So what is the difference between a software engineer and computer scientist?
Feb 06, 2007 100 Replies
T
The Real Andy
Oops, i just realised I was trying to be funny and that most wont see my sense of humour.
Nevermind. IMHO, an engineer models known real world applications whilst a scientist researches new methods if implementing real world applications. Most engineers are scientists in themselves in one way or another.
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C
Colin Paul Gloster
Grant Edwards wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com : "Ah. That's how you know a field isn't really science: it includes "science" in its title.
For instance, compre "political science" and "social science" with "physics", "chemistry" or "astronomy".
1/2 :)"
So is physics "really science" unlike "physical sciences" (
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); is chemistry "really science" unlike "chemical sciences" (
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); and is astronomy "really science" unlike "Astronomical Science" ( WWW2.Keck.Hawaii.edu/library/biblios/aokeck.php ); and is "Space Science" (
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) not "really science"?
R
Roberto Waltman
That's a keeper. And to the Lewin/Colin dichotomy one could add:
"The power of acute observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it." - George Bernard Shaw
Roberto Waltman (Who really,really,really would like to be a computer scientist...)
L
Lanarcam
PeteS a écrit :
A software engineer writes bugs in a hardware company. A computer scientist writes bugs in a software company.
A software engineer writes software that is not sold but bundled with the real thing. A computer scientist writes software that is sold and that is the real thing.
;-)
J
John Larkin
A computer scientist writes software that is provably correct but does nothing. A software engineer writes software that is buggy but does something.
Or something.
John
A
Alex Colvin
Theoretically there is no difference between theory and practice. Practically, however, there is.
Computer Science, like Christian Science, believes that faith and virtue overcome all ills.
A Computer Engineer is more like a Railroad Engineer, concerned with handling, timely arrival, and the course of the tracks.
Software engineer is a nearly meaningless term. In states which license engineers, there is rarely any such license. I myself am a software engineer. You could be one too.
mac the naïf
P
PeteS
Embedded engineers do software that operates their unit correctly, such that it is not obvious there *is* any software in the unit.
This is true computer science.
Cheers
PeteS
P
PeteS
Actually, I see the humour; imo, those doomed to writing code for Windows need more training, but have less; those writing for *nix / *nux need less training but have more ;)
It should be noted I have written a lot of code on posix platforms :)
Cheers
PeteS
R
Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippi
Well, I don't like Cole's Law. I'd rather have cottage cheese.
Cheers! Rich
R
Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippi
Maybe somebody should come up with "God science" - then maybe we'd learn a thing or three! ;-)
Cheers! Rich
R
Rich Grise
;-)
A scriptkiddie writes "software that is buggy". A software engineer writes bug-free softtware because he designs it before he enters it at the console. ;-)
Cheers! Rich
R
Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippi
Well, dang it! Now you've gone and confused the issue! ;-P
Thanks! Rich
H
Homer J Simpson
"Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippie" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@doubleclick.net...
Scientology - no science and bugger all ology.
G
Grant Edwards
Yes, I wrote that. Followed by a 1/2 smiley indicating it was somewhat tongue-in-cheek.
But I didn't write that, even though it was attributed to me.
Something like "Creation Science"?
Grant Edwards grante Yow! The entire CHINESE
at WOMEN\'S VOLLEYBALL TEAM all
visi.com share ONE personality --
and have since BIRTH!!
T
Terry Given
isnt that like fighting for peace, or (my favourite) f****ng for virginity?
Cheers Terry
R
Rich the Philosophizer
Well, I'm currently working on refining my "Stupid Design" theory. ;-D
Cheers! Rich
R
Rich the Philosophizer
Does the universe Taste Great, or is it Less Filling?
What bothers me is the brain-lock on both sides that refuses to consider the possibility that it's something in between, i.e, "God" created a Universe that's evolving. I have no problem with that either way. :-)
Thanks! Rich
T
Terry Given
that sounds like a good idea. Here, let me flesh it out for you:
Stupid Design:
- God is an incompetent, bungling fool (eg creates humans flawed, so we cant keep the 10 commandments, then changes his mind about them ergo new testament)
- God is also astonishingly insecure (eg 1st commandment)
- This omniscient idiot then designs a human being so poorly that 3/4 of all pregnancies self-terminate in the first month because the prospective foetus is FUBAR.
- of the ones that actually make it out the birth canal, all manner of hideous monstrosities occur - retards, mutants, hydrocephalics, politicians et al
- And in a fit of Inspired Stupidity, God placed a sewer next door to the playground ;)
ID is just drivel. I especially like their "irreducible complexity" argument - we dont understand it so God must have done it. Morons.
Interesting to see ted haggard is now 100% heterosexual. Yeah Right....
Cheers Terry
H
Homer J Simpson
Or that there is a god but it couldn't give a rat's ass what we say or do. Or that it likes it when humans are evil and cruel. I've seen little evidence to the contrary.
After all, if there WAS a just and benevolent god, Juliet Prowse would be alive and Jesse Helms would be dead.
H
Homer J Simpson
Was it Jay Leno who said Haggard was 'cured' by excess, like when your dad catches you smoking and makes you smoke the whole pack? I wonder what was smoking on old Ted?
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