Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!unmvax!gatech!hubcap!billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu
From: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe,2847,)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: What exactly is a software engineer ?
Message-ID: <5610@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 25 May 89 20:52:23 GMT
References: <263@blenheim.nsc.com>
Sender: news@hubcap.clemson.edu
Reply-To: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu
Lines: 32

From article <263@blenheim.nsc.com>, by rgo@berlioz (Ronald Olshausen):
>>       the best education remains a solid major in computer science
>>       followed by graduate professional education such as an MSE
>>       (Master's in Software Engineering) program."
> 
> I'd have to agree with the CACM article. Over the course of 
> undergraduate and graduate study of Computer Science, one can
> master the basics of "programming in the small", as well as
> develop certain problem-solving skills. I have my doubts, though,
> as to whether academia can cultivate a commitment to the software
> life cycle, as can industrial experience. 

   Which is why "cooperative education", whereby students do real work
   for real companies in their area of major emphasis over the summer, 
   is becoming increasingly popular; it provides a sense of practical 
   value which reinforces the value and motivates the understanding 
   of the software engineering education they're getting in the classroom.

% the bottom line is that [...] the project needs to be staffed with 
% individuals possessing both strong analytical skills and communication 
% skills, and a commitment to the "big picture" of the software life cycle.
% "Computer Scientists", as opposed to "systems engineers", 
% may not necessarily be very well suited to this task.

   Perhaps that should read:  "Computer scientists without any software
   engineering education and without any practical experience may not
   necessarily be very well suited to this task"; the validity of this
   observation is precisely what is motivating the increasing emphasis
   on software engineering and cooperative education.


   Bill Wolfe, wtwolfe@hubcap.clemson.edu