Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with computer and science

Crop Science Education

Benzle — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:27:56 -0800

I'm going to school to become a weed scientist... I'm at University, finishing undergrad, getting ready for grad school in Crop Science. I'm not positive what direction to go in but one possible future for myself would be working on Vertical Farms, which would be great and very exciting for me. Or, less realistically, I would like to look into working in a laboratory setting with marijuana, I've heard only vaguely of several Universities that do research and breading (I know Harvard at least does studies, (2007 article in Wired Magazine) and Michigan I've heard). Google, marijuana scientist and it only turns up a few old/unreliable articles and occasionally a scientist's name.
Ok, thanks everyone for any direction, take care.

Should I quit or continue?

gadha — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:46:01 -0800

Requesting advice with my career in computer science. Briefly, should I stay or should I go? I love what I do (compsci research, heavily engineering/coding based). I started programming at 13, growing up in EAfrica where I had access to information and tools but no guidance. This meant I had to find my own way through which made me quite tenacious.

At 18, I moved to the UK and did an ugrad in compsci in a mediocre university that aims to churn out mid-level sw engineering types. I did quite well and chose to do a PhD purely because I wanted to learn more about compsci. The net result of this was that (1) I realised that I "get" compsci enough that things make sense (2) that I love lower level stuff (kernels, hpervisors, hardware, systems, etc) (3) that I love to code and love technology (4) I seem to possess a great amount of tenacity at actually getting things working.

However, it also made me absolutely come to terms with my limits. While I can most "do" anything in my field, I find it takes me longer than my peers, my progress is not as quick and while I have some natural ability and affinity it pales in comparison to the other people I work with who are very, *very* good. Across the board I find the people who excel in my field and area seem to have much more natural talent and this translates to more rapid progress and output quicker (sometimes by up to a factor of 5-6). I've also realized that while I can recognize and apply good/clever ideas and understand their impetus, I lack that little bit extra in being able to actually generate the ideas. This leaves me feeling slow, dumb, unworthy and frustrated. It eats away at me a lot.

My top career goal would be to contribute to changing computer science (e.g. a new compression algorithm) or be involved in creating a technology or mechanism that does (c.f. software virtualization in the early 2000s). Half of me thinks I should just trudge on and continue to do what I do as slowly as I do it and I might at some point make this happen. The other half of me just wants to quit and go and do something else, i.e. make a comfortable life for myself -- do more than keep on dreaming and making miniscule progress hoping I can make a contribution.

I absolutely understand that natural ability is inborn and that such people are few and far between (and such mavericks are certainly necessary for the advancement of any field), I'm not aspiring to be one. I'm just wondering, is it possible to make a difference by wanting to make a difference *really* badly and continuing to soldier (hobble?) along? I'd appreciate any personal experiences to help me put this into better perspective.

Can I find a school that teaches what I want to learn?

niles — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:10:35 -0800

I'm currently attending MyCounty Tech School, and have been planning to transfer to Local Private University next fall to finish my Computer Science/IT bachelors. The thing is, I really don't know if that's the right way to wrap up my schooling. Can I get some recommendations on what to look for in a good CS program, and recommendations on slightly non-traditional/accelerated ways of getting a degree in Computer Science? More background info inside. Since high school I've been planning on studying some combination of computer arts/graphic design and computer science, both fields that I believe I have very good experience in. I was heavily involved in the graphics program at my school, and my junior and senior year took 300 level CS courses at Local Private University. I have also been working for several years at a job that has given me extensive real world technology experience.

Now I've effectively spent two years in college (I did take one year after high school to attend a leadership/volunteering program), I don't know if Local Private University is the way to go, for several reasons.

I would also call myself autodidactic, and I get very frustrated with the opportunity cost of school - I'm so busy ostensibly learning that I don't have time to actually learn (that is, teach myself). This feeling is exacerbated by the fact that I haven't found a school that teaches what I want to learn. I've looked at TESC as a way to finish school quickly, but they don't have a graphics program and I'm also wary of the benefits of "Computer Science by mail."

I realize that the 100 and 200 level courses are necessary for a good foundation, but is there a school out there that would let me roll my experience into a way to finish school quicker? I also wonder if there are any accelerated programs out there, where classes meet several times a week and finish after a few months, rather than meeting just twice a week for the entire semester.

