Thoughts On Software Engineering
03 Sep 2016The existence of the word engineering in the course title “Software Engineering”, makes me feel a bit uneasy at times. Engineers are people who professionally build stuff using the laws of physics as their guide, right? Is the computer software version of that something I need to strive for? While it appears that being a software engineer doesn’t require proficiency with Newton’s Laws or Maxwell’s equations, it does have the makings of an equally rigorous discipline of study. The software focus of this branch of engineering is an ends that I particularly find appealing compared to say, building a bridge, an engine, or even a computer itself. While those are generalizations of some of the common areas of engineering, the ability to design and create computer software is a unique focus in engineering, and one I’d love to gain skill in.
Serious Methods for Serious Results
My understanding of the discipline of software engineering is far from complete, but I believe it encompasses generally accepted methods for efficiently and effective producing computer software. This as opposed to creating software by just winging it, or by using procedures that are likely to waste time and money. I certainly have some interest in being able to create a useful computer application in a time frame that does not approach the end of my lifespan, so learning software engineering as a whole relates to this interest directly. In particular, I imagine that gaining skill towards establishing a clear process and order of operations for software development, from start to finish, is a very useful aspect of studying software engineering.
The Future and I
I’m not sure that the experiences in software engineering that I’d love to have in my future will be had in taking a single course. I do hope that through formal learning of software engineering, I will build towards the future that I want to have with software development. Honestly, I don’t know what exactly I want regarding my future with software development, but I am hopeful that I will gain the ability to get there quicker through studying software engineering.