Topic: C++

[Perspective]

That's why I'm glad I didn't major in CS.  Your education gets outdated too fast

Not really.

If your courses teach you programming languages then yes, it's true. But if you learn core programming concepts and algorithms you can apply them to any language.

[Steve]

What CS program teaches just languages? I have four mandatory classes on OOP alone plus a bunch of mandatory classes on core concept and stuff. I think my languages make up the smallest portion of my classes.

[Perspective]

What CS program teaches just languages? I have four mandatory classes on OOP alone plus a bunch of mandatory classes on core concept and stuff. I think my languages make up the smallest portion of my classes.

A lot of "technology diploma" type programs teach specific technologies. Like database administration with SQLServer 7.0 or things like that. Not a very good idea IMO.

[Steve]

Oh yea, screw that. My official course name is "Computer Systems Management: Software Development"

[Jake]

What CS program teaches just languages? I have four mandatory classes on OOP alone plus a bunch of mandatory classes on core concept and stuff. I think my languages make up the smallest portion of my classes.

A lot of "technology diploma" type programs teach specific technologies. Like database administration with SQLServer 7.0 or things like that. Not a very good idea IMO.

I think concentrating on specific topics has its place. I think that people who have concentrated their experience in a specialty area have an easier time of finding employment.

[Steve]

What CS program teaches just languages? I have four mandatory classes on OOP alone plus a bunch of mandatory classes on core concept and stuff. I think my languages make up the smallest portion of my classes.

A lot of "technology diploma" type programs teach specific technologies. Like database administration with SQLServer 7.0 or things like that. Not a very good idea IMO.

I think concentrating on specific topics has its place. I think that people who have concentrated their experience in a specialty area have an easier time of finding employment.

I would think this would be wrong. Why would a company want someone who specializes in say Java when they can get someone for that spot who knows Java as well as a few other languages and has a course background covering a spectrum of concepts?

[Perspective]

I think Jake is right. The problem is that as soon as there is a paradigm shift (which is far too often in the tech industry) you have to retrain or you'll be replaced. It may be easier to get a job at first, but if you don't find work you'll be outdated within a couple of years.

[webwhy]

INMO a proper CS education can help you undertand why the paradigm is shifting and adapt to it quickly. Most of the "new" ideas where discussed in the 50's and 60's, but the hardware was so poort they were impractical.  E.G. the multi-core chip revolution could be shifting the paradigm from OO programing to Functional programming. 

A good CS education can help you understand why that makes sense.  You're probably not as prone to "digging in" and resisting the inevitable change.

[Steve]

INMO a proper CS education can help you undertand why the paradigm is shifting and adapt to it quickly. Most of the "new" ideas where discussed in the 50's and 60's, but the hardware was so poort they were impractical.  E.G. the multi-core chip revolution could be shifting the paradigm from OO programing to Functional programming. 

A good CS education can help you understand why that makes sense.  You're probably not as prone to "digging in" and resisting the inevitable change.

^^ A professional, coherent explanation of what I was trying to say lol

[Perspective]

INMO a proper CS education can help you undertand why the paradigm is shifting and adapt to it quickly. Most of the "new" ideas where discussed in the 50's and 60's, but the hardware was so poort they were impractical.  E.G. the multi-core chip revolution could be shifting the paradigm from OO programing to Functional programming. 

A good CS education can help you understand why that makes sense.  You're probably not as prone to "digging in" and resisting the inevitable change.

yep. Although my first year students don't always see it that way when I'm teaching them to write search trees in Scheme

[webwhy]

The good ones eventually will appreciate it! 

I didn't know there were many programs that still taught algorithms with scheme.  even MIT  appears to have gone to Python.  My program seems to have moved from MIT Scheme  to Java...

[Perspective]

We moved from Java to Scheme at UWaterloo. I'd actually prefer Java or python as an introductory language.

[Mike]

Scheme as an intro language is just cruel