[csharptwdec19]

The shift from 'Developer/Programmer' to engineer has indeed been part of a push away from creativity towards cookie-cutter work.

An interesting analogue would be the Automotive industry; As time progressed, Companies focused more and more on 'engineering' versus art/tradition/etc. But as the industry evolved, "Flashy" vehicles that took risks became moreso either a halo product for a brand, or relegated to Luxury/Boutique.

And, of course, there was the dark side of this shift; A good example from the 70s, the level of 'engineering' driving the design of the vehicle and it's assembly didn't take into consideration the actual line worker; in Ohio the workers wound up getting overworked, burned out, and in some cases actively sabotaged the product, because they were being treated like automated machines.

[thanksforthe42]

I think that missed the point.

Engineers are applied scientists.

Programmers are not applied scientists.

[scrollaway]

Why does any of this matter?

[thanksforthe42]

Different expertise.

I'm guessing you are neither?

[scrollaway]

Incorrect guess, and it still doesn't really change anything. You're just playing with words. It's no more useful than a full thread arguing about a misspelling; Just pure noise.

Software engineering could learn a lot from, say, civil engineering. It could also learn a lot from interface design and I'm sure even microbiologists and astronauts could teach us a lot. Engineering is not special.