Software Engineering : Dead ?
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Software Engineering : Dead ?

Software engineer
I was utterly floored when I read this new IEEE article by Tom De Marco (pdf). See if you can tell why.

If your head just exploded, don't be alarmed. Mine did too !!
To somewhat reduce the migraine headache you might now be experiencing from reading the above summary, I highly recommend scanning the entire two page article pdf.

For a guy of Tom's caliber, experience, and influence to come out and just flat out say that Software Engineering is dead....That's kind of a big deal. It's scary !!
It has definitely made me realize that what we as software developers do is just a craftsmanship , not engineering....and I can say this proudly, unashamedly, with nary shred of self-doubt.

What De Marco seems to be saying and, at least, what I am definitely saying is that control is ultimately illusory on software development.

Those who are passionate about building stuff that matters to them and perhaps in some small way, to the rest of the world those are the people and projects that will ultimately succeed.

Software development is and always will be somewhat experimental. The actual software construction isn't necessarily experimental, but its conception is.

Everything else is just noise.
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