I think that while your common sense is correct, the title of just "Architect" is protected legally.
To become a licensed Architect, one must have a degree from an NAAB-accredited program, complete 3,740 hours under the guidance of an Architect, and complete a long and difficult 7-part exam.
He can call himself a Software Architect, Information Architect, Technology Architect, or any other variation — but he is not allowed to call himself just Architect and can be sued for doing so.
This type of pedantic and overzealous gatekeeping, with no benefit to the public, got slapped down in US District Court. You can't just take over basic English words.
I mean, either way the guys not in the US, and the sites owned by an English guy ( who to be fair, does now appear to live in the US, so the entire thread makes no sense unless you start from the position that the US owns all of English language.
> the title of just "Architect" is protected legally.
Only if you're using the title to represent yourself as a certified architect, and no one in the public is going to be confused about what a software architect does and hire them to build a bridge. Otherwise, no, it's not legally protected and even then it varies by state.
I can legally start a match making company and have the title "Architect" without facing any legal consequences.
First: It's a blog post; it's not an advertisement for architectural services. "Legally protected" isn't going to stop something that isn't legally recognizable as an infringing use of the word.
Second: Reading about three words of that blog post is enough to make it clear that, whatever we're talking about, we're not talking about architecting buildings - and only in that sense is it legally protected.
There are things that are worth being offended about. This isn't one.
Former registered artichoke here: AAdip, RIBA & HKIA
No offense taken. Nonetheless may I mock the ways some people puff themselves up?
Botcher describes himself this way:
> Evan is an experienced architect and technology leader, working to make organisations more successful at delivering and sustaining technology. He spends his time traversing the communication and decision making pathways of organisations at scale and helping people manage complexity.
> Formerly a technical director at Thoughtworks, Evan is now the Head of Architecture at business management platform MYOB based in Australia.
Anyway, fingers crossed that Botcher does not botch things up too much as an architect in an accounting firm.
To become a licensed Architect, one must have a degree from an NAAB-accredited program, complete 3,740 hours under the guidance of an Architect, and complete a long and difficult 7-part exam.
He can call himself a Software Architect, Information Architect, Technology Architect, or any other variation — but he is not allowed to call himself just Architect and can be sued for doing so.