[harimau777]

Outside of software, people designing technology are engineers. Although by no means perfect, engineers generally have more ability to push back against bad technical decisions.

Engineers are also generally encultured into a professional culture that emphasizes disciplined engineering practices and technical excellence. On the other hand, modern software development culture actively discourages these traits. For example, taking the time to do design is labeled as "waterfall", YAGNI sentiment, opposition to algorithms interviews, opposition to "complicated" functional programming techniques, etc.

[ghaff]

That's a very idealistic black-and-white view of the world.

A huge number of roles casually use the "engineer" moniker and a lot of people who actually have engineering degrees of some sort, even advanced degrees from top schools, are not licensed and don't necessarily follow rigid processes (e.g. structural analyses) on a day to day basis.

As someone who does have engineering degrees outside of software, I have zero problem with the software engineer term--at least for anyone who does have some education in basic principles and practices.

[rat9988]

I have yet to see, with the exception of the software world, engineering with such loose process.

[ghaff]

As someone who was a mechanical engineer in the oil business, I think you have a very positive view of engineering processes in general.

[nvm0n2]

It's common to start constructing buildings before the design is even complete. And there can be huge "tech debt" disasters in civil engineering. Berlin Airport is one famous example.

[ghaff]

>It's common to start constructing buildings before the design is even complete.

Of which the Sydney Opera House is one of the better known examples.