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  1. Xref: sparky comp.edu:1444 comp.lang.fortran:3327 comp.lang.misc:2839 comp.arch:9121 sci.math:10776
  2. Path: sparky!uunet!haven.umd.edu!mimsy!afterlife!relay!apssgi.nswc.navy.mil!bwallet
  3. From: bwallet@apssgi.nswc.navy.mil (Brad Wallet)
  4. Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.lang.fortran,comp.lang.misc,comp.arch,sci.math
  5. Subject: Re: Scientists as Programmers (was Re: Small Language Wanted)
  6. Message-ID: <1992Sep1.115849.13522@relay.nswc.navy.mil>
  7. Date: 1 Sep 92 11:58:49 GMT
  8. References: <1992Aug31.133811.3626@crd.ge.com> <1992Aug31.144045.11416@hubcap.clemson.edu> <1992Aug31.170849.11927@mprgate.mpr.ca> <1992Aug31.195540.13074@ctr.columbia.edu>
  9. Sender: news@relay.nswc.navy.mil
  10. Organization: Naval Surface Warfare Center
  11. Lines: 32
  12.  
  13. In article <1992Aug31.195540.13074@ctr.columbia.edu>, shenkin@avogadro.barnard.columbia.edu (Peter S. Shenkin) writes:
  14. |> Well, there's variation person-to-person within all disciplines, and we've
  15. |> heard scientists and "computer science types" comment on how well, or
  16. |> poorly, scientists write code, but in my experience the implicit notion that
  17. |> "computer science types" are automatically good programmers is false.
  18. |> 
  19. |> In many or most CS departments, computer science has more to do with 
  20. |> proving theorems than writing code, and the experience obtained by
  21. |> students getting degrees, at whatever level, in these departments
  22. |> reflects the leanings of the department.
  23. |> 
  24. |> I've recently concluded that expecting a computer science graduate to
  25. |> be a good programmer is like expecting an English major to be a good
  26. |> writer.  Both expectations are, unfortunately, false.
  27.  
  28. As I have said previously, you are getting computer scientists and 
  29. software engineers confused.  Software engineering is the discipline
  30. concerned with writing good code.  Software engineers study the design
  31. process, design philosophy, testing, life style management, reliability,
  32. and all that other stuff that defines good code.
  33.  
  34. Computer science compares to software engineering much as math and physics
  35. compare to the various engineering fields.
  36.  
  37. -------------------------------------------------
  38. Brad Wallet                 Mathematician
  39. bwallet@relay.nswc.navy.mil Naval Surface Warfare Center
  40. (703)663-4950               (AVN)249-4950
  41. DSMAC - "Tomahawk's Eyes"
  42. "I can neither confirm nor deny that these opinions
  43. are entirely my own and may or may not reflect those
  44. of the US Navy." 
  45.