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From: lr-lang@csm.uwe.ac.uk (Bob Lang 3P21 x3172)
Subject: Re: Certification of Computer Scientists
Message-ID: <1995Aug30.151046.11485@pat.uwe.ac.uk>
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Date: Wed, 30 Aug 1995 15:10:46 GMT
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In article <tonyk-3008950814040001@dial1-21.cybercom.net>, tonyk@cybercom.net (Antoun Kanawati) writes:
> In article <41tm9n$575@jefferson.fairfield.com>, Pete Harlan <harlan> wrote:
> 
> > Many people have made the point that computer scientists/programmers don't
> > usually do things that are as critical as what doctors do so we shouldn't
> > have to be certified to perform our craft legally.
> 
> It depends on what the programmers are writing.  Those who write operating
> systems, for example, are very critical.  Some OS'es serve in life-critical
> circumstances, such as medical equipment, and warfare machinery.  Of course,
> less visible, but also damaging, are those OS'es in use for manufacturing
> medication, food, etc...  With computers in use everywhere, many life-critical
> occupations depend on software quality which depends to a significant degree
> on programmer competence.  These occupations include civil engineering,
> pharmacology and drug manufacturing, not just medicine.
> 

As a cynical and experienced programmer, I wonder if humanity is putting too
much faith in computers, for all the activities noted above.  Knowing what
we know about software, would we *really* want to travel on a fly-by-wire
aircraft???

> > But government-enforced certification, where you can't practice without a
> > license, is bad _even_for_the_medical_profession_, where it has raised the
> > price of medical care through the roof.  Someone gave the FDA and AMA a
> > stranglehold on American medicine; yes, some lives are saved, but many are
> > also lost, and both pale in the face of the freedom that's discarded.
> 
> What is the basis for this badness argument?  It is incovenient for doctors,
> but necessary for the protection of patients.  Besides, what is the cost of
> such certification?  and how does that raise the costs?  by cutting out those
> who fail the test?

One issue I have noted in my industrial experience, is that I had very little
control on the way software was being produced.  The process standards were
created by the company and I had no choice but to follow them, even when they
were obviously daft.  (I worked at one site where we had to design Pascal
programs using Flowcharts - I kid you not)

I don't know that a licence system would improve this situation (just as
doctors can practice for fifty years after graduation, without taking any
refresher courses) BUT I am worried that a spectacular failure could lead
to one or more programmers being scape-goated by the company and losing their
livelyhood as a result.   

However, if you can convince me otherwise, I'll be all for it!

Regards

Bob

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     University of the West Of England	               	 //_- _ - _/- =/     
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