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  3. Programmer vs software engineer

Programmer vs software engineer

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  • M Munchies_Matt

    I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

    C Offline
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    CodeWraith
    wrote on last edited by
    #4

    Wizard. Edit: How about Witch King of (company or place)?

    I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

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    • M Munchies_Matt

      I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

      J Offline
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      Jeremy Falcon
      wrote on last edited by
      #5

      Same with me. There's so much crap to keep track of nowadays I think it's better to understand principles and Google the detail specific stuff as needed. Because as sure as the sun rises in the east, there will be some new fancy buzzword come along every other day that we're expected to magically know just because it's the next shiny red button to come along.

      Jeremy Falcon

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      • J Jeremy Falcon

        Same with me. There's so much crap to keep track of nowadays I think it's better to understand principles and Google the detail specific stuff as needed. Because as sure as the sun rises in the east, there will be some new fancy buzzword come along every other day that we're expected to magically know just because it's the next shiny red button to come along.

        Jeremy Falcon

        M Offline
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        Munchies_Matt
        wrote on last edited by
        #6

        It not just fancy new stuff with me, it is stuff I have been doing for 20 years I forget the details of. I had to look up how to write a function pointer and pass it in an argument the other day! :)

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        • M Munchies_Matt

          It not just fancy new stuff with me, it is stuff I have been doing for 20 years I forget the details of. I had to look up how to write a function pointer and pass it in an argument the other day! :)

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          Jeremy Falcon
          wrote on last edited by
          #7

          Chances are you're just getting old then brother. ;P

          Jeremy Falcon

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          • M Munchies_Matt

            I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

            C Offline
            C Offline
            CPallini
            wrote on last edited by
            #8

            The Klingon kind of. :-D

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            • M Munchies_Matt

              I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

              P Offline
              P Offline
              Pete OHanlon
              wrote on last edited by
              #9

              I think of myself as Pete, don't really care about the job label.

              This space for rent

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              • M Munchies_Matt

                I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

                S Offline
                S Offline
                Slacker007
                wrote on last edited by
                #10

                Software Engineers design and implement entire software application systems. Programmers/developers take those designs and code individual units of work from those designs/specs. Programmers/developers rarely design. So, if you are designing things, then you are an engineer/architect, if you are strictly just coding to someone else's designs/specs, you are a developer/programmer. Simples. Edit: Semantics. Some would argue that "developers" develop software, similar to engineer/architect. With that said, I guess the word "developer" is interchangeable here. - depends on your employer.

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                • P Pete OHanlon

                  I think of myself as Pete, don't really care about the job label.

                  This space for rent

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                  S Offline
                  Slacker007
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #11

                  Just Pete? Not Pete O'Hanlon? "Hi. My name is Pete, Pete O'Hanlon. You can call me Pete".

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                  • S Slacker007

                    Software Engineers design and implement entire software application systems. Programmers/developers take those designs and code individual units of work from those designs/specs. Programmers/developers rarely design. So, if you are designing things, then you are an engineer/architect, if you are strictly just coding to someone else's designs/specs, you are a developer/programmer. Simples. Edit: Semantics. Some would argue that "developers" develop software, similar to engineer/architect. With that said, I guess the word "developer" is interchangeable here. - depends on your employer.

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                    CodeWraith
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #12

                    Ok, so far. Let's add that you ar a manager or a wizard if you get things done by waving your hands.

                    I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

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                    • C CPallini

                      The Klingon kind of. :-D

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                      C Offline
                      CodeWraith
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #13

                      So, you are not the sort this rapper is looking for.[^]

                      I have lived with several Zen masters - all of them were cats.

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                      • M Munchies_Matt

                        I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

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                        P Offline
                        peterkmx
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #14

                        It could be DevOps if programming is accompanied by related activities like use case analysis, testing, deployment, monitoring, updating, etc ... BR

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                        • M Munchies_Matt

                          I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

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                          H Offline
                          HobbyProggy
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #15

                          For me the basic rule to separate those both terms is: Programmer : Codes stuff (Mostly on base of plans or decisions) Engineer : Developes/Designs (Keeping track, planning, managing, defining Architecture etc.) stuff + programming Therefore i see myself as SW Engineer.

