> Can someone help me understand why computer scientists call themselves engineers in the US?
Someone with a Bachelors (or less) who builds systems by writing code is not a computer scientist. That is a less appropriate title than engineer.
> Here that would be so totally illegal if you are not a member of the order which requires an engineering diploma.
Yes, we know Canada is almost uniquely psychotic about this. I, personally, think it is ridiculous, and I state this as someone who holds an accredited engineering degree (EE) and originally considered pursuing licensure.
That said, I do think software engineering is in dire need of some actual engineering discipline. This industry also is in dire need of title bifurcation; calling everyone "software engineer" regardless of what they actually do, just because they touch code, is ridiculous.
I mostly agree with you, but I still think it makes no sense to not have a regulated title. I mean you can't become a civil engineer if you don't study civil engineering, why is it different for software will remain a mystery to me.
I think the field is too new and fast changing to have fixed standards to examine people on. Civil engineering has been going on for at least 2000 years on the other hand.
Someone with a Bachelors (or less) who builds systems by writing code is not a computer scientist. That is a less appropriate title than engineer.
> Here that would be so totally illegal if you are not a member of the order which requires an engineering diploma.
Yes, we know Canada is almost uniquely psychotic about this. I, personally, think it is ridiculous, and I state this as someone who holds an accredited engineering degree (EE) and originally considered pursuing licensure.
That said, I do think software engineering is in dire need of some actual engineering discipline. This industry also is in dire need of title bifurcation; calling everyone "software engineer" regardless of what they actually do, just because they touch code, is ridiculous.