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  3. What's diff among developer and programmer?

What's diff among developer and programmer?

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  • J JeremyBob

    I'll disagree to that too, I always thought it was a bit of a cheek calling ourselves software engineers. I always felt an engineer generally need to get things right the first time, where as software developers/programmers almost always have to compile or build there code to see what silly mistakes they have made.

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    G Tek
    wrote on last edited by
    #45

    So does that mean that we're "practicing developing/programming" - just like lawyers practice law and doctors practice medicine? :-D

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    • P peterchen

      programmers turn specs into code, developers turn requirements into products.

      Agh! Reality! My Archnemesis![^]
      | FoldWithUs! | sighist | WhoIncludes - Analyzing C++ include file hierarchy

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      G Tek
      wrote on last edited by
      #46

      Very concise and accurate (IMHO) answer .

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      • J JeremyBob

        I'll disagree to that too, I always thought it was a bit of a cheek calling ourselves software engineers. I always felt an engineer generally need to get things right the first time, where as software developers/programmers almost always have to compile or build there code to see what silly mistakes they have made.

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        devenneym
        wrote on last edited by
        #47

        I just started working with an Architect a few months ago and learned something about how titled Architects and Engineers feel about the IT field borrowing their titles. To have some fun, find your local architect (building, not software) and tell him that you're a Software Architect (even if you're not). Wait till you see him/her go bright red in the face. I've never held the position, but when he started our first conversation with, "Just tell me that you don't call yourself an architect...", I figured I had to. I still haven't told him... might never. :laugh: Mike Devenney null

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        • P Pete OHanlon

          I make my own yoghurt (and no, that's not a euphemism).

          I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be

          Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

          My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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          devenneym
          wrote on last edited by
          #48

          When did yogurt get an "h" in it?

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          • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

            We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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            Steve Naidamast
            wrote on last edited by
            #49

            Developers have bigger egos... :)

            Steve Naidamast Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com

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            • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

              We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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              S Houghtelin
              wrote on last edited by
              #50

              de•vel•op•er [ di vélləpər ] 1. somebody who develops: somebody or something that develops something. Synonyms: designer, creator, inventor, brains, maker, originator pro•gram•mer [ prṓ gràmmər ] 1. somebody programming computers: a writer of computer programs. Synonyms: computer operator, computer programmer, computer scientist, program writer, systems analyst, IT worker A programmer does what the developer tells him to do, an engineer does both. :) I too lack the CS, my background is in electronics.

              It was broke, so I fixed it.

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              • S Steve Naidamast

                Developers have bigger egos... :)

                Steve Naidamast Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com

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                S Houghtelin
                wrote on last edited by
                #51

                :laugh: Is that why they never go home? Head's too big to get through the door?

                It was broke, so I fixed it.

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                • J JeremyBob

                  I'll disagree to that too, I always thought it was a bit of a cheek calling ourselves software engineers. I always felt an engineer generally need to get things right the first time, where as software developers/programmers almost always have to compile or build there code to see what silly mistakes they have made.

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                  ludemade
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #52

                  I am trained as an electronics engineer, but now work as a programmer/analyst. How many engineers get an email when they arrive at the office stating that the equipment they built last year needs an update by this afternoon? That is why developers need compilers and error checking. If engineers had similar tools, trust me, they would use them.

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                  • S S Houghtelin

                    :laugh: Is that why they never go home? Head's too big to get through the door?

                    It was broke, so I fixed it.

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                    Steve Naidamast
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #53

                    They grow these guys inside a cubicle and then they can't get out. Its all part of the master plan... :-)

                    Steve Naidamast Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com

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                    • P Pete OHanlon

                      Not necessarily. Chutzpah, gall and sheer bloody minded cheek could count for a lot too.

                      I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be

                      Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

                      My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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                      redbones
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #54

                      so which is which?

