Programmer Humor

I'm technically an aerospace engineer, but all I do is code most days. I think it depends highly on what you do, since my job also involves doing things not strictly coding related as well, I always slap the engineer title next to it. If you only code, then it's more appropriate to say software dev, or programmer. But, again its highly dependent on your role.

And as other people have mentioned, seems like outside the U.S. the term engineer is a protected title, so my take really only applies within the U.S.

I would say tho, a lot of programmers in the U.S. do get called software engineers. Just depends on where you go I guess.

The Intergalactic Ninja Sultan of Revenue Development

Remember when they tried to make ninja, Rockstar, and guru a thing?

When people ask me what I do for a living I tell them that I furiously bang on a keyboard until the computer does what I want.

It’s funny when I’m looking for work and people try to help me find jobs. I’ve been sent jobs for “coder” which turned out to be “medical code entry into EPIC” and architect because they saw another job with “software architect”.

It depends who I'm talking to and where I live. Where I live, engineer is a protected title and requires certification/etc so that takes it out of the race. That leaves the other options. Generally I am a Web Developer to people my age or younger, to people older than me I am usually a Computer Programmer but also sometimes a Developer or Software Developer instead. Realistically, I am a Full Stack Website Developer.

Referring to my job doesn't get any easier even as someone in tech.

Yes

Yes, yes, Engineer is protected in a lot of spaces. Even here. That said the university programme I've attended was to make me into a "Sotware Engineer" not a "Developer". This university is a university for engineers. Obviously I don't have to requalify every year to remain an Engineer, but saying that I am not an Engineer is factually untrue.

I dont care about names but to be offended because it says Software Engineer on my resume is just dumb.

Also we design a lot of crucial systems. (Such as any RTOS, banking systems and so on and so forth)

Code whisperer

(Until i have to deal with legacy code. Then im usually screaming obscenities)

It'd love to be called not burdened with a completely unrealistic software development plan.

IMO if they're not an educated Computer Engineer, or at a minimum have a math-focused degree, then calling them Engineers is more than a little generous.

Dev.

An Enthusiast Googler

Engineer, most girls probably wouldn't think twice about software* but engineer has a ring to it. Like doctor.

"The computer guy" which is wrong in all ways but somehow correct

Code Ninja Rockstar Wizard.

monkey

Not a programmer. I’m a net admin.

Actually my title is “Senior Network Architect”. I hate it. I feel like it detracts from real architects, who have licensure and actual training from an actual school.

I hate it as an architect, and I hated it as an “engineer”, for the same reason.

Yes, there’s a lot of complexity and planning, especially at larger scales. But it’s mostly self-taught, some webinars, and a lot of on-the-job (read: trial-by-fire) training.

When it comes to telling computers what to do, I have no idea what to call it. I write Python scripts and Ansible modules, I guess. That doesn’t make me any of those titles though. Some times I poor-mans deamonize my scripts (while true loop) and pack them in a container.

Using some of the same tools doesn’t make me any more of the same title.

“Punching bag” is an appropriate title for how the field feels sometimes.

My favourite for myself is garbage man. Shit rolls downhill so it always ends in my lap.

Another good one is fixer like the mob.

I make computers do useful things.

The on-er off-er

Good girl

Computer code program development engineer, Esq.

Nah, nah, nah. You all got it wrong. There's one name and one name only: tech support.

"engineer" is different to "programmer". A programmer writes code, while an engineer does more than that, including system design and architecture.

Everyone who works on making software is a developer, even people who don’t program at all. people who make art for software work in software development. A “coder” only writes code. It’s more of a task than a job. A software engineer does technical design and probably also codes.

At work they just call me: "Put those pens back and get outta here; you were fired weeks ago!"

I think typically A, B, C, and F are acceptable to most people. I certainly wouldn't mind any of those descriptions. D feels antiquated. E is too broad. G just sounds like a hobbyist.

Tech Priest Litanizer