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Comment by Waterluvian | Hacker News Reader

This is interesting to me because in Ontario where I reside, I cannot call myself an engineer. The professional engineering association is ruthless in enforcing it. But my employer is in Massachusetts, where I can be called an engineer. So I'm not sure if my business cards can get me in trouble here.

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The professional engineering association is ruthless in enforcing it.

What do they call people who drive trains in Ontario?

I'm putting my chips on them using the same word we do in the US: conductors? Or is that the other fella in the train

The conductor manages all aspects of the train other than its locomotion.

Oh, and they serve as the engineer's eyes when locomoving in reverse. :-)

This is why I love HN. You learn things you didn't even know you didn't know!

> Oh, and they serve as the engineer's eyes when locomoving in reverse. :-)

Not on any system I've taken in the US. The trains have a special control car on the non-locomotive end of the train, and the engineer switches positions when switching travel directions. There is also the practice of using two or more locomotives, with at least one pair facing opposite directions so the set can be hitched to either side of the train, and dual-cab locomotives that can also be hitched to either side with a forward-facing control deck.

Not exactly sure. I just know about this:

http://www.peo.on.ca/index.php?ci_id=1824&la_id=1#software

Anything without engineering. Engineers in Ontario have a licencing like becoming a lawyer or doctor. All people studying in Canada are in programs that are accredited by the CAEB.

In neighbouring Manitoba there's a carve out for locomotive engineers, power engineers, and certain types of electrical work, as long as they're certified by their respective bodies and not pretending to be a different kind of engineer. Didn't see anything in the Ontario act but I wouldn't be surprised if it were there somewhere.

edit: https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/e120e.php#66 section J

Just to follow up on my own post, on slide 29 of http://peo.on.ca/index.php/ci_id/23480/la_id/1.htm there's mention that some of those types of engineers are covered by other provincial/federal regulations and are exempt as long as they're doing the type of work they're licensed to do.

The title engineer is not about trains/engines...you learn that in engineering school..

Qualified Locomotive Engineer, this is a federally regulated title in that context as well.

https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/sor-87-150/f...

Maybe you can call yourself a Software Physician instead ;-).

Computer Therapist

Certified Code Doctor from Code Camp!

If you are performing reserved acts from Ontario you are infringing regardless of how you call yourself.

I imagine that's impossible to do in the software world. Overwhelming majority of software developers are not registered engineers.

Something public safety can be at risk in the software world. Medical devices immediately comes to mind (look up Therac-25). Some software acts are reserved. Most of my friends are registered software engineers.

For sure. And there's safety certifications and regulations for these kinds of things. I have friends who develop for medical devices. Most aren't professional engineers. But there are some and I imagine they're the ones taking on the liability.

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