Software Engineering » Software Engineer

Serendipity Is The Best Open Source Blog Engine

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 00:26:55 +0000

Who am I to determine that Serendipity is absolutely best blog software on the planet? Well, I’ll admit I’ve only been using blog software for 6 months. I’ve only tried Serendipity, Word Press and Nucleus. However, I have created over 20 full web sites using software from all areas. I’ve used Mambo, Joomla, Nucleus, Word Press, Serendipity, Java Servlets and JSPs’, plain HTML pages and Serendipity is my favorite.

I have worked as a professional programmer for 15 years and with Java (as a software engineer) for the last 10 years. I’ve spent most of that time dealing intimately with various web technologies. Certainly I am no blog expert, but I have a bit of experience with software. Serendipity is good software.

Serendipity is a blog engine. A blog is simply a series of postings to a web site, sometimes organized and sometimes random. They are meant to quickly collect ones thoughts, but more recently entire web sites are being created out of sophisticated blog engines. I believe the blog engine and full fledged CMS solutions are converging. If what you need is a simple menuing system and a way to get content up on the net, then perhaps a blog engine, specifically Serendipity, is what you want.

Installation of Serendipity was a breeze, both on GoDaddy and HostGator. The default install went well, with the exception of course that GoDaddy does not put your MySQL database on “localhost”, but on another server. Once you know the name of that server it’s all good.

Once installed, changing styles is also easy. Serendipity comes with a number of built in themes/templates which are a snap to install. Basically you just go to Manage Styles in the administration menu and choose your new theme. It couldn’t be easier.

Modifying templates is also quite simple. Most users simply want to change colors or graphics and this can all be done withing the style.css file for your template. I chose to make a copy of the “competition” template and modify my copy. All I had to change was the info.txt file and style.css, add my images to the img directory and I was good to go. Of course, it is not necessary to do this, just if you want a more unique look to your site.

Adding content is where Serendipity shines. I found the interface easy and intuitive, especially for media management. Imagine that you are adding an item and you want to add an image. Just click on media, put in the URL of the item you want to add and serendipity goes out and pulls it down and puts it in it’s own directory. Then you can choose how you want it to appear in the text (left, right, on it’s own) and whether or not you want the full image or thumbnail. Excellent!

Defining and using categories is equally easy and you can nest categories if you’d like. Each category can have a description and image. The description displays when the user put’s their cursor over the category, I am not sure when/if the image gets displayed.

Serendipity has options to use search engine friendly URLs, but for some reason I wasn’t able to get these working properly on GoDaddy. I’m sure there is an easy fix, I could ask at the Serendipity forum, but haven’t yet. Adding a trailing slash to the rewritten addresses seems to bring up the page, but my “.htaccess” knowledge is not good enough to fix it myself. The URL rewriting works just fine on HostGator. Remember, using the non friendly URLs doesn’t mean you won’t get indexed, just that it may take a little longer. Also, the SEO friendly URLs tend to boost your ranking a little because they have the subject matter right in the URL.

What about integrating Ads in Serendipity? Serendipity has a solution for that too. There is a plug in (comes with Serendipity) called HTML Nugget. It allows you to add arbitrary HTML to one of the sidebar columns, perfect for those tower Google Ads or links to affiliate programs. It takes me all of 5 minutes to set up the ads on one of my sites. Nucleus took me quite a bit longer, I had to manually edit some of their files. Not very friendly.

All in all, I like Serendipity, it is right up there with Joomla as my favorite piece of open source software. The development team has done a fantastic job and I look forward to more great releases from them.

By: Jon Murray

Applicant Tracking Software,Underpants Bomber, 3 Obama Party Crashers – Follow the Dots

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 06:42:07 +0000

Bombers father walks in US embassy and says “my son is a threat to the US”. And what happens? Nothing, until it was too late. And then everything falls apart. CIA, FBI, DHS, TSA, DEA etc. The list goes on and on. Does anyone see that the endless list is the problem?

