In computer science, the task is often to find the best, or most efficient way to perform a task. Often, Computer Scientists are looking for theoretical limits, or trying to resolve a new computing issue in a novel way.
In software engineering, you are trying to build a system to meet a need using the tools at hand, given the constraints of your system. Often this means NOT using the best solution. It means using the best solution given the constraints placed on your use case.
As a Software Engineer, this means we do not necessarily build things on our own. Rather, we evaluate alternatives and select the best one. One example of this might be Web Frameworks. Another might be ORM selection (or whether to use either of these technologies at all and actually build our own). This is analogous to a mechanical engineer designing a car - he doesn't also design the tires, alternator, battery, etc. Rather he looks at the alternative possibilities and selects the best one for the vehicle he is trying to create. Of course, there are going to be many areas that the mechanical engineer does build.
It seems like in software engineering, using other peoples tools is frowned upon. There is some sort of badge of honor to say, 'I built this myself'. While it is impressive to have that broad range of skill, does that necessarily make you the best Software Engineer?
It is my belief that as a profession, we Software Engineers need to start thinking of our task as more of an engineering endeavor and less of computer science endeavor. We need to see ourselves not as Scientists, but as Engineers.
In software engineering, you are trying to build a system to meet a need using the tools at hand, given the constraints of your system. Often this means NOT using the best solution. It means using the best solution given the constraints placed on your use case.
As a Software Engineer, this means we do not necessarily build things on our own. Rather, we evaluate alternatives and select the best one. One example of this might be Web Frameworks. Another might be ORM selection (or whether to use either of these technologies at all and actually build our own). This is analogous to a mechanical engineer designing a car - he doesn't also design the tires, alternator, battery, etc. Rather he looks at the alternative possibilities and selects the best one for the vehicle he is trying to create. Of course, there are going to be many areas that the mechanical engineer does build.
It seems like in software engineering, using other peoples tools is frowned upon. There is some sort of badge of honor to say, 'I built this myself'. While it is impressive to have that broad range of skill, does that necessarily make you the best Software Engineer?
It is my belief that as a profession, we Software Engineers need to start thinking of our task as more of an engineering endeavor and less of computer science endeavor. We need to see ourselves not as Scientists, but as Engineers.
Interestingly enough, universities tend to focus on computer science programs (probably because of the need for research) and ignore software engineering. There seem to be a lot of people in the software engineering field who started with a computer science background. Is it possible that this has contributed to the state of software engineering today? Only around 12% of large IT projects are successful, and much has been written about the tendency of programmers to make things overly complicated.
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