I am thinking about claiming a new title. Currently I refer to myself as software architect.
I do not hold any sort of formal education as an architect and I am pretty much self-taught.
I evaluated what it is that I do - and I write specifications and code. My specifications aim not to be BDUF, since I want to give the developers and even myself enough elbow room to navigate within the boundaries of the given assignment. So I attempt to outline these boundaries, using things such as API references and GUI mock-ups. I recommend some CPAN modules and perhaps provide some examples, but that is pretty much it.
So I am not sure this can be called true architectural work - so I consider claiming to be a software producer.
The only bad thing is the association with the movie business and when it comes to movies I have no concrete idea of what it is that a producer does, so...
What about hacker?
Or even: h4X0r?
I need coffee
Software developer?
Re:How about the obvious?
jrockway on 2008-01-24T20:31:36
My favorite term is "computer programmer". I don't know why everyone is keen on making up wish-washy titles like "architect" or "engineer" when "programmer" works fine.
Keep in mind that Knuth's famous books are "The art of computer programming", not "The art of software engineering" or "The art of computer science".Re:How about the obvious?
Aristotle on 2008-01-24T20:47:18
“Software developer” is wishy washy?
Re:How about the obvious?
jrockway on 2008-01-25T12:23:47
I prefer the word "program" to "software". Program means something, software really doesn't. JMHO.Re:How about the obvious?
Aristotle on 2008-01-25T14:34:11
Software is a bunch of programs and possibly some data that together serve some real-world purpose, whereas a program is just one thing that runs as a single execution unit.
I can tell you I do more than just type programs into my computer from top to bottom in a single sitting. The Art of Computer Programming, to my knowledge, does not have chapters about version control or about drafting and verifying requirements. (Nor should it, FWIW.)
Programming is what you do in the moment when you wrangle code in your editor. Software development is the day-, week-, month- or years-long process in which programming happens as a means to an end.
And that is another case in point: I know it is not my job to create code. It is my job to create functionality. The less code I can write to achieve the required or desired functionality, the better. If the things for which I write code could be done without a computer with reasonable efficiency, my client would fire me and do them without a computer. From this perspective, calling myself a “programmer” would be sort of like a carpenter calling himself a “hammerer” or a “hacksawer.”
I’m not advocating highfalutin terms like “software engineer” (it’s not engineering except in a tiny number of cases), system architect (and who are the minions who build it?), senior software consultant (what does that even mean?), or any number of others. In contrast, “software developer” seems accurate and unassuming to me, but unlike “computer programmer” it puts the emphasis on the right thing.
Re:How about the obvious?
jonasbn on 2008-01-31T08:49:40
I really like the title 'Computer Programmer' and I always use that when in non-tech forums.
But as a professional freelancer where title, followed by CV is entry point to jobs - I must emphasize the importance of a proper title and probably the more whishy-whashy the better:)
And in my daily work I do a lot of stuff not necessary computer programming, such as: design, layout, specification, project management, support, bug fixing, testing, documentation writing and a little system administration.
So 'Computer Programmer' comes a little short in that line of business, when putting this in some CV database.