Has the enemy won Already? Is the United States consuming itself in security while the rest of the body – education and its very vitality for innovation and forward movement for humanity – is dying?

The media and Government say the ‘System is Broken”. What system?

Our fanaticism for security is fragmented between agencies that don’t talk to each other and systems that aren’t “compatible”. The US has no single system for tracking applicants for Visa’s or tracking any form of applicant, at any one of a billion intake points, who have raised a red flag in some software database as potential candidates intending to do harm to America and our way of life.

I have been listening for a week now on who is to blame. Did Obama respond quickly enough? Did he say the right things? Why isn’t anyone being fired? As if that would do any good. Why didn’t the interviewer of the Father go crazy and inform everyone instead of just ‘doing their job’? What if this person knew that after work that day he/she was getting on the same plane as this guy’s son? Boy would I like to be a mouse in the corner for that conversation!

To me, a lowly recruiting database software engineer, it is obvious and what is clearly wrong. It is not about people failure. People will always fail. People will get sick, people will get mad at their boss, people will go through divorces, people have people close to them die, people will fail at their jobs and people will be coerced and compromised. That is why we are called humans.

Ok, so it wasn’t a people problem. Then what went wrong?

The computer software databases for tracking people went wrong! Notice I said databases. The plural is the core of the problem. Databases are designed by smart humans to catch our failures and search for anything we can’t find on our own. Google Style!

It is not the dots that did not get connected – it was the software databases.

Ok back to the plural thingy. Why? There should be ONE! A single database. America has the technology and we have the know-how (at least for now, but our children are getting stupider). This is more doable and far cheaper then health care reform or curing cancer or educating our children to become the new generation of world technological leaders in computer software.

My background is recruiting software. These types of systems have a major fundamental component – applicant (people) tracking software databases. I have about 30 years of experience in building databases that track people. We do a good job and so do about 200 of our competitors.

Google can find things. Recruiting software can track people/things that have been found. If a background (resume) is discovered on a person of interest in a recruiting software system, there would be very few recruiting software systems that would fail connect the person/applicant to the job (call it the no fly list if wish),

i.e., connecting the dots.

I am trying to explain that the technology is right there in front of our noses. No trillion dollar investment, No new agencies, no need to fire anyone when they fall asleep at the switch (because they will).

Just connect the damn dots with computers not humans. That is what computers are for.
When the Father walked into the US embassy and sat down with the agent and the agent started typing information there should have been ‘No Decision” by the agent as to what to do with the information. That information should have gone screaming into a single point of entry database used by the CIA, TSA, DHS, DNI, Visa processing, etc. And, by the way, the no fly list is in this database as well.

In other words, ONE second after the agent finished typing, this terrorist could not board a plane even if the ticket agent, boarding agent, airport security or even the pilot of the plane were all asleep or drunk or playing on their laptops. That plane would not fly with that person aboard – the doors would not open. Now that is connecting the dots.

A single sole source database for all government agencies is not rocket science. We in the recruiting business have been doing it for 30 years and Google has proved that size does not matter. This is not science fiction. This is a simple applicant tracking system which we already have in great quantities.

The real 600 pound gorilla in the room is this. Each import source – embassy, law enforcement, visa center, etc. – all have their OWN databases and the humans decide to connect the dots to other software databases. We have it upside down! The import point should be “The Database”. “The Database” should feed the agencies, bureaus and other bureaucracies, not the other way around. If we leave it up to people to decide when and how to share, it just won’t happen. We all learned that no one likes to share when we were in kindergarten.

Real security is only going to be achieved if the alphabet soup of mind boggling departments, agencies and ticket takers can all start from the same single source of people tracking information. Google did it, so can we.

