I Am Not a Computer Programmer. I may introduce myself as one as a matter of convenience for all parties involved, but I abhor the term when applied to myself. In my view, a Computer Programmer is someone who has gone to a technical trade school (like ITT) and has taken courses in programming (typically a two year program).

One could use the term Software Engineer. That term is usually reserved for Software people who have a good understanding of Hardware (remember, hardware is the part of the computer you can kick!). The problem being that you usually (with the exception of software), need to pass some kind of exam to call yourself an engineer, which I haven’t. And I can’t, since there is no organization to setup the exam.

My personal preference is the term Software Developer. There is much more to my skill set than just cranking out programs. Something that you can’t get in a two year trade school program. I have the skills to design how the parts of a program go together to achieve the final goal of the program. I have the theoretical background to discuss algorithmic complexity and the speed vs. Memory tradeoffs of choosing one approach versus another. I have studied the inner workings of a computer down to the level of how the logic gates go together in the processor (though it does get a little fuzzy for me there…). All these skills (and many others that didn’t make this short list) add up to make me more than just a computer programmer.

I Am a Software Developer, hear me roar!