Re^2: Programming and math

Having had a formal CS education is a minus.

I'm curious about this - since a CS education only makes a developer better in my experience.

I'm not saying that somebody needs to have a formal CS education to be a good developer, but having it be a "minus" seems a tad strong.

Of course the individual in question has to want to be a programmer in the first place. If they just went on a CS degree because they heard that the job pays well they're less likely to be competent :-)

(and if anybody cares my answers to the OP are: No - but it can help. No - but it can help. Mostly no - but some are easier to learn in general than others).

Comment on Re^2: Programming and math

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Re: Re^2: Programming and math by liz (Monsignor) on Aug 09, 2003 at 21:07 UTC
...Of course the individual in question has to want to be a programmer in the first place. If they just went on a CS degree because they heard that the job pays well they're less likely to be competent :-) It is exactly that. I've been exposed to too many "fast moving" CS students in the past years, who are only in it for the suits and the leased cars. Together with what I think is a sub-optimal, if not sub-standard, CS education in most institutions, makes me say that having had a CS education, is a minus. In that respect it's a good thing that the number of new CS students in the Netherlands this year, has significantly dropped. Hopefully, there'll be more students in it for love of the subject matter, than for the great salaries. Liz	[reply]
Re^4: Programming and math by adrianh (Chancellor) on Aug 10, 2003 at 07:28 UTC
I've been exposed to too many "fast moving" CS students in the past years, who are only in it for the suits and the leased cars. Annoying aren't they! That said, I still think a good developer will gain a lot from some formal CS education (assuming they don't know it already :-)	[reply]
Re: Re^4: Programming and math by Anonymous Monk on Aug 10, 2003 at 08:20 UTC
Why "formal CS education"? The students who study CS at a university read the same books we can read...	[reply]
Re^6: Programming and math by adrianh (Chancellor) on Aug 10, 2003 at 08:53 UTC
Re^7: Programming and math by liz (Monsignor) on Aug 10, 2003 at 09:44 UTC
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