A Secondary Message: Software Engineering Versus Computer Science
Many software professionals like to refer to themselves as “software engineers.” Unfortunately, simply wanting our work to be considered engineering and continually saying that it is doesn't make it so. In several U.S. states, including New York and Texas [TBPE98], the term “engineer” is actually a legally reserved word. Those who inappropriately, or even inadvertently, misuse the term—such as calling themselves a software engineer—without meeting legally defined criteria can be subject to civil or criminal penalties. Similarly, under the law in Canada no one can call himself or herself an engineer unless licensed as such by the provincial engineering societies.
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