Finally, is there a school out there that teaches the things I think would be useful and relevant? Local Private University has a "Web Development" major, but it doesn't cover things like AJAX or PHP, both things I've been teaching myself as time permits. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I think I should be able to take classes in topics like that, yet I can't find a school that offers that.
I've also been teaching myself After Effects and other video editing software, which has been a lot of fun and has even resulted in some side jobs, but again - I can't find a school that offers classes in what I think is a necessary skill set.

There's a lot more questions I have that I suppose would be nice to bounce off of a high school guidance counselor, as I don't imagine Local Private University will be handing out recommendations for competing CS programs, but I think this will cover it for this week.

Sorry this got so long. :/ I've highlighted the questions to make them more obvious.

Where did I read about three rules determining how the robots run the factory?

Cool Papa Bell — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:41:47 -0800

Help me find a half-remembered anecdote about robotics and computing taking a cue from ant- or bee-like, hive-mind biological processes -- a story about a car factory's paint process organized with just three rules. If my memory serves, the rules boiled down to:

1) do something essential -- paint a car a certain color when that specific color is ordered.
2) do something useful -- when you don't have a specific order for a specific color, paint the most popular color, because there will always be a demand for it anyway.
3) do something -- don't ever stop the line; if both rules 1 and 2 fail, just paint another car with whatever color is loaded in the machine, because that's better than stopping the production line.

Where did I read this? Am I remembering the three rules correctly?

I think I was reading something from Kevin Kelly's Out of Control, but I don't think that's it (can't easily find it in the text).

Great idea for a course--horribly misdirected.

k. — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:16:41 -0800

I'm taking an innovative course on using technology for humanitarian causes, taught by a professor I really like. But it's awful! How can I tell him what I think, and/or turn this disaster of a course into something worthwhile? My hopes were high at first, because I was really excited about the topic: I wanted to learn how to use my technical skills to do something good for people, instead of just to make money. I'm hoping to find a job in my field that does some kind of good, since I'm not sure I could stand it otherwise.

But the course turned out to be very different: it seems to be entirely about giving people computers. Dumping gadgets on people is of questionable long-term value, and, most importantly, it doesn't teach us students anything about how to use our skills--which are not about donating technology but about making it--to make the world better place. We read case studies of projects that gave people technology, and we're installing a computer lab made from donated computers in a local public housing project. While this kind of community-service might help some people in the short term, it sure isn't teaching us any new technical skills or any ways to use our existing skills to help people in the future.

I don't think using technical knowledge for the common good is an unreasonable idea. Engineers Without Borders does it all the time; so does the Humanitarian FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software) Project. And, given that we're adept at crunching numbers and have a GIS expert on hand, I'm sure there's a lot of climate- and environment-related stuff we could work on as well. All great things, but not what we're doing in this class.

The course is small and somewhat student-directed, so I may be able to push the class (or my own work in it) more toward something I could actually learn from. But I have to do this very carefully, for two reasons. First, our class is effectively committed to the housing project's computer lab, so any additional projects or "field work" we take on has to be in addition to our work on that (in other words, at least some of us have to continue the work on that and probably most will). Second, I don't want to seem oppositional or offensive, because I really like the professor--he's a fascinating person and one of the best teachers I've had--and I want him to like me too.

How should I express my doubts about the course, and how might I try to shift the focus more toward material from which I might actually learn something?

CSE 201 bad teacher

Benzle — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:21:35 -0800

I'm in a CS 201 Java intro class with a not very good teacher, I need a place where I can search for and ask beginner questions, lots of them, like, what is this called and what does it do? ect. public static char [] bar(String [] a) Thanks everyone

Looking for a challenge, somethign easier than P ?= NP

b1tr0t — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 22:17:32 -0800

I'd like to find a good online resource that poses interesting computer science problems. I've been digging through some of the modern classics papers of computer science research. Some are easy enough to understand with a little effort, others are pretty difficult to penetrate. I find that most of them are fairly difficult to find practical applications for.

