[nylug-talk] Paper IT certs and disk drive fabrication differences -- WAS: Slim home server

[Bryan J. Smith]

On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 10:49 PM, Michael Bacarella
> What qualifies as a non-degreed engineer?  Can a high school dropout
> with a number of years of field experience take an exam to be a PE?

I'll let the NYSPE do the talking for me:  
  http://www.op.nysed.gov/pelic.htm#credits  

That's the lowest set of requirements I've ever seen -- ABET BSE + 4
years to No Degree + 12 years.

> What's the closest one to "software engineering?" ;-)

The NSPE and other boards have been hesistant to qualify "software" as
an engineering discipline in the public trust.  However, states like
Texas have moved forward on the matter.  In any case, you can be
expected to be tested on the same, broad engineering fundamentals (FE
exam) and specific controls, feedback, interaction, state, etc... in
additional to traditional electrical engineering (Practices exam).

On Thu, 2008-05-22 at 01:27 -0400, Gregg Levine wrote:
> I'll second that with, "Can a hobbyist who's got an associates degree
> in repairing the things, plus well over at least twenty years
> experience, plus about one to two years internship in the field get
> one as well?".

What type of "internship"?

Understand what the NCEES and state BoPEs are looking for are actual
_design_ experience using _engineering_ principles.  Technical
experience is not the same.

E.g., laying out a network is the equivalent of "installing" like a
construction worker, who reads specifications of something someone else
designed, not designing the actual networking equipment any more than a
construction worker designs the building.  ;)

And yes, construction workers do know how to use tools, just like IT
people do.  E.g., running an engineering groundstation.  ;)

> Just thought I'd add to the controversy swirling around on this
> subject.

Engineering is not technology, it's applied science.  That's why
engineering and engineering technology are separate.  You _can_ get an
engineering technology license as well, don't forget that.  ;)

Engineering is ...
- Microeconomics
- Physics
- General civil-mechanical-electro concepts (statics, dynamics, fluids,
thermodynamics, materials, etc...)
- Social impact

And most importantly, _all_ with calculus.  Calculus is not something
you "learn" in engineering, it is what you "apply."  You can't describe
a system of interactions without it, which is what engineers do.  I have
had it up to my neck in BS "popular environmentalism" from people who do
not understand the first thing about how to describe a system.  People
who use compounding algebra non-sense to do so come up with wacky
numbers (like more material in a system than you started with ;).

You _will_ be tested on these in the FE exam.  The Practices exam may be
more application and specific, but don't expect to see software
questions or even general algorithms.  You're going to be tested on
engineering principles and practices.

Assuming you can sit them, of course.  You life will go through a
half-year peer-review, including references from other PEs, requiring
you to detail your engineering-related experiences, etc...

> And Mike don't worry about your BB's explorations into the Mobil World
> of Google Mail, it happens to everyone who dove into that rabbit hole.

Don't get me started on GMail, especially it's early
implementations.  ;)



-- 
Bryan J  Smith              Professional, Technical Annoyance
mailto:b.j.smith at ieee.org  http://www.linkedin.com/in/bjsmith
-------------------------------------------------------------
           Fission Power:  An Inconvenient Solution