Re: Professional or Not (was Database Design)

From: Daniel Morgan <damorgan_at_x.washington.edu>
Date: Wed, 07 Jan 2004 18:12:50 -0800
Message-ID: <1073527890.923942@yasure>

Comments in-line.

Galen Boyer wrote:

> On 6 Jan 2004, mpir_at_bellsouth.net wrote:
>
>

>>the original comment was that we were being self important
>>because we were not dealing with life threatening situations,
>>like doctors.

>
>
> The original statement was saying that self-importance comes from
> when we try to equate the importance of our work with that of
> doctors, not that we were being self-important. For example, I
> am currently working on a database which supports analytics for
> the CMBS market. There are large dollars involved, huge money
> decisions will be made by people using our app and lawsuits can
> come about if we were to have security breaches. But, on the
> societal importance factor, there is very little if any.

I disagree. I understand your point of view but I still disagree. Consider, for a moment, the worst case scenario. How many people lose their jobs? What impact will that have on families? children?

I'll grant the nation will not collapse if this happens. But to use a common phrase ... think globally act locally ... if everyone took your attitude what would the impact be?

I don't mean this to be an insult ... but your argument is a rationalization ... or is at least the makings of one.

> But, there are people that are dealing with data that then has
> affect on life-threatening situations. In these cases, most
> definitely, one could and should make a case for needing some
> sort of accreditation (which I also talked about in my
> statement). But, the original statement was in direct response
> to the self-importance displayed for the sake of pumping up the
> importance of what it is we do. Very few of us can actually say
> we work with data that has affect on life-threatening situations,
> regardless of the few posts by people that actually do. But most
> can say we are working with data that means alot in dollar terms.

One does not pump up the importance of a surgeon by acrediting him or her. Nor does the membership in the bar association make an attorney something more than sleazy ambulance chasing pimp.

The value of a peer-certification would be that those organizations that do understand the value of their data ... would be able to identify those that were competent from those that write good resumes and get their friends to lie for them.

-- 
Daniel Morgan
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/oad/oad_crs.asp
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/ext/certificates/aoa/aoa_crs.asp
damorgan_at_x.washington.edu
(replace 'x' with a 'u' to reply)

Received on Wed Jan 07 2004 - 20:12:50 CST