Chapter2.Computational Roots

Chapter 2. Computational Roots

I entered software development through the back door. When I was in high school and college, "computer science" was just getting started. Most of the software development managers my age similarly got their start in some other field: math, physics, chemistry, or engineering. We learned about computers because it was the new computational tool available to us. Some of us then replaced our passion for science or engineering with programming. This, over time, led to a desire to build better software.

What this means is that I come at the management of software development from a different perspective than someone who has been formally trained in a university computer science department. I tend to view it as an engineering management problem, first and foremost. I've had a chance to work with some really great software people, and the mix of talent and competencies we together bring to a development project can be quite powerful.

So how did I come to be an engineer in the first place? It's a long and personal story, one that you might find interesting. If not, just go on to the next chapter after reading the final section, "Recap."