I'd like to find a list of computer science problems, maybe medium to difficult homework problems for CS grad students. I'm not yet looking for grand challenges or problems big enough for a thesis. I don't want to do your homework, and I don't want to do your contract work either. I also don't want interview questions.

binary job search

sarahj — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:36:12 -0800

What can an unskilled Computer Science student do for the summer? I'm a college student majoring in Computer Science and I'm looking for a summer job (and it's getting desperate). I just completely failed at a semi-technical phone interview. I haven't taken programming-intensive computer science courses since last spring, but I couldn't answer basic questions about linked lists and Java objects. I didn't study in advance but when I tell myself "I'll study next time" I immediately think "I don't WANT a job I have to study for!"
When I was listening to all his tech questions I just wanted to ask the interviewer "So what good is my being able to tell you this gonna do in the long run?" I've had a CS internship or two and they have almost completely turned me off to pursuing any form of programming career. The only reason I'm looking into those kinds of jobs is that it's all I can find, and it's what a CS student is "supposed" to do.

When I program independently or for school projects, I use Google and Wikipedia regularly. I know enough to know what to look for. I know this probably does not qualify me as a "programmer" - but "programmer" seems to be the main kind of internship or job for CS students out there. I got into CS by doing basic web design and web programming, but I'm missing a lot of the skills most of the 'web developer' internships out there require. Plus I can't pass myself off as a web designer when I've hardly touched Photoshop. I'm motivated and could teach myself more, but during classes I don't have a lot of time and it's hard for me to get into it without a specific project to work on.

I've taken the bare minimum of CS classes in school and none of them are "real world" applications that would be useful in a corporate/IT setting. I'm never going to be good enough to be a software programmer and I'm hopeless with hardware. I have no idea what I want to do, other than wanting to do something "good," "helpful" or "useful." Except- I'm not good with teaching or working with people (I don't think I would make a stellar computer camp counselor, for example). I would be interested in research but I've been a part of a couple projects that have made me want to avoid it. I already know where I'm going to be living this summer (near a major city), so unfortunately I can't travel long distance for an opportunity like an REU.

I'm so frustrated! This is the general attitude I've had since I started my CS major - I can get by, but I'm not good enough. But I need a job! and a career! What can I possibly do this summer with a CS major and poor CS skills? Even if I can't find a decent internship this summer, what careers could I look into? I'm also interested in environmental science (my second major, that I picked up to take my mind off this mess). I just don't even know what I should be looking for or who I should be asking (my CS advisor sent me an amazing opportunity last year that actually worked out, but she's very busy and I can't express my frustrations to her over not wanting a "typical" CS job).

Coming from an art-school background, I have none of the requirements for a CS grad school. Am I hopeless?

amileighs — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:15:24 -0800

How do I start a MS in Computer Science with no applicable background? My Background:
Throughout high school (mid-late 90's) I was a computer nerd, often blowing off my homework to stay up all night learning about TCP/IP, Linux, OpenBSD, and generally hacking around with the vague intention of doing something computer-related.

After high school I took a job as a phone-monkey for Dell and MSN and after a year and a half doing customer service and tech support I was completely disenchanted. I recoiled at the thought of sitting in a cubicle for the rest of my life, programming enormously bloated software just to further some giant corporation, so knee-jerk enrolled in art school (a second passion) and was accepted. Mistake #1

I was a major in New Media, where I had a blast. Our department was in its first year and was beyond tiny- just eight people. Our teachers had no background in the field, so each of us basically taught our selves with little to no guidance from the professors. Some taught themselves 3d modeling, others more graphic design focused.

I spent the next three years teaching myself Max/MSP, ActionScript, and some minor circuits/sensors/robotics. My focus was on AI, mainly on Genetic Algorithms and Neural Networks for use with music, video, and text processing. I did all of the research myself, as my college was focused on fine arts- it didn't even require a math course at all. Eventually I realized that I was having a blast coding, doing research, and algorithm design to deal with large sets of data; and that I had little interest in the 'artwork' nature of it all.

I left college a semester early to move to New York and learn about the art. Mistake #2. Now I've been here for two years and I realize that the art world is not what I thought it would be and I would desperately like to go back to doing Computer Science research, with a focus on AI and Machine Learning.

I'm a great autodidact and I've spent the past months re-acquainting myself with the field, learning things like Python and SQL, doing some data-mining exercises, brushing up on my math, and making a few projects on the Google App Engine. I'm definitely sure I want to do this.

My Questions:

- Should I take the CS GRE in addition to the regular GRE in order to show I'm committed?

- I have a semester's worth of credits left to full to (finally) get my art degree, and my school will accept CLEP tests and/or CS courses taken at a local school. Should I take the CLEP tests like Discrete Mathematics, Info. Systems & Computer Applications or would it be better to get an 'A' in the actual class?

