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Comment by cantankerous | Hacker News Reader

I agree with the sentiment that software engineering isn't computer science, but I disagree with the sentiment that software engineering is a discipline worthy of note on the same scale that we afford to, say, electrical engineering, civil engineering, or mechanical engineering. To date, software engineering is still largely a collection of (fairly subjective and contextually-sensitive) best practices.

Software Engineering is better off if it's treated as a trade like being an electrician or a carpenter (which it largely is through on the job, experiential training being as emphasized as it is). Take what you absolutely need from the theory, and learn from those in the know to become a respected practitioner.

Software engineering is a trade without a guild.

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> software engineering is still largely a collection of (fairly subjective and contextually-sensitive) best practices.

I agree

I'm glad I did computer science. Even though my title now is Software Engineer, I learned most software engineering best practices on the job. What's very difficult to learn on the job is computational complexity theory, advanced data structures and algorithms, or simply a solid background in discrete math. Basically, you probably won't find yourself contributing hard, cognitively challenging problems in computation with a "software engineering" degree. In hindsight, if I had done some kind of "software engineering" program, I really would have sold myself short.

> but I disagree with the sentiment that software engineering is a discipline worthy of note on the same scale that we afford to, say, electrical engineering, civil engineering, or mechanical engineering.

Exactly. Programming is not harder to learn or master than something like carpentry (i.e. something easily picked up by an interested person on their own, but with lots of potential for mastery).

What on earth would you be doing for four years of college studying programming sans compsci? What a waste.

Most professions are a collection of best practice rules, accountancy for one. Yet it is not a trade.

2 years after I graduated with a BS in Computer Science from the LAS College the Engineering College introduced the Software Engineering program. It was a joint effort between the ComS & CompE departments. Becoming increasingly common.

My institution has introduced similar programs. I question their utility in the face of the cost of college and the shelf-life of what you can learn in a 4-year classroom setting (not to mention general ed requirements).

> To date, software engineering is still largely a collection of (fairly subjective and contextually-sensitive) best practices.

Any engineering field is a collection of best practices, so that works out well.

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