From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.6 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_40,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 109fba,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid109fba,public X-Google-Thread: 1014db,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid1014db,public X-Google-Thread: 103376,1042f393323e22da X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: Scott Stanchfield Subject: Re: Software Engineering is not a hoax... Date: 1997/05/29 Message-ID: <338DC223.446B9B3D@metaware.com>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 244779320 References: <5mc1a2$icf$1@dbs1.sma.ch> <338B2118.41C67EA6@metaware.com> <5mfkfq$297@bcrkh13.bnr.ca> <338D1244.6324@mail.mco.bellsouth.net> Organization: MetaWare Incorporated Newsgroups: comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.c,comp.lang.ada Date: 1997-05-29T00:00:00+00:00 List-Id: Dean Runzel wrote: > > I'm picking up this thread very late but I'd like to join in with a > few simple ideas: > > 1) Engineering is basically the application of techniques to solve > problems. One of my EE instructors (long, long ago) said we would > be lucky to ever actually use something we learned in college > in a real world situation. Instead, he insisted that the school's > primary role was to teach problem solving techniques i.e. breaking > a problem down, combining techniques, etc. An enlightened fellow, I must say... That's the kind of teaching we need! RE the rest of your note: I guess the whole "engineering" issue depends of the definition of engineering. By your definitions, I would tend to agree that SW Engineering is a "valid" term. The problem is that by the same definition, one could call a certain field of art "Painting Engineering." (Applying techniques to solve problems involving painted pictures.) I think there's a "line" somewhere between art and science, albeit a very fuzzy and very thick one. They say that half the brain is "logical" while the other half is "creative." I get the feeling that neither half is ever really "asleep." SW Development (as I refer to it) involves several creative processes. But it also involves several logical processes as well. It's a good mix. But like I said in an earlier post, I think the problem comes when people characterize it like a field that clearly falls on the "mechanical production" side of the line. What I mean here is the assembly-line analogy that "we have parts we just plop them together." Personally I don't think SW development can ever become that. And if it did I know I'd be looking for another line of work... - Scott -- Scott Stanchfield MetaWare Incorporated Santa Cruz, CA (The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of MetaWare)