- After I have my prerequisites taken care of, is it OK to go to a lower level university for an MS, and then go somewhere better If I want to do a Ph.D ? Or is it more common to start off with a Ph.D immediately?

Suggestions (books, projects, things to learn, things to do) for a 2nd year Computer Science Student over Winter Break?

Javed_Ahamed — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:05:06 -0800

Suggestions (books, projects, things to learn, things to do) for a 2nd year Computer Science Student over Winter Break? Winter Break is soon approaching and I feel like accomplishing something over it. I am a sophomore computer science student, and I was wondering what the hive mind might suggest to do with all this new time available! Any computer books, online lectures, sample projects (Im going to learn C# over break, maybe some open source projects that are friendly to noobs?) or whatever to help get an edge on the competition and have fun are welcome! Also included are any things you feel essential to learn, tech wise or not.

Right now I know C and Java, and a good level of python and use linux if that matters. I am taking functional programming languages and Algorithms next semester as well.

Ideally, my plan so far has just been to learn a new language or two, get experience coding in these languages (don't know what to code or how to find an open source project to really work on though) and get head start for next semester.

Whatever your thoughts/experiences please do tell! And happy holidays!

What do I need to reverse-engineer hardware and where can I buy it?

PuGZ — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:09:51 -0800

What equipment do I need to become an EE student cum amateur hacker? For bonus points, where can I buy it (either online or in person) in Melbourne, Australia? I've finished my first year of a five-year joint EE and CS degree and want something interesting to pursue over the summer holidays. I've always had a passion for discovering how things work, which leads to the logical conclusion of trying my hand at reverse-engineering.

I've tinkered a lot with software over the years, but I've never had anything to do with hardware. What books should I read and what tools should I buy in order to pull apart my computer, hifi, Xbox, etc and read the contents of their EEPROM chips, NAND flash and so on? What precautions should I take before attaching said tools to one of the system buses in my PC while it is running?

Many thanks for your kind help. I've spent many months looking into this, but the bewildering array of resources is either far too simple or assumes too much experience with the necessary tools!

[Internship Filter] Help me find a programming internship (computer science student) over summer break!

Javed_Ahamed — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 17:37:02 -0800

[Internship Filter] Help me find a programming internship (computer science student) over summer break! Hey guys I am a 2nd year computer science student at the University of Maryland and I am just getting around to looking for a summer coding internship to help get some experience. The problem is I have no idea how to start looking/how to distinguish myself from the crowd. Not really sure what to put on my resume or what to do to prepare for interviews either. The problem is I have no real experience to begin with, which is why I am searching for a internship so I am not sure what to put on my resume... So far i just have little odd things here and there from high school, most of it not even related to programming.

The two or three interviews I have gotten, I have mostly been rejected due to "no prior experiences" or because I haven't taken junior and senior level classes like data structures or algorithms.

I know everyone says to "make something" so you stand out and while I experiment with new things almost constantly I can't seem to make the jump right now to just starting to make something as I do not know where to start.

In summary do you guys have any advice you can give me to help snag a programming summer internship, and to help stand out from the crowd? Thanks a bunch!

Computer Science and Foreign Languages, what is the best mix?

JoeXIII007 — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:40:13 -0800

I am trying to make a preliminary (or maybe final) decision on what foreign language I should study with respect to a computer science major after transferring to the University of Michigan. Any pointers??? Previously.

I am more or less looking for a foreign language that would be most compatible with my career path and would most likely use after spending 4 semesters learning it.

I have heavily considered Japanese to be a good choice for a long while, but Chinese and Arabic seem interesting as well.

If there is something outside of those three that I should consider, please let me know.

Thanks!

0xUNDERSTAND

tmcw — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 11:42:15 -0800

Are there any scripting / cli-compatible languages which decently provide or at least pretend to provide bit-math? So, I'm in one of my last CS courses in college, and it involves a whole lot of bit-mangling. Writing, testing C code is all right, but I kind of want to tinker in my free time to get a deeper understanding, and I'd love some language that lets me use something like irb/python/hugs/etc to quickly test bit expressions (your usual ^, |, &, !, etc)

Is there anything? I kind of remember a C++ CLI a while ago, but I can't figure out where it is.

Thanks!

[MajorFilter] Computer Engineering or Computer Science Major? Help me decide please! (3rd sem already) and don't know what to be!