By: Kenneth Peck

Why a Degree in Software Development Could Land You the Hottest Job in America

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:59:29 +0000

Money Magazine rated Software Engineering as the number one, best job in America to have. I hope to shed some light on this career and provide some insight into why this particular job is so highly coveted. From job growth rates, pay, and flexibility, the job of software engineer gets high marks.

If you are thinking of becoming a Software Engineer, or Software Developer as it is also referred, you must be the type of person who doesn’t mind working alone without a lot of interaction with the public. While there is some interaction with your development team, you must be content working individually writing and testing code. In addition, you must be an innovative “out of the box” thinker who can quickly adapt to new programming languages and the rapidly evolving technology landscape. You must be able to apply knowledge of mathematics and computer science together in order to create software. Once the software is created, there is the testing phase. Once the testing phase is complete, it is time for implementation. While there is often a team of people working on a project, you must be able to see the programs you design through these phases. If you have the basic skills and predispositions to a scientific and analytical mind combined with a passion for computer science, becoming a software engineer could be a good fit for you.

Flexible Hours

Software Engineers are increasingly reaping the benefits of working from home or having a hybrid type schedule in which they work from a home office for designated days, then come back to the office for meetings with the rest of the team to collaborate. The flexibility of working from home and setting a loose, hybrid schedule lends itself to a more balanced lifestyle and a healthier more content workforce.

High Level of Compensation

In addition to the flexible hours, the skills of a Software Engineer typically come with a high level of compensation, relative to other jobs in the IT industry. The median wage for Software Engineers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics was $93,740 per year as of May 2008. The middle 50% earned between $73,200 and $113,960. The salaries vary depending on the type of employer you work for. Professional and commercial equipment wholesalers as well as software publishers tend to pay the highest salaries.

High Job Demand

Another reason Software Engineering jobs are considered among the hottest in America is because of the demand for these highly trained individuals. The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes the job prospects to be excellent. If you have at least a bachelor’s degree in a computer related field, you will usually have good prospects for finding a job. Some choose to achieve a master’s degree and others move into highly coveted positions simply based on their work experience and a portfolio of projects

It is no wonder, the job of Software Engineer has earned its reputation of being the hottest. If you are both mathematical and computer savvy, this is a job that could provide a flexible and lucrative career as well as a balanced lifestyle.

By: Jonathan Conrad

The Ratio of Analysts to Programmers

admin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:25:32 +0000

“Good specifications will improve programmer productivity far better than any programming tool or technique.” – Bryce’s Law

INTRODUCTION

In terms of systems development, during the 1960’s and early 1970’s you were either a Systems Analyst or a Programmer. Period. At the time, there were substantially more analysts than programmers (at least a 2:1 ratio). This was due, in part, to the fact that computing was just coming into its own in the corporate world and there were still people around who could look at systems in its entirety. However, there was a screaming need for people to program computers and, as such, this became the boom years of programming. If you knew COBOL, Fortran, or PL/1 you could just about right your own ticket. Salaries were good, and you could intimidate your employer simply by what you knew (you had to commit something like murder to get fired). The emphasis on programming became so great that authors rushed out voluminous books to increase programmer productivity, hence the birth of the Structured Programming movement of the late 1970’s, which was followed shortly thereafter by the CASE movement (Computer Aided Software Engineering).

While programming was growing in stature, Systems Analysis was in sharp decline. Trade groups such as the Association for Systems Management (ASM) saw their membership dwindle to nothing and were forced to close their doors. The last of the old Systems Analysts either retired or were put out to pasture by corporations in the 1980’s. New job titles emerged, such as Software Engineer and Analyst/Programmer. This latter title is a bit of a misnomer as the emphasis was on programming and not systems analysis.

Although programming excelled, a noticeable void began to appear in terms of people who could see systems in its totality. Writing a good program is one thing, getting it to interface with other programs to form a whole system is something entirely different. By the turn of the century, the industry started to talk about such things as “Enterprise Architecture,” “Business Processes,” “Business Rules,” “Business Analysis,” etc. Further, new conferences, trade groups, and job titles began to emerge. Today, programmers are considered a dime a dozen and the stock of a true analyst is on the rise.

