Xe is just an enthusiastic engineer at Tailscale.
I feel like it's not the government's place to argue semantics, and it's widely understood that the word "engineering" is used to describe a process that one engages in that involves some amount of education, but that the education is not necessarily scholastic in nature.
"Software engineer" specifically is used around the world to refer to the role performed. I'm in Canada, and my job title is "(lead) software engineer". It's on my contract; it's on my job portal. I'm not convinced this is been a problem for anyone, though I have heard of people in Canada getting in trouble for misrepesenting themselves as accredited engineers
I mean, Google doesn't call it's programmers in Canada "software engineers" like it does everywhere else, so yes.
> I feel like it's not the government's place to argue semantics,
er...what? regulating who does various professions and what they call themselves is a very common and important thing that government does.
you've got things backwards - swathes of programmers weirdly started calling themselves "engineers" in the relatively recent past.
> "Software engineer" specifically is used around the world to refer to the role performed.
I don't think it is? I spent 10+ years programming in an English-speaking country and it sounds weird and cringe to me, the same way as "Code Ninja" or "Rockstar" (or indeed the "Archmage" title mentioned elsewhere in the thread).
I graduated from UW in 2011 in software engineering. Never did my P.Eng. I drank the juice that software practitioner will need liability in the future....but it never panned out.