It is a part of being an engineer, but it is not the entirety of the profession (I'd probably use the word Standards rather than rules). I think the software world has standards to for things like networking etc - does it count as a programmer following a set of rules if he writes networked software? Maybe...
>The real meaning for engineer is someone who builds complex stuff that require years of learning and practice for the majority of the population.
I don't think this really fits either. Throughout my career I have spent very little time building anything, a large amount of the work is optimizing existing problems/products/processes (this is where tradeoffs the GP mentioned comes in) "How can this be made cheaper, How can it become more efficient, How can it be made lighter etc."
If I had to come up with my own definition it would be something like "Engineering is solving technical problems within an applied set of Constraints" - That probably does not apply to a surgeon - but could be applied to software.
Maybe we should acknowledge that it’s not as simple to define and that’s why articles like the one posted are writen.
The real meaning for engineer is someone who builds complex stuff that require years of learning and practice for the majority of the population.
Having a set of defined rules to follow is not engineering, is safety based on previous experience, most car drivers also do that and they are not engineers.