@requiem @msh @mpjgregoire@mamot.fr @nolan I agree a lot. Software is inherently different from all previous kinds of engineering because eg it can be made by a child and fixed after its made. None of that's true about bridges or trucks.

I think software engineering has an important role in programming, but not every programmer needs to be an engineer.

Personally I consider myself more of a hacker/engineer hybrid. I care about usability, quality and security, but what I love about programming is tinkering, trying things, and seeing what's possible.

Some software is stuff where lives depend on its quality, which is the traditional focus of engineering.

But a lot of software doesn't, like video games or even chat apps.

And there's also a progression. Maybe you start off making a silly chat app for your friends, moving fast and being OK with breaking things as you add features.

But then suddenly the app blows up and millions of people are using it. That's when the stakes are higher and I think you need o transition gradually from a hacker to an engineering culture and model for development.