Aaron Finerman
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Professionalism in the computing field
The term professional means different things to different people; nevertheless, there are certain general technical and social standards normally associated with a professional. Further, the term is more generally applied to the practitioner rather than to the researcher. But within the rather broad definition specified, the computing practitioner is, as yet, not regarded as a professional.
Each of the four types of institutions—academic, industry, government, and the professional society—that educate, employ, regulate, and mold the practitioner contributes to the “nonprofessional” status of the computing practitioner. The roles of these institutions are examined, various shortcomings are noted, and recommended changes are suggested.
In the last analysis, professional status is not bestowed; it is earned. However, universities and industry, specifically, can make certain improvements to help the computing practitioner achieve professional status.
Computing capabilities at Argentine and Chilean universities
The author reports on a trip to universities in Argentina and Chile during November 1968, describing university conditions and computing activities. As elsewhere, these universities are experiencing student discontent with the status quo and the solutions they are attempting contrast: Argentina is excluding students from participating in university government; Chile is allowing such participation. University computing service and academic activities are limited. The number of computers is small and so is the capacity, none larger than an IBM 360/40; with some exception, computing science academic programs are rare. This situation is by no means attributable to those responsible for computing developments, who strive for excellence; rather the “system” is hard to overcome. Universities, especially those with strong European traditions, adapt slowly to new academic resources and disciplines; superimposed are the severe technological and economic constraints of the developing nation. Consequently, in the absence of conscious government emphasis on strengthening computing capabilities, future progress may be retarded.
Computer capabilities at western european universities
This report on the author's trip to universities in Western Europe in the summer of 1966 gives brief descriptions of computing activities at each institution visited. Present equipment capabilities vary from moderate to large scale; however, many institutions plan to acquire complex time-shared systems in the near future. In the author's opinion, the state of the art lags behind that on this continent. This lag is attributed to four principal factors: (a) the handicapping organization of academic procedures; (b) the university-government financial relationship; (c) the subordinated organization of the computing facility; (d) the paucity of professional interchange of knowledge. The effects of these constraints are explicated.
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