in reply to Re: Re: Programming Versus Engineering
in thread (OT) Programming as a craft

Yes craftsmen design things, but the nature of what they design is different from what engineers design. A carpenter is expected to be good at designing and creating objects like cabinets and doors, using primarily the single material of wood and a few screws. If the carpenter is also good at designing and creating complex multi-object, multi-material things like houses and housing developments, that's cool, but it's not something we'd assume from knowing they are a carpenter. Some architects can build cabinets, but that doesn't neccessarily relate to whether they are good architects or not.

A webmaster who has become proficient at CGI scripts to do simple tasks might also be able to design an enterprise-wide software strategy, but it's not something we'd assume from knowing they are a webmaster. Most of us here at the Monastery can take potshots at particular bits of how PM works, but it's gods like you who have the whole picture.

An engineer is someone who understands how a complex group of things built from a diverse set of materials work in conjunction with each other and who is capable of designing and planning a system that will safely perform the functions it needs to. I'd say some programmers could be described the same way.

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Re: Re: Re: Re: Programming Versus Engineering
by chromatic (Archbishop) on Dec 16, 2003 at 18:04 UTC

    Okay, so if the important part of being an engineer is the safe design and synthesis of an object as a whole from diverse materials, then a general contractor is an engineer while a carpenter or a drywaller isn't.

    If I were nitpicky, I'd ask if a semiconductor engineer were really a craftsman, because he's expected to be good at designing and creating chips, using primarily the single material of silicon and a few transistors.

    I think what you're really trying to say is "Engineers design complex things and craftsmen don't." That's a fair opinion. I completely disagree, but I think it's much closer to your opinion than the silly metaphors I dragged you to. :)

[reply]
      the silly metaphors I dragged you to. :)

      :-)

      I don't use these metaphors just to play with words, I am trying to forumlate arguments that can be used in situations where management is making decisions without consulting technical staff. In such cases I will say something along the lines of "You can plan a bridge building project without consulting the metal-workers, but if you plan it without consulting the engineers, remind me not to drive over that bridge."

[reply]

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