Ok, you are obviously using language loosely. There are some hard facts in software but they are mathematical (logical) not physical.
In fact in various languages software has connotation of working with logic (logiciel in French) or information. I don't have an overview but in many languages computer engineering is associated with hardware and the programming side is some variation of informatics or programming.
Unless I hear something more insightful the working hypothesis is that the term has come to be seen as more dignified than mere "programming" because it implies a more abstract, scarce skill set. So its abuse is a sort of title inflation similar to everybody becoming a "VP". One could equally well have assumed that computer programmers (or developers) do have those skills.
Anyway, as far as I am concerned programmers can call themselves doctors, prophets or supermen, just curious how and why the term "engineer" has been overloaded from its previous hardware association to over time denote purely programming activity.
I don't think there is a deeper meaning. Over time language has simply become more accurate to describe designing and building software as engineering. It's not like there is a cabal of people who decide these things.
Ok, you are obviously using language loosely. There are some hard facts in software but they are mathematical (logical) not physical.
In fact in various languages software has connotation of working with logic (logiciel in French) or information. I don't have an overview but in many languages computer engineering is associated with hardware and the programming side is some variation of informatics or programming.
Unless I hear something more insightful the working hypothesis is that the term has come to be seen as more dignified than mere "programming" because it implies a more abstract, scarce skill set. So its abuse is a sort of title inflation similar to everybody becoming a "VP". One could equally well have assumed that computer programmers (or developers) do have those skills.
Anyway, as far as I am concerned programmers can call themselves doctors, prophets or supermen, just curious how and why the term "engineer" has been overloaded from its previous hardware association to over time denote purely programming activity.