                          Rules for the FOSW ![^]

                          if(this.signature != "")
                          {
                          MessageBox.Show("This is my signature: " + Environment.NewLine + signature);
                          }
                          else
                          {
                          MessageBox.Show("404-Signature not found");
                          }

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                          • P peterkmx

                            It could be DevOps if programming is accompanied by related activities like use case analysis, testing, deployment, monitoring, updating, etc ... BR

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                            Slacker007
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #16

                            DevOps was a term coined by fucking geek ass nerds who want to sound like SpecOps. Take that devops crap and flush it down the toilet.

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                            • J Jeremy Falcon

                              Chances are you're just getting old then brother. ;P

                              Jeremy Falcon

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                              Munchies_Matt
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #17

                              :( Could be.

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                              • C CPallini

                                The Klingon kind of. :-D

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                                D Offline
                                Daniel Pfeffer
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #18

                                Today is a good day to code!

                                If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack. --Winston Churchill

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                                • S Slacker007

                                  Software Engineers design and implement entire software application systems. Programmers/developers take those designs and code individual units of work from those designs/specs. Programmers/developers rarely design. So, if you are designing things, then you are an engineer/architect, if you are strictly just coding to someone else's designs/specs, you are a developer/programmer. Simples. Edit: Semantics. Some would argue that "developers" develop software, similar to engineer/architect. With that said, I guess the word "developer" is interchangeable here. - depends on your employer.

                                  M Offline
                                  M Offline
                                  Munchies_Matt
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #19

                                  True, of course, but I have never worked in a situation where the two were separated. In all my roles the engineers designed and coded the product.

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                                  • M Munchies_Matt

                                    True, of course, but I have never worked in a situation where the two were separated. In all my roles the engineers designed and coded the product.

                                    S Offline
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                                    Slacker007
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #20

                                    Yep. My experience as well, and seems to be the current trend. IMHO, I think it has to do with more shops are going "agile" so to speak, and there is less up front time spent purely in design. So, your "coders" have to know design as well (design & code as you produce and deliver). That is my high level opinion about that - don't know if it is accurate or not.

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                                    • S Slacker007

                                      Yep. My experience as well, and seems to be the current trend. IMHO, I think it has to do with more shops are going "agile" so to speak, and there is less up front time spent purely in design. So, your "coders" have to know design as well (design & code as you produce and deliver). That is my high level opinion about that - don't know if it is accurate or not.

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                                      G Offline
                                      GuyThiebaut
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #21

                                      In agile there are product architects who decide on the overall direction for design. Software developers then take this general direction hint and write the code.

                                      “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

                                      ― Christopher Hitchens

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                                      • M Munchies_Matt

                                        I continually have to check the details of syntax and stuff when programming. Things like print format specifiers, the syntax of things I havent used for a year or so, and use a calculator to work out bit masks and check my bit wise logic. I can never get it right in my head. I dont remember details. I dont pride myself on that. I spend my time and energy on the big picture. Designing and understanding complex mechanisms. The architecture. The guts of the machine. So I think of myself as a software engineer, not a programmer. How about you lot?

                                        K Offline
                                        K Offline
                                        KarstenK
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #22

                                        My job has evolved more into the buzz word known dev ops because primary code writing and debugging is becoming a smaller part of my work. Today I struggle with design, app store and deployment, minor but regular server issues, second level customer support and marketing.

                                        Press F1 for help or google it. Greetings from Germany

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                                        • S Slacker007

                                          DevOps was a term coined by fucking geek ass nerds who want to sound like SpecOps. Take that devops crap and flush it down the toilet.

                                          P Offline
                                          P Offline
                                          peterkmx
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #23

                                          Oh no ... my favourite term gets bashed ... It could also be "programmer++" :-D

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