All of this is indicative of the industry trying to reinvent systems theory. In reality there is nothing new here as systems analysis is systems analysis. But as companies implement these concepts and job titles again, they are a bit uncertain as to where they fit in and their relationship to other Information Technology functions.

CHARACTERISTICS

A Systems Analyst goes by many names these days; e.g., Business Analyst, Enterprise Architect, Systems Engineer (my personal preference), etc. Nonetheless, we are talking about a person whose mission is to study the information requirements of a business and design a total system solution to satisfy them. Further, the analyst is responsible for specifying the software requirements and, as such, is considered the intermediary with the programming staff. The personal characteristics of the analyst are considerably different than the programmer. Whereas the programmer tends to be more introverted and focused on technology, the analyst tends to be more business oriented and extroverted. Analysts possess good communications skills (verbal and written) to effectively work with both the end-users and the programming staff. They know how to conduct an interview and make a presentation (salesmanship). In addition, they tend to look at the bigger picture as opposed to just a portion of it, and possess an entrepreneurial spirit.

The analyst understands the business problems of the end-user and is intimate with the operation of the user’s department. In other words, the analyst can comfortably walk in the shoes of the end-user. If they are doing their job properly, analysts make excellent candidates to assume responsibility in the management hierarchy. But because analysts were in decline for so many years, this hasn’t happened for quite some time. The last time I heard of a systems analyst graduating to a major management position was Dan Boone who was made President and COO of Armco Steel in the late 1970’s.

If systems analysis is performed correctly, programmer productivity should improve as analysts should be providing good specifications for application assignments. In the absence of systems analysts, considerable time is lost by the programmer who has to second-guess what the end-user wants. Inevitably, this leads to rewriting software over and over again. Good data and processing specs, as provided by a systems analyst, will improve programmer productivity far better than any programming tool or technique. This means programmers are the beneficiaries of good systems analysis.

This brings up an interesting point, what should be the ratio of Systems Analysts to Programmers in a development organization? Frankly, I believe there should be twice as many analysts than programmers. By concentrating on the upfront work, programming is simplified. Let me illustrate the point by using the following triangles representing the total amount of effort in a project (as an aside, I picked this up from my customers in Japan who share my opinion), see:

http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/blog/ss060724.jpg

The triangle on the left represents the traditional approach whereby there is twice the number of programmers to systems analysts. Under this approach, considerably more time is spent producing software to satisfy poorly defined requirements. The Japanese point out the bottom of the triangle is actually bottomless as it means more time is needed to complete a project. Compare it to the triangle on the right where there are twice as many analysts to programmers. Under this scenario, more time is spent analyzing the problem, designing the system, and producing better programming specs. Consequently, the programmers do not have to second-guess what has to be performed and can go about their work more productively.

The problem with the diagram on the right though is that Systems Analysis is considered to be somewhat of a nebulous concept to management. Programming, on the other hand, is more tangible and easier for people to grasp; you are either writing code and producing a program or you are not. Therefore, the mindset in management is that you are not being productive unless you are coding, hence the inclination to shortcut systems analysis. This is a key reason why Systems Analysis collapsed in the 1980’s. And this is why it is necessary to provide training so management appreciates the need for systems analysis. Frankly, I have found management can be very supportive if it is presented to them properly.

CONCLUSION

Whether you call them Systems Analysts, Business Analysts, Systems Engineers, or Enterprise Architects, it is very encouraging to see this vital function being reintroduced to companies. As far as I am concerned, it was inevitable. I guess companies finally figured out you cannot satisfy your systems problems simply by using better programming tools and techniques.

