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Engineers precisely specify a problem and then build a solution that's correct to within a tolerance. I'm afraid I don't see the resemblance to programming.

A very precise definition of an engineer? Engineers build tools. Artists build amusements. Scientists build ideas. Programmer = Engineer.

By those definitions I'd consider Software Development as Sciartiginering. It's easier to say developer though.

I have done all three and the motivations and results of each are distinct. If you are Sciartiginering you are not building software. Maybe ASCII art?

You could describe programming that way too, though the "within a tolerance" would probably have to be about input coverage rather than output/behavior.

That depends on the program, I suppose. Some programs require more engineering than others. I think you could make a very good argument for the programmers at Google being engineers.

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