Portrait of a (software) engineer

The terms "software engineering" and "software engineer" continue to be bandied about in ways with which many engineers in the classical engineering fields take exception. In the view of these engineers, applying the term "engineering" to software development indicates that software developers do not understand what engineering is really about. They suspect that software developers are simply trying to take advantage of the professional reputation they have earned by good, hard work, without acquiring a comparable level of knowledge, qualification, and capability. The history of the classical engineering disciplines and the present and recent past of the software field contain many strikingly parallel developments, patterns, and events, suggesting that software development will become an engineering discipline in the true sense of the word. All parties involved must work hard to bring about a transition to true software engineering.