We are also beginning to see the resurgence of related trade groups to replace such groups as the Association for Systems Management (ASM), for example:

The International Institute of Business Analysis

The IIBA appears to be picking up where ASM left off, including certification. Whereas ASM developed and offered the Certified Systems Professional (CSP) certification years ago, IIBA wants to create something similar.

All of this is indicative of how the industry is trying to reinvent systems theory. Whereas such systems work was well known up until the 1980’s it was forgotten over the last twenty years due to the emphasis on programming. Fortunately, companies have finally realized the importance of systems work and are trying to get their houses in order. I guess what goes around, comes around.

By: Tim Bryce

IT Careers – Technology at Its Best

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:10:55 +0000

Information Technology or IT careers are one of the most popular career fields available. Technology is all around us with millions of people employed in a variety of IT-related fields. If you’ve ever wanted to do something innovative for a living, information technology is definitely your means of doing this.

If you want IT career success, you’ll find it in the following careers in IT:

Software Engineer: Software engineering is probably one of the most creative IT careers. This is because software engineers literally design and build a program from the ground up. Software engineers enjoy a lot of success. They are responsible for determining what the program will do and how it will be coded. Software engineers create most of the programs that are running on your computer. Because software engineers are responsible for “engineering” a program, they are also paid very well. The median earnings for software engineers are around $70,000 a year, with some software engineers making close to $120,000 a year. The typical degree requirement for software engineers is a Bachelors degree in Computer Science. Systems Analyst: Systems analysts act as middleman between a business and a programmer. They are able to understand the needs of the business and then convey this information to the programmer. Systems analysts are proficient both in business and programming. Like software engineers, systems analysts are paid well, with average earnings around $60,000 a year. Degree requirements include a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems or Computer Science. Database Administrator: A database administrator holds a very important job: keeping track of the data. Most businesses have data stored in computer databases. These databases require maintenance, security and occasional upgrades. Database administrators take care of these routine operations and also provide support for the business. They make sure everything is running smoothly for the business. Database administrators earn $55,000-$85,000 a year. A database administrator may have an associates degree in Computer Information Systems or a Bachelors degree. Network Administrator: If you’ve ever been interested in how things work in a network of many computers, network administration might just be your way to IT career success. Network administrators are responsible for taking care of a business’ network. They deal with problems related to the network of computers. They install new network technology and secure the network. Network administrators must have a good knowledge of current network technology and be willing to change with the times, as networking is constantly improving. To become a network administrator, you will need at least an associates degree in network administration/computer science and possibly certification. A salary of $45,000-$75,000 a year can be expected.

The four careers above represent the many opportunities available to you in an information technology career. Take some time to do your research and determine what you will enjoy doing the most. If you do this, you will be well on your way to IT career success.

By: Jeff Melvin

Supra Forex Software Trading System is a Killer When it Comes to Racking Up Profits

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:57:11 +0000

If you entering the currency markets in order to pass the time and have a little fun, you probably should not read any further. But, if your trading to make serious bucks, then make sure you keep reading. I have been using Supra Forex software trading system for quite a while now and it defiantly hits the mark when it comes to finding big money making trades.

There are tons of currency trading systems on the market today and your head will start spinning when you are trying to decide on which one to purchase. Supra Forex is kind of popular, but not the most popular. They don’t do to good of a job of explaining the benefits of the system or marketing the product.

The guys that developed were genius in there fields. One was a professional Forex trader and the other was a software engineer. They should have had another partner that knew a little about advertising and marking and it would be a best seller for sure. It a best profit maker for sure, why should it not be the best selling system.

As a professional Forex trader I purchase every Forex product that has ever been introduced. Some of them are pretty good, some are pieces of junk that the developer of the product should be embarrassed even trying to sell it and some of them are great. This is the category Supra Forex falls into.

I always have three Forex trading systems on my computer running concurrently. The other two are the Forex Funnel and Forex Trend systems. Some of you have read about my incredible trading technique I call “Triple Header Conformation.” When you hit one of those, they don’t happen that often, only once or twice a week. But when you get a triple header confirmation you can just plunge your brains out and head straight to the bank with a large deposit.

