Software Liability

Posted by: stak
Tags: code
Posted on: 2011-09-23 11:01:31

If you're in the software industry, the contents of this article are something you should definitely think about. I, for one, agree with the main points he makes - I think that for software to get better, developers have to be held liable for the software they produce. Today, software is everywhere, and we rely on it running almost every aspect of our lives. Buggy software can have a disastrous effect, much more so than a collapsed building. As a software developer, I don't like the idea of liability, because it constrains what I can do. As a consumer, though, I love it, because it helps levels the playing field between those in power (software developers) and those without (average users).

If you're a software professional reading this, chances are you graduated from the SE program at UW, which as I'm sure you recall, is PEO-accredited. I encourage you to get the ball rolling on that front, and try to earn a Professional Engineer license. I see it as one of the possible first steps towards fundamentally improving the software industry. I sent in my application a couple of months ago, and plan to take the PPE in December. Finding a mentor and getting the required amount of work experience is going to be harder, since there aren't very many practicing licensed software engineers out there. The sooner you sign up, the sooner you can get licensed, and the sooner you can mentor others in getting their licenses. Exponential growth in licenses for the win! Get started.

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