[Teever]

Why the glib dismissal when you most certainly live in a country where the use of titles like 'doctor', 'dentist', 'officer' or 'lawyer' is most certainly regulated?

This isn't really that exceptional and as someone from a place where not just anyone can call themselves engineer I'm always baffled when people think that it is.

[Betelbuddy]

Your comment completely misses the point of my question. Those countries are regulating the title not the profession.

Here is the difference: the Doctors have a liability for their medical practice, the real Engineers meaning those doing Bridges and Buildings that can kill thousands of people if they fall, have a professional obligation and responsability on the outcomes of their designs and implementation.

I can guarantee you, no Software Engineer from Portugal to Germany will be willing to guarantee the behavior and fitness for purpose, of any System or Software product they develop :-) As you very well can see, if you bother to read the full details on the Software License disclaimers of any software from any large company. From Microsoft to Oracle, IBM and others.

As such those are Software Engineers on title only, what is convenient to be hired for post within Government and similar...

[Teever]

> no Software Engineer from Portugal to Germany will be willing to guarantee the behavior and fitness for purpose, of any System or Software product they develop

Then they shouldn't call themselves engineers.

It's not really a big deal and I don't understand the confusion around this.

[pjmlp]

That is the thing software can kill, or destroy lives in presence of bugs.

Again, sign any legal documents as engineer, and a court visit might turn into reality.