

Are programmers engineers? (2003) - ktran03
http://www.ericsink.com/Are_Programmers_Engineers.html

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mercer
Interesting. However, this particular one stood out to me:

> Engineering is real. Programming is abstract

I suppose it all depends on the definition of 'programmer', and the kind of
programming you do, as well as how you define abstract and real, but when I
explain what I do to designers or craftsmen of various sorts, I often use
engineering as an analogy.

What I do is to translate specifications and graphic designs and UX mockups
(analogous to an architect?) to something that, while technically virtual, is
very 'real' in that it needs to work. The biggest part of my work is to
produce something functional while maintaining as much of the (often
unrealistic) design, or fixing bugs that arise.

And in the same way that a big engineering project can go over budget because
of 'bugs', unrealistic design, or unexpected difficulties, I'm usually the
part of the process that is hardest to predict and goes over budget.

That said, this article made me consider the differences. Very interesting.

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CatheryneN
This made me chuckle because I tease the devs I work with about this all the
time: I call them artists. It's the BA vs BS. Devs have the freedom to be much
more creative than engineers. I think of devs in a similar way to architects -
as in a design a building kind. Btw, I am a licensed engineers. =)