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                      • S Steve Naidamast

                        They grow these guys inside a cubicle and then they can't get out. Its all part of the master plan... :-)

                        Steve Naidamast Black Falcon Software, Inc. blackfalconsoftware@ix.netcom.com

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                        S Houghtelin
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #55

                        And they feed them garbage like "You're indispensible and irreplaceable” and little "insert name here" certificates of appreciation. I was once given this line when I had some question concerning program flow, “Well basically, it’s very complicated". It took all I had to not spew the coffee in my mouth all over him from laughing. :laugh:”.

                        It was broke, so I fixed it.

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                        • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                          We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                          tom1443
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #56

                          In my opinion, a developer is a programmer with a superiority complex.

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                          • H Hiro_Protagonist_

                            Pete, just because I am curios. I do not have a degree in computer science also. I do not want to offend anyone, but my experience is, that the degree does not help much in programming. Or said in a different way, a degree in computer science helps for may be having a knowlegde about how to solve complex problems (separate into smaller ones, etc), may be a stronger knowlegde in math, but not necessarily in professional programming. If one does not start to program by himself, the study will not make a programmer (or developer? :-) ) out of him. Do you have the same experience? Holger

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                            patbob
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #57

                            This is slightly off topic, but... I have a degree in CS. Getting it forced me to learn a lot of CS-related topics that I probably wouldn't have bothered if I had continued to teach myself. I've used nearly all of it at one time or another.

                            patbob

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                            • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                              We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                              James Lonero
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #58

                              One can be outsourced more easily than the other? (I know, its a bad response. But, it may be the sad truth.)

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                              • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                                We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                                James Lonero
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #59

                                Here's one for you all! What is the difference between a software engineer, software designer, and a software architect? (How do they differ?)

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                                • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                                  We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                                  Mark AJA
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #60

                                  A programmer has an idea and then creates a program to turn the idea in to a working program. A developer has an idea and then finds someone who knows how a computer works to create the program.

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                                  • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                                    We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                                    Lost User
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #61

                                    Hello all, I believe I can help a little here. The differences between these two roles are indeed quite shady since they do over lap. However, in the workplace, this distinction can be a little clearer. Normally, the developer is someone employers see as a highly advanced and experienced programmer with the ability to independently build any size system from scratch and, in addition, provide them with a billable contract plan - much like a building contractor would do for building a skyscraper by organising the building exercise and billable contract construction plan. On the other hand, a programmer is generally seen by an employer as a hired professional tasked specifically with just writing code in a specific role with specific technology and does not have to account for doing so like the developer. Ofcourse, in the programming profession, these roles are a toss up but for the purposes of employment one can safely make this assumption. I hope this information has been helpful. Jose josem86ky@yahoo.com "A journey of a million miles begins with an empowering drive but completes through a relentless passion" (Self) "It is always the journey that matters, not the destination" (Third party)

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                                    • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                                      We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                                      Kenneth Kasajian
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #62

                                      It's the same thing, and anyone that tells you otherwise is ignoring the fact that the terms are used interchangeably by just about everyone. Programmer was used more in the 80s. Developer more in the 90s and on... Also, "Software Engineer" is another term that means the same thing, no matter what anyone tells you.

                                      ken@kasajian.com / www.kasajian.com

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                                      • P patbob

                                        This is slightly off topic, but... I have a degree in CS. Getting it forced me to learn a lot of CS-related topics that I probably wouldn't have bothered if I had continued to teach myself. I've used nearly all of it at one time or another.

                                        patbob

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                                        lichao11846
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #63

                                        Good for you.

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                                        • S Shahriar Iqbal Chowdhury Galib

                                          We have often used those terms, most of us have a degree in computer science, so whats makes the difference? Is that the working domain, expertise, passion?

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                                          harlam357
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #64

                                          Well... I guess I'm in the minority with you then because I also have a CS degree. I like to think of myself primarily as a programmer due to the fact that I enjoy just sitting at my machine with my headphones on and working on code. However, I work in a small shop (4 people) that services internal customer requirements... so I'm the developer and the programmer in most cases. Regarding CS vs. Software Engineering... when I was at university the difference in the degrees was a total of 5~6 classes. Don't recall exactly what they were but advanced assembly comes to mind. Those 'Engineering' guys can have it. :)

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