No, I Can’t Fix your Computer

And other programming misnomers

I graduated college about 5 years ago with a degree in Computer Science. The coursework was intense to say the least: advanced mathematics, physics, and the dreaded “Data Structures and Algorithms”. All nighters were common, deadlines were tough, but I persevered for that honorary title of “Computer Scientist”.

Since graduating, I have never once been referred to as a “Computer Scientist”.

To my chagrin, the vast majority of people have referred to me as being in “IT”, which is a completely different field. Technically “IT” stands for Information Technology, which is correct (albeit extremely vague), but the connotation of “IT” is tech support, meaning the guy that fixes your computer. Now there’s nothing wrong with being in IT, it’s an extremely challenging and important position, but I can’t fix your computer. I can’t fix your iPhone, I can’t fix your SmartTV, hell I can barely fix my own internet. Nowhere in the vigorous Computer Science coursework at the University of Florida was there a course on how to fix your grandma’s Dish Network receiver or your friend’s hacked WhatsApp account. I don’t shy away from doing favors, but I know just as much as the next guy when it comes to tech support. I’m qualified to build you a multimillion dollar app suite, and that’s pretty much it.

At the heart of it, I’m just a technologist. If guns were the newest technology, I’d probably be a gun smith. “IT” doesn’t sound like we code, “Programmer” sounds like all we do is code, “Software Engineer” sounds like we don’t know anything about Hardware, “Computer Scientist” is too formal, and “Dev” is too casual. I feel like most of those titles do a disservice to what we actually do. Most of the time we’re coding, but sometimes we’re managing servers, configuring networks, working with microcontrollers, or fine tuning databases. “Technologist” kind of captures it all, although it’s an ugly and pretentious word. We’re really futurists. We’re captivated by what tomorrow holds, and we want to join the race to bring tomorrow into today.

The “cutting edge” of every field at the moment involves technology. The next phase of medicine is technology based. AI is set to impact the legal profession. Automated farms will address labour shortages in agriculture. And sooner rather than later, we’ll bid goodbye to truck drivers, cashiers, and receptionists. It’s all about a better way of doing things. That’s what technologists are obsessed with. It’s all about innovation.

Someone please give me a better word than technologist 😅