this post was submitted on 18 Aug 2023
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Big brain tech dude got yet another clueless take over at HackerNews etc? Here's the place to vent. Orange site, VC foolishness, all welcome.

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[–] self@awful.systems 11 points 1 year ago (2 children)

the very next paragraph:

Self driving cars, ditto. Cruise’s fleet is finally deployed all around SF, according to pg. It’s about to become as ubiquitous as electricity. And in the beginning, so many people argued that it’s against the law and therefore shouldn’t be developed. Then it quietly shifted to well, maybe the law should change.

it’s fun to watch self-described engineers tie themselves into knots to defend dangerous technology. this is why programmers aren’t allowed to design bridges (at least until we find a billionaire stupid enough to fund a bridgetech startup (and it’s probably going to be musk))

[–] fasterandworse@awful.systems 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They should all read Henry Petroski’s To Engineer Is Human before they call themselves engineers

[–] gerikson@awful.systems 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Shit, I have that book! Never read it though :(

[–] fasterandworse@awful.systems 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I’m afraid you can’t call yourself an engineer

[–] gerikson@awful.systems 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I (legally) can! Got the degree and everything.

("civilingenjör" is a protected term in Sweden, only graduates from technical universities can call themselves that)

[–] fasterandworse@awful.systems 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I didn’t know that! I was joking of course. I wonder if Alan Kay knows this, though. Have you seen this talk?

https://youtu.be/D43PlUr1x_E

[–] raktheundead@fedia.io 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I've argued for a while that software "engineers" regularly develop the equivalent of the First Tay Bridge.

[–] Evinceo@awful.systems 10 points 1 year ago

Wish we'd gone with software carpenter or software plumber.