Javed_Ahamed — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:47:17 -0800

Hey guys, Computer Engineering 2nd year (3rd sem) here at the University of Maryland College Park wondering if i should stay in my major or switch to Computer Science. I am super confused right now and am hoping that some of you can help me think. Bear with me while i ramble on I do just love working with computers and building things for them so it was no suprise I am going to stay in a computer field. I originally went computer engineering just because it seemed more prestigous (engineering, limited seats, once you leave you cant come back) and the fact that it seemed to be both hardware and software. Now I consider myself a software guy and while i enjoy learning about hardware i dont imagine a job in it. Still Computer Engineering seemed a way to get the Computer Science curriculum and do some extra work and get some extra hardware knowledge that could only help.

Now I am having second doubts.

Now my ideal goal is to work at a place like Microsoft or Google (yes its a lofty goal), and I know to work at places like these you need excellent code fu. I wonder if working for a computer engineering degree where i dont take as many CS classes but instead take more Electrical engineeringish classes is really the best idea (like CE is 80% hardware). Now asking everyone I know these are what various people have given me as advice:

1. Friends/Adults in the Computer Science field:
-Go comp sci if you want a software job and computer engineering if you want a hardware job -Get a Business (really management) focus or minor (not offered at maryland) so you can code for a couple years then try to get a management position. -Get an MBA at a good business school after having a job for a couple of years

2. Head of computer engineering department:
-Recruiters come after computer/electrical engineers a lot its really in demand (this is true we have our own job fair) -CE's get paid more -Knowing hardware lets you optimize your code better and stuff.

3. Faculty member in the Computer Engineering Dept. who used to be in Comp Sci Dept. -CE because in the future hardware will be me more tied to software, such as with parallel processing and this will help -Look at 400 lvl (senior year) classes in CS that you would want to take and take them as CE as well. (problem with this is Im also going to have to take 400 lvl electrical engineering courses which will restrict my time for CS stuff)

4. Parents
-Engineering sounds better

5. Me
-Computer Engineering does seem better sounding than Comp Sci but does that really matter? -Comp E has b.s classes (at least in my opinion) like physics and chem and like technical writing. (maybe not b.s but bleh) -Comp Sci seems easier to do, therefore i can fit more CS classes in and learn more -I am still looking for real world applications though for whatever i learn. I am not going into research or anything. If you guys believe i should really put in a business background and stuff please say so. Being realistic here. Money and Enjoyment if possible to balance.

Btw here is the major reqs for CS: http://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/major-requirements-checklist/

and sample plans (Core is like classes everyone has to take like art, history bleh) http://undergrad.cs.umd.edu/sample-plans/

And for CE: http://www.ece.umd.edu/Academic/Under/advising/CP_degree_reqs.html

Now if you guys are still reading (wow thanks!) i guess to sum it up what do you guys think i should really be? I would like to work at a place like Microsoft (and have been given interviews with them with no luck) and do companies like them really care if you are a computer engineer or scientist? Should i go comp sci and a business focus, or just plain comp e? Ive been going back between these 2 majors for a while now and finally just want to make a decesion. Thanks youll be helping me a lot! :)

Where Can I Receive Feedback on Research Ideas?

gadha — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 01:38:53 -0800

Are there any websites I can post research ideas and receive feedback on them? (compsci) I sometimes get ideas in different areas of computer science, most of which (the areas) are not within my expertise. Is there any place, formal or informal, where I can share them and receive critical feedback on them? (I understand that there is the risk of the idea getting stolen or hijacked, I'm ok with that)

Help me relearn mathematics and its practica applications

dcbarker — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 05:19:32 -0800

Applied Math Filter: Help me use math! I'd like to learn more about mathematics and it's practical applications - particularly in Computer Science I'm a Computer Networking graduate (under 25) who never really done much math at university. My course was somewhere between computer science and communications engineering so maths sort of slipped through the cracks.

Now, I'm looking to re-learn math. I know that a lot of mathematics is abstract but I'm having difficulties seeing practical applications.

Where I'm at:
I took calculus at high school but just scraped through (I spent more time fighting with the teacher than learning). I don't remember a bit of it. I'm pretty much at "square one" so will be learning from the start. I consider myself a quick learner in most areas but had a horrible foundation in math so never picked it back up. I've bought a couple of math books which should teach me the theory I need. I've always thought graphing calculators were pretty interesting but lack the mathematical knowledge to necessitate their use (or purchase). I'm currently in the process of ditching my "college job" to go for a "real job".

