Computer Science --

[Sargera]

I have a few questions in relation to computer science.  What exactly is computer science, because by looking at the class listings of the course it doesn't seem to involve much for programming, and doesn't seem like a logical goal to become say a software engineer or something.  I would also like to know what is the most logical/best course to take to later become a certified software engineer?  And in addition, what is the necesity of things like physics, and even high level maths like calculus 2 and 3?  What contributions to they make for programming?

[iago]

"School isn't about teaching you how to program but to teach you how to think."  What good would it be teaching you a language like, say, Pascal, and nothing else, then 10 years later you're out of luck?  The main goal is to teach you the process of learning and thinking that will help you learn what you need.  

At my school:
first year is about teaching you Java
second year is about teaching you OOP, C, and some algorithm stuff
third year we do some architechture stuff, assembly, more algorithms, automata, ai, databases, and other stuff which don't really involve programming
fourth year is stuff like ai (machine learning and some other stuff), some robotics, low level network stuff, and a whole lot of other non-programming-related things.

I found third year considerably harder than first and second.  I'm much better at programming than I am at thinking the way they want me to think.  

I forget what else you askied, so let's leave it at that.

[j0k3r]

Computer Science deals with the science of computers, how they work, who works with them, everything.

You need to look at the university course you are looking to take. It should give you the pre-requisites, chemistry/physics/math all the way through highschool is often required, as they contain details used in computer science (programming/engineering).

[Adron]

At my school:
first year is about teaching you Java
second year is about teaching you OOP, C, and some algorithm stuff
third year we do some architechture stuff, assembly, more algorithms, automata, ai, databases, and other stuff which don't really involve programming
fourth year is stuff like ai (machine learning and some other stuff), some robotics, low level network stuff, and a whole lot of other non-programming-related things.

Here, first 2 years were 75% math, and then a little bit of physics / engineering / programming.

[Yoni]

What exactly is computer science, because by looking at the class listings of the course it doesn't seem to involve much for programming, and doesn't seem like a logical goal to become say a software engineer or something.

Computer science is the branch of mathematics dealing with algorithmic problem solving.
Programming would be classified under computer engineering, not science. It's a tool used by computer science, it isn't the science itself.

I would also like to know what is the most logical/best course to take to later become a certified software engineer?

Computer engineering or software engineering, if your school has that.
Take an MCSE for some certification. I can't say how valuable it is though since I don't know.

And in addition, what is the necesity of things like physics, and even high level maths like calculus 2 and 3?

So that when you analyze an in-array divisor finding algorithm, you know that for some n, the algorithm runs in n + n/2 + n/3 + n/4 + ... + 1 time, you know from Calculus 2 that Sum[k=1,n] (1/k) = ln(n) + O(1), and that means the algorithm will run in O(n log n) time. Just as an example.

What contributions to they make for programming?

Usually none.

[quasi-modo]

At my school it is java, for both years you can take it. For us it was basically a problem solving course, not a lot of math, but it teaches you how to do thing, how to think things through. Like we were requiresd to do things really crappily, like we would have to print out the letter one in a pyramid using 2 recursive statements or something. It was pretty lame actually.


Computer engineering is more hardware oriented then software oriented. I mean I am applying for college and the computer engineering degree deals with a lot of electrical engineering, and you get into micro processors and all. But it does teach you some programming. However a computer science degree would be strictly coding.

[Maddox]

CS pays shit, don't do it.

[MyndFyre]

CS pays shit, don't do it.

Only if your work is shit.  

[muert0]

No the markets overcrowded.

[Maddox]

CS pays shit, don't do it.

Only if your work is shit.  

If your work is shit you won't get a job.

[Yoni]

No the markets overcrowded.

By Java programmers and VB programmers. Computer scientists? Low level C programmers?

[Maddox]

No the markets overcrowded.

By Java programmers and VB programmers. Computer scientists? Low level C programmers?

All of the above.

[iago]

No the markets overcrowded.

By Java programmers and VB programmers. Computer scientists? Low level C programmers?

All of the above.

Is pay the only thing you're doing CS for?  If it is, then don't do it.  I do CS because I enjoy it, and I think it's the most fun thing in the world.  

[Falcon[anti-yL]]

I'm doing it to get my technology credit.

[Maddox]

No the markets overcrowded.

By Java programmers and VB programmers. Computer scientists? Low level C programmers?

All of the above.

Is pay the only thing you're doing CS for?  If it is, then don't do it.  I do CS because I enjoy it, and I think it's the most fun thing in the world.  

I would rather make lots of money and have a good life, big house, giant yard, wife with big titties and great legs, a home theatre, pool, etc than do CS.