Re:Software Engineering ≠ Computer Science (2009)
by nly on Tuesday August 08, 2017 @09:24PM
(#14964750)
> You don't have to be a structural engineer to build a house ;)
No, but you're going to need one on call.
I'm reminded of when when I was still living at home and my parents had an extension and garage conversion done.
Two builders did the whole thing, one in his late 40s and one in his 60s, and for the most part everything they did was just grunt work with very little need for craftsmanship. It's just banging together stud timbers, pouring concrete, digging holes, laying and packing store bought materials etc. Sure there's a lot of experience behind doing that safely and efficiently, but it's not rocket science and nothing a confident DIY enthusiast couldn't read-up on as they went along.
However there were 3 times when they had to call in experts. 1) a bricklayer (a surprisingly impressive craft if you don't want your house to look like shit). 2) roofers (you definitely don't want a roof laid by amateurs) and 3) a structural engineer to advise on (and to sign-off on) reinforcing a supporting wall that held up part of the new roof.
Software isn't that different. You need someone who really knows their shit for maybe 20% and the rest you can sort of palm off and can be done by any of ours peers with just a few years experience.
No, but you're going to need one on call.
I'm reminded of when when I was still living at home and my parents had an extension and garage conversion done.
Two builders did the whole thing, one in his late 40s and one in his 60s, and for the most part everything they did was just grunt work with very little need for craftsmanship. It's just banging together stud timbers, pouring concrete, digging holes, laying and packing store bought materials etc. Sure there's a lot of experience behind doing that safely and efficiently, but it's not rocket science and nothing a confident DIY enthusiast couldn't read-up on as they went along.
However there were 3 times when they had to call in experts. 1) a bricklayer (a surprisingly impressive craft if you don't want your house to look like shit). 2) roofers (you definitely don't want a roof laid by amateurs) and 3) a structural engineer to advise on (and to sign-off on) reinforcing a supporting wall that held up part of the new roof.
Software isn't that different. You need someone who really knows their shit for maybe 20% and the rest you can sort of palm off and can be done by any of ours peers with just a few years experience.