Rick Kline

Dundee Scotland

Snr Unix Admin

Devil's Advocate? hmmm I can see the point if you compare, say a tool maker and all his skills to a software engineer. Where a tool maker uses his skills as a "artisan" to make something, and with experience the tool maker can dream up an idea put it on paper and fabricate a one off tool. As can the software engineer.

The danger here is in calling a software engineer an artist. We all know that software projects start out with a defined objectives to reach the end product. In my industry (games dev.) software projects never go to plan, and are held together by senior developers and projects managers.

The "art" in software development is to actually deliver a product. Not making it.

Geezee I can see it now... all our software engineers running around with "arty farty", "toys out of the pram", "BBC-esque" lovey dovey attitudes... Screaming I can not work in these conditions... my mouse mat clashes with my T-shirt...