What I want:
I want to learn math with a view to using it practically (preferably in computer science).

How you can help:
I'd like suggestions on how I should go about learning mathematics and its practical applications. Which areas should I look at if I want to use mathematics in computing? I think my problem is that I can't see a practical application for math that I'd like to explore but I have a strong urge to develop my mathematics skills.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Should I try for a computer science degree?

FortyT-wo — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:53:46 -0800

What natural proficiencies would I need / want to have in order to get a degree in computer science? I have some issues with math, and am not sure whether that's a dealbreaker. I'm contemplating going to night school to get a degree in comp sci, but I'm very worried I'll get into it and find I'm not cut out for it... I'm your average geeky girl, have always liked computers, etc., though I've never been educated in any programming languages. I have no college degree and think I would enjoy a career a comp sci degree might make available for me.

My big worry is that there are some areas of mathematics that I'm weak in, and have been all my life. Basically I grasp math concepts easily, and do well in the more advanced math classes, but relative to my abilities in that area, I'm not very good at math mechanics, if that makes sense. When I was testing for math placement in college a few years back, I got higher scores in algebra than in remedial math... I got an A in physics in high school but really struggled through junior high math classes.

Basically the fewer actual numbers involved, the better I am at solving a problem. This is due to my tendency to transpose numbers, and I'm not great at doing addition and multiplication (forget division) in my head. I even screw up while adding single digit numbers in my head on a not infrequent basis. I was never, at any point able to complete the 60-times-tables-in-60-second thing all my other classmates were able to do.

I'm a smart girl, I'm a huge fan of physics, I did awesome in calculus, but for whatever reason, I may add 9 and 5 and come up with 13... If I'm asked what 7 times 7 is, it'll take me a bit to come up with a result, and it may not be correct.

Does this rule me out for this degree? I don't want to start trying for it and fail... if the math involved is more conceptual, or, say, the type you can use a calculator for, I could do well at that. But I do get the impression it's a math-heavy area of study, and don't want to flunk out.

If it looks and quacks like a CS Degree, then is it a genuine enough CS Degree???

JoeXIII007 — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:15:25 -0800

Does it really matter where you get the Computer Science degree from? I am currently going to Washtenaw Community College to (of course) save money while getting the all important education. Currently majoring in Math and Science with a concentration in Computer Science.

At the moment I have pretty much put my future plans on going to the University of Michigan just a little further westward (which, if you have not heard, is a pretty reputable University other than being part of the Big Ten, as far as I have known).

MUCH closer (I live just barely east of downtown Ypsilanti, MI) to home is Eastern Michigan University. Going there would undeniably save money on not only tuition and supplies but also gas using the car. For either university, I would be commuting to them.

Now I make the following realizations no matter what the decision:
- The CS biz changes practically daily, so I know I will have to constantly learn new stuff.
- As far as I know, computer scientists are in high demand (at least according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics)
- The education I get at college lays a foundation more than anything (doing a pretty deep google search confirmed this) and anything in industry will have to be picked up along the way.
- Having noted that, I already know people without CS degrees already in the industry (particularly with .NET).

Therefore, it really comes down to the money, quality of college education and risk with sacrificing either, and thus why I ask MeFi: does it really matter where I get the CS degree from??? I have done a lot of research into this decision and I am more than anything looking for the final factor (which I cannot seem to grasp) that will set the decision in stone.

Trivia: Currently 19 years old, holding a 3.97 GPA (only shy of a 4 thanks to an A- for some reason), and have put myself through two semesters (Fall 07/Winter 08) of 18 credit hour loads (for a total of 36 in the college career).

Best HCI Examples In Pop Culture

libraryman — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:09:26 -0800

What are the best examples of human/computer interaction in tv and movies (please mention specific scenes and episodes if you can). ex: HAL in 2001, The touch screen in Minority Report, Scotty talking to the mouse in Star Trek IV -lol, etc...

Computer science? yea or nay?

frettchen — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:21:24 -0800

Should I major in computer science? If yes, what career options are available? I have always loved computers, and considered studying computer science in college. I first tinkered around with Linux when I was 14, loved working on the command line, and created websites with html and php. However, I abandoned that goal as I wanted to do things that make a difference in people's lives and work with people, not mainly by myself in front of a computer. I also haven't been that great in math, and that might hinder me from exceeding in a computing field.

