Why isn't there a PE test for Computer Engineers?

Ameesh

Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
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Professional Engineer, I thought there was a test available, at least our chapter of the IEEE at school advertised it.
 

Gyrene

Banned
Jun 6, 2002
2,841
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Professional Engineer...and I guess they don't have them for CE's because they're trying to tell them something....you're not a real engineer :p
 

nitsuj3580

Platinum Member
Jun 13, 2001
2,668
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I took the EIT exam as a Computer Eng.

I was under the impression PE's are kind of pointless for Computer/Electrical. Mechanical and Civil Eng benefit more getting a PE
 

sandmanwake

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2000
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Funny, I always thought it was the Industrial Engineers who were considered to be Imaginary Engineers not CompE's.

Anyway, I passed the test to get a FE for Electrical Engineering since I didn't see one for CompE's, but I would like to see a PE exam for CompE's in the future.
 

rahvin

Elite Member
Oct 10, 1999
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Because as a computer engineer you will never have the opportunity to make a mistake in design that could cost people their lives. The PE exam exists to prevent Civil (and to a very small degree Mechanical) from designing a public work (building, dam, road, water system, etc.) incorrectly and killing people.
 

shekondar

Golden Member
Apr 10, 2003
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Originally posted by: rahvin
Because as a computer engineer you will never have the opportunity to make a mistake in design that could cost people their lives. The PE exam exists to prevent Civil (and to a very small degree Mechanical) from designing a public work (building, dam, road, water system, etc.) incorrectly and killing people.

That couldn't be more wrong... What about the computer engineer who designed the flight control software for the airplane you're flying on?? Or the one who designed the software that runs a nuclear power plant??
 

sandmanwake

Golden Member
Feb 29, 2000
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Are you kidding? No opprotunity to make a mistake that would kill someone? What if we design a navigational system for an aircraft that doesn't take into account that there's an equator and flips an airplane upsidedown while the people on board aren't strapped into their seat? Or how about we design a chip that overheats too easily under certain conditions and this chip is part of a crucial system?

By the way the airplane example was told to me by a professor of mine. He says it really happened with an actual plane, but I have no way of verify the truth.

Oh, yes, also while on my last co-op job, one of the computer engineers there found a flaw in a piece of software that had been there for a while, but no one noticed. It could have easily been exploited to kill a lot of people and cause a lot of damage had anyone looked hard enough.