• I'm with Steve and Jeff, but I would frame it differently. I think that computing is still in its infancy and the path towards craftsmanship, or professionalization, is a matter of growth that will take decades or even centuries to achieve. As an example, the first doctors (witchdoctors) screwed things up for many generations before they slowly codified standards of conduct and procedure.

    We are in a phase where business pushes for immediate results and, until they have suffered enough startling setbacks, we are going to have to deal with a lot of crappy programming. Are we ready to professionalize the trade? This might be a good time to create analogs to the AMA, medical boards, and mandatory internship programs before we certify someone as an "informatics engineer". But instead of "Microsoft Certified _blank_ Engineer" we would want something more independent, respectable even. Maybe we can spur ACM, IEEE, and academia to get something going?

    Wouldn't it be great, some day, to haul a creep in front of the informatics board for writing unmanageable code, despite repeated warnings and fines, then drum him out of the profession?