" engineers screw up just like we programmers.
O-rings fail, new cars are recalled, helicopters crash, chunks fall off
of jet airliners, windows pop out of high-rise buildings, new bridges
collapse, structs crack, pipes burst, freeways are jammed upon completion,
printed circuit boards have suspicious little wires soldered here and there.

The big difference, as far as I can tell, is that the educational and
certification systems for older engineering disciplines keep out more
of the rank amateurs (or should I say rinky-dink entrepreneurs).  I've
seen million dollar (software) projects being handled by start-up companies
I wouldn't trust to get a "hello, world" program correct.

Good engineering is done by good engineers.  Good software is produced by
good programmers.  The problem for software projects is
that there are not enough good experienced programmers and therefore
there are not enough good experienced programming managers.
I know what a programmer is.  I almost understand what software-engineering
is.  Computer Science seems  just as valid as, say, Political Science
and more valid than Economics.  What I want to know is, just what the hell
is a "Systems Analyst," and why do big companies keep putting them in charge
of programmers [only marginal sarcasm intended]?

		-Brad Sherman (bks@ALFA.Berkeley.EDU)

Just a programmer unless, of course, calling myself a software engineer
or systems analyst would result in a bigger paycheck.