Re:Why Computer Programmers Should Stop Calling Themselves E...
by skookumchuck on Saturday April 14, 2018 @01:45AM
(#16836087)
> you don't understand traditional engineering
The first rate engineers I've known were competent mechanics as well. A traditional engineering course of study involves lots of time in the shop.
A mechanic becomes an engineer when he goes beyond merely implementing "book" solutions - when he starts understanding the "book" solutions, why they work, and where they come from.
And therein lies the confusion. There is no level at which a mechanic becomes an engineer. You can be both a mechanic and an engineer, but these are separate tracks with separate skills and training. A skilled mechanical engineer can be an inept mechanic, and vice versa. The fact that you don't understand traditional engineering shows why you consider programmers to be "engineers."