Hence a lot of people have problems with calling our field 'engineering,' when you compare the training and licensure of programmers with 'real' engineers. I personally like it, though I prefer programmer over engineer regardless.

This is also probably why there are so many just-plain-awful coders out there who don't belong in the same room as people who do things well.

There are "just-plain-awful" engineers in other fields of engineering also. I started my career doing mechanical and electrical design work before gradually switching to programming (and then getting a degree.) Engineers who don't understand gear ratios, tolerances, circuit design, etc.

Maybe a little more in the programming because that is where the money is at right now.

At the same time, disparities in practitioner quality are going to exist in every field, not just software development.

> Programming is the profession with the least barriers to turn into a career.

That's largely because its not a profession, by any of the usual definitions that separate a "profession" from a "job".