Anyway, Supra Forex software trading system is on of the software products I use for this confirmation process. I find it very reliable and often is the first of the three systems to send the trading recommendation signal. As I am sure you are aware of, the early bird catches the worm and the first traders that recognize a currencies movements is changing capitalizes the most. This is one of, if not the most important reasons I love Supra Forex. The mathematical algorithms and the currency data is utilizes to determine trading recommendations is on the cutting edge of excellence. I would highly recommend that if you’re in the market for a software system you take the time to research Supra Forex. Maybe too, then you will become a money making Forex machine.

By: William R. Alheim, Jr.

High Tech Jobs Are Growing Fast

admin — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:55:16 +0000

Five high tech jobs are on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest list of the 30 fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. from 2004 to 2014. Two of these jobs are also on the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest list of the 30 jobs that will grow the most in total numbers.

The two jobs that are on both the fastest growing and biggest growing lists are:

Network systems and data communication analyst — $61,250 (average salary according to the BLS)

This is basically a networking engineer or network administrator, who keeps networks up and running properly. They must deal with network-related problems, both technical and human (forgotten passwords, for example), that inevitably come up.

Computer systems software engineer — $81,140 (average salary according to the BLS)

This job entails designing and running the software needed to keep a company’s computers and networks up and operational.

The three jobs which are also fast-growing, but where demand in total numbers won’t be as high as the above two jobs, are:

Computer applications software engineer — $76,310 (average salary according to the BLS)

This could be called computer software programming, but at a higher level of design and complexity. Routine coding can and will be outsourced to India and other low-wage countries. However, making sure that a given program both meets the needs of the user, from the get-go, and in its final version, demands personal contact and hands on involvement with the end user as well as the code.

Computer systems analyst — $67,520

This often varies by employer but will involve working with networks.

Database administrator — $61,950

This job is extremely important, since companies depend on their ability to store information. On customers, on products, on employees, and so on.

A good database administrator who could help the Marketing Department figure out the right questions to ask of their customer database and figure out how to mine for the answers, could help their employer make a lot more money.

It’s significant that six years after the dot com crash, the world has not abandoned computers. The Internet is no longer seen as a source of instant stock market riches and techies are no longer kings . . .

But good techies in the right fields are still in demand. Dotcoms rose and died between Super Bowl commercials, but now every business is online and the average American and many people around the world accept the Internet as an integral part of their daily lives.

Routine IT work is being outsourced to India, but companies still need savvy techies who can work closely with customers to give them what they want.

Student enrollment in Computer Science departments is down. This will raise demand for those who do graduate with Computer Science degrees — and for many otherwise qualified applicants.

Many techies working for U.S. companies are foreign-born, but that may change in the years to come. Both India and China have fast expanding economies. They may need to keep their highly educated techies working inside their own borders, and may be willing be pay competitive wages to do so. China certainly has the hard dollars to do so. They may even repatriate some of their citizens who are now gaining valuable experience in the U.S. and other developed countries.

Someday soon we may discover that there’s a shortage of techies in the U.S.

By: Richard Stooker

An Effective Resume Objective Can Make a Big Difference

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 20:22:39 +0000

A missing or lame Objective section can get your resume tossed in the trash in a matter of seconds. There are quite simply too many better resumes out there to bother. Yet most job seekers screw this up terribly.

The basics are thus: toward the top just above or just underneath your “Keyword Competencies” paragraph, put your “Objective” section which is quite simply the object of your job search, the title of the job you are seeking.

Here’s a Bad Example: Most people put in a title (like “Software Developer” or, “Lighthouse Keeper” or, “Marketing Director” or “Product Manager” or “NASCAR Pit Boss” in some long droning sentence that reads like:

Objective: “Challenging opportunity as a (title) where I can effectively use my managing and sales skills in my ongoing effort to help grow an organization, blah, blah…”

This is not only boring, it’s also highly ineffective. Your resume has only so much available space and your potential reader so little available time. This sort of verbiage does not transmit key information that will widen your net.