I started my undergraduate studies with the goal of majoring in psychology, and I have been satisfied with my studies so far as I am fascinated by it. But there is always this nagging doubt in the back of mind - that I should do what I really love. I don't really see a future of a career in psychology, I don't think I am cut out to be a psychologist. I would rather do research, but then biological bases are a great impact on human behavior as well and I wouldn't be fully able to understand it (I really dislike chem, and I'm not too big of a fan of bio either). And I do not want to be just another psych major.

So, now I have finished my first year of studies, and I am thinking that I should study computer science as well. I will take my first class in the fall, and if I like it I'll try to minor or major in it (additionally with psych as minor or major).

But - what careers are available to computer science majors besides database administrators and obviously being a programmer? I'm female by the way, if that is relevant.

Where Have All The Problems Gone?

gadha — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:17:19 -0800

Where can I find accurate, concise information on short-to-medium term technical problems in the data-center/server/colo markets? I'm interested in learning about the problems facing server manufacturers, data farms, etc... at any level -- software architectures, hardware architectures, algorithms, energy consumption, etc. I have looked around a lot but the information is either out of data or very commercial and tied into specific products. Is there any resource out there that will present concise, clear information about the (hopefully unsolved) technical problems in these areas?

Are there any CS/Engr Books for kids?

billy_the_punk — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 09:47:31 -0800

When asked, I couldn't recommend any good Computer Science or Engineering books for kids. Do such books exist? To avoid buying a stack and going through them myself, can anyone recommend any? I work for my university and put on robotics workshops for kids grades 4-12 (typically the bulk of the crowd is in the grade 4 - 7 range). After we build and program our Mindstorm's robots, the kids are always eager for more.

Typically my default response is to direct them to MIT's Scratch program, which is free online, however at this last workshop, a girl directly asked me if there were any good kids books for learning about Engineering and Computer Science. It sounded like she was interested in both the traditional 'textbook' style books and project books. I wanted to tell them to get a subscription to MAKE Magazine, but I think that might be a little to old for them. I also don't want to tell them to just do Google searches, as I can't assume about what kind of access or rules they have at home regarding internet use. Having said that, if there is a fantastic online resource, I would love to know about it.

I know there are a lot of the Mad Science style Chemistry books, but are there any good Engineering/Computer Science project books, or some good Math/Computer Science style puzzle books?

when does a wise man quit?

WannaBeAPhD — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:59:44 -0800

Background: I am 41 years old. I am 16 credits shy of graduating with a BS in Mathemathics. my GPA is 2.79, I have over 250 hours of attempted coursework, 144 of that is being counted towards my degree. I program and design software systems for a living. The Problem: I really love math and computer science but I am lousy at learning. when I say lousy I mean slow. It is an all or nothing proposition for me I am either a master of the material or I do not know it. When I have to study I experience psychosomatic symptoms, irritability, out of body experience, confusion, trouble concentrating. This has been happening since I was a child, I have a real aversion to studying, and it has gotten worse now in my adult years. I was diagnosed with ADHD about 8 months ago. The metadate works somewhat well to clear up the fog but when I have to study hard nothing helps.

I can perform my job well but that usually does not require me to think of the formal methods or theory about my job unless I am really pushing what I want to get implemented. To do my job I have self educated over the years I have read a large number of books because of interest in the material and the need to do my job.

I get bored at work doing repetitive tasks or tasks that don't require me to innovate or do research. I've just about reached the point where I have to become a bureacrat. I want to be able to continue to innovate, research and learn and I really want to study and become a PhD. There are jobs out there that I would qualify for if only I had a little more education adn the title. If money were no object I would simply study and take as long as I needed to in educating myself. That luxury is not available to me.

Is it wise for me to continue dreaming this way or should I simply accept my limitations and give up hope. I do fear that giving up hope will severely shorten my life. When I think of it I can feel the emotion build up. What does a wise man do when faced with the reality that he may never be what he has always wanted to be?

Can you explain “this?”

ijoshua — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 13:58:24 -0800

How do you explain the this object? I was working with a student in Java the other day, and although Java isn’t my lingua franca, I did use it in college about 10 years ago, and I’m comfortable with OOP. But I struggled trying to explain this.

How would you go about explaining the semantics of this for an intro-level student, w/r/t Java specifically?