OK - here goes...my rant on QA vs. Testing - Part One: Who Cares?

I have started and stopped writing this post at least a dozen times. The mis-use of the QA term is a big peeve of mine. Let me rewrite that last sentence with appropriate emphasis. 

The mis-use of the QA term is a big peeve of mine.

In other words, who cares? One title or a job description certainly doesn't change what people do. If someone is doing software testing, you could call them a "Grand Poobah", or a "Brrreeeport", or a "Quality Assurance Master", but they'd still be doing software testing. I talk to people who understand the difference, but they say "Alan - I know it's wrong, but who cares? Seriously. Who Cares?"

I get it. I know it doesn't matter, and that it's something I should probably just confine to a discussion with a therapist, but I'll write it down for posterity anyway. I am going to post in pieces. Partly because it will give me something to post about, and partly (mostly) because I think I have too much to say to get it in one or two posts.

I have an outline done I could post, but that would stop me from changing my mind. However, it may help me to openly organize my thoughts anyway. The tentative schedule is:

Part 2: What is the role of software testing?
Part 3: What is the role of Quality Assurance?
Part 4: Can Testers be QA? Can QA be testers? (I'll accept proposals for a better title)
Part 5: What did I forget to say in the previous 4 posts?