Use the “Objective” to do one thing, focus on your objective.

Here’s a Better Example: Instead of just filling out the target title as “JAVA Programmer” for instance, also list other closely allied titles that the searcher may be searching on. For instance:

Objective: “Java Programmer, Software Engineer, Application Developer, Software Developer.”

Use each section in your resume to answer one question only. By putting several potential titles in the Objective heading (and leaving out the skill-set info of the first example), you tighten up your focus and you widen your net. Even within larger companies, there may be several different job requisitions at any one time. For example, it hasn’t been uncommon for a company to have concurrent openings for “Java Programmer”, “Software Developer”, “Software Engineer”, all of which you may well be qualified for. So don’t limit yourself with your objective title. Use this space to your best advantage and you will reap greater returns.

Summary: Wow, that was pretty easy wasn’t it? But you know, most of your competitors in the job search process DON’T DO THIS SIMPLE THING. Add this improvement to your resume today and you’ll find yourself out of the lost resume abyss and back in the game and closer to getting that job you really want.

By: Joseph Turner

Creating a Career With Software Engineering Schools

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 01:10:39 +0000

Whether you’re at work or at home, from doing daily office duties to completing homework assignments, odds are a software engineer was behind the operation. How? Software engineering pros worked on the very programs you’re using on your computer. They were in charge of the software development process and computer application you use today. Cool, huh?

About Software Engineering
In 1968, the NATO Software Engineering Conference held in Garmisch, Germany popularized the term software engineering. At the time, it was unclear what software engineering was exactly, but it has since become an integral part of practically every industry today. It’s no wonder so many software engineering schools have sprouted in the decades following the conference producing software engineering professionals.

Engineering has many disciplines. Software engineering, for instance, entails the designing, creating, and maintaining software. There are a broad range of activities associated to software engineering like computer programming and systems analysis. From computer science to project management, even interface design and digital assessment management, this software is applied in technology and other practice.

Software Engineering in Demand
Whereas software can be found in products, systems, and situations, software engineering is very much a necessity. It’s something that all of us rely on, especially under demanding conditions like monitoring and controlling nuclear power plants. All of the applications embedded in these functions consist of oodles of codes. Software engineering of the lines of code is what gets them to operate even in the complex manners that they do.

Software engineering, in all its glory, calls for employees and contractors. Some work for businesses, others for government civilian or military agencies. There are also opportunities at non-profit organizations. And for those who want a flexible schedule, software engineering pros work as freelancers or private contractors. Most organizations have software engineering specialists performing tasks in maintaining, developing, and programming software used. Others hire based on need.

Getting Schooled Beyond a Software Engineering Degree
For those aspiring to become software engineering pros, software engineering schools are a must. There, you will become familiar with software development and harness your engineering skills. Keep in mind, other educational disciplines come into play, so software engineering schools are just a part of the training. Most software engineering pros today have degrees in computer science, well as computer engineering.

Students at software engineering schools might also want to consider degrees in mathematics, science, and general engineering or engineering of another discipline. Such degrees contribute to one’s vast knowledge of technology. While a software engineering degree might be all that it takes to become a software engineer, expertise and training in other subject areas can make one’s work more effective and one’s resume more marketable.

With all that said, if you’re interested in a career in software engineering, you’re making a wise choice as engineering is a huge industry with lucrative returns. In 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted 760,840 software engineering professionals as holding jobs in the United States. There are 1.4 million practitioners of all the other engineering disciplines combined employed, by the way. When it comes to Europe, Asia, and elsewhere, there are about 1.5 million practitioners. Regardless of what discipline you decide, the field — in all its many facets — only has good things in store for you.

By: Ysolt Usigan