Computer Science Canada

A Future in Computer Science?
Author:  Durf [ Sat Nov 25, 2006 10:19 pm ]
Post subject:  A Future in Computer Science?
I have a dilemma. I'm currently a first year Computer Science student - a confused one.

I'm learning Pascal in my first computer science class and am figuring out that I don't like the programming aspect of Computer Science (or so I think so, it's pretty much a blur). The most recent stuff we learned was arrays, records and sorting which is pretty basic for a programming language. Our assignments include making a simple game, and a management program for music. Whoopee! Programming is feeling really tedious and I'm not finding much motivation to do it (when I get into it, I can do it, I just have to force myself to start). I guess my question is does computer science get more interesting than this? I'd like to think so as this is only an introduction course. What kind of other aspects of Comp Sci will I learn? Should I stick it out a little longer and see if I hate it?

Just really questioning picking this major. I know if I graduate with a degree in Comp Sci, the money will flow in, but I'm not sure If I want to do it for the rest of my life.

Anyone else had a similar experience or feeling like this when they first started Comp Sci (assuming the majority of people here have at least taken a Comp Sci course if they are in university). Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks.
Author:  bugzpodder [ Sat Nov 25, 2006 10:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
Arrays, sorting are fundamentals of computer science. You *MUST* master these techniques before moving on. If you feel uncomfortable with these topics, it is critical that you either seek help NOW, or consider switching major. If i were you, i would find your CS guidance counsellor/advisor and talk to him/her about how you feel. Every university has them and this is precisely the reason why they are there, to answer your questions.
Author:  Durf [ Sat Nov 25, 2006 10:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
It's not that I'm having trouble with it. I do have to catch up a little bit, but I won't have trouble doing that. It doesn't seem too difficult. That's not my issue. My issue is, does it get any better or worse than this? Is it all this tedious? And is computer science ALL programming?

I will talk to an advisor though. Thanks. Just would like to see what everyone else has to say first.
Author:  md [ Sat Nov 25, 2006 10:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Try working on an open source project. I found that a lot of hte things at university (at least during hte first two years) aren't all that interesting; but a good open source project can provide the programming interest needed to get you to the good courses (real time anyone?).

If you can't find anything interesting at all then CS may not be for you.
Author:  wtd [ Sat Nov 25, 2006 11:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
I would highly recommend checking out one of the "Learn it in a Day" languages, just to make sure your frustrations aren't related to just the particular tools you happen to be using at the moment.

Sometimes learning such things outside of a classroom can be a good thing as well. Do you feel that you're being held back by the pace of the course?
Author:  Durf [ Sun Nov 26, 2006 1:34 am ]
Post subject: 
wtd wrote:
I would highly recommend checking out one of the "Learn it in a Day" languages, just to make sure your frustrations aren't related to just the particular tools you happen to be using at the moment.

Sometimes learning such things outside of a classroom can be a good thing as well. Do you feel that you're being held back by the pace of the course?


I used to at the beginning, but now the pace is fine. So that's not an issue anymore.

I'll try learning a quick language though. Thanks.

As for contributing to an OpenSource project, I don't have experience in programming so that would be hard to come across.

I hope someone here felt the same way I feel right now in their first year. I mean, it's weird, but Im intrigued by programming so don't know why I'm not liking it that much.

Edit: I swear I saw a topic for "Learn it in a day" languages, but can't seem to find it anymore. Can someone link me or recommend a language or two?
Author:  md [ Sun Nov 26, 2006 11:03 am ]
Post subject: 
"Learn it in a day languages" -> http://www.compsci.ca/v2/viewtopic.php?t=14074

As for open source projects, I don't mean go otu and write a brand new rendering engine for firefox; but going over code and looking for bugs is a great way to help. Plus as you get more comfortable with the code you'll find that you get comfortable submitting short patches to fix the bugs you find.

'course I am always looking for people to help me with my open source project
Author:  Tony [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Future in Computer Science?
First two years are not that exciting, since they assume you have no computer science knowledge when coming in. It's very general, and they hammer out the basic concepts - though those are very important to know well.
Durf wrote:
I know if I graduate with a degree in Comp Sci, the money will flow in, but I'm not sure If I want to do it for the rest of my life.

Not really. A lot of people go in for the money, don't really understand what they are doing, write bad code (but hey, they have a degree) and complain about the ruined industry.

To really succeed, you have got to love programming, income is a side-effect Wink
Author:  Durf [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Future in Computer Science?
Tony wrote:
First two years are not that exciting, since they assume you have no computer science knowledge when coming in. It's very general, and they hammer out the basic concepts - though those are very important to know well.
Durf wrote:
I know if I graduate with a degree in Comp Sci, the money will flow in, but I'm not sure If I want to do it for the rest of my life.

Not really. A lot of people go in for the money, don't really understand what they are doing, write bad code (but hey, they have a degree) and complain about the ruined industry.


I didn't go into Computer Science for the money (I assumed that the industry did suffer quite a bit recently), but was reassured the first few days that there are many jobs for CS grads, which is true, especially in an economy like Calgary's (where I live and go to school). If I won't like it, then I'm dropping it so the money isn't my whole drive to get this degree.

Tony wrote:
To really succeed, you have got to love programming, income is a side-effect Wink


Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.
Author:  wtd [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 3:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
That said, you can do decently, money-wise even if you don't enjoy programming. Lots of people do.

But, you'll be miserable, and it's really true that you can't put a price on happiness.
Author:  BenLi [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
However, is it true that computer jobs are getting increasingly more difficult to find since many jobs are going overseas? Not saying that it is impossible, but the skill level of domestic programmers have to improve to make them worth hiring?
Author:  Durf [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
BenLi wrote:
However, is it true that computer jobs are getting increasingly more difficult to find since many jobs are going overseas? Not saying that it is impossible, but the skill level of domestic programmers have to improve to make them worth hiring?


That's the word that's spreading around but there are plenty of tech jobs available. That's the last resort a company will take. Communication is much harder if you're working with someone overseas. How are you going to have a project manager on a different continent? etc. etc. I've done my research and there's more than enough jobs available. I know my university gets plenty of calls each year from companies asking for graduates, but usually most of them are employed before they even graduate so no luck for the employers.
Author:  Tony [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
BenLi wrote:
However, is it true that computer jobs are getting increasingly more difficult to find since many jobs are going overseas? Not saying that it is impossible, but the skill level of domestic programmers have to improve to make them worth hiring?

Very interesting issue really.

On one hand - yes, especially with India and China catching up in tech knowledge, fast. On the other, their quality is still very lacking. Outsourced work is usually tech support, testing, or code-monkey'ing to strict specifications outlined by domestic (that is - North American) software engineers.

If you search in Google Trends, you'll see that India is huge for Java and C#, but PHP is very much behind. Ruby is non-existant. Basically all the web-dev is in California, USA.

There was an article resently, about how Google just can't find the level of skill they require in India.

Though once again - a lot of people go into the industry for the money, not because they have a clue as to what they are doing.
Author:  Andy [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 5:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
IT jobs are mostly outsourced. development are still mainly being done in North America
Author:  md [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 7:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
Andy wrote:
IT jobs are mostly outsourced. development are still mainly being done in North America


Depends on who you want to work for; governments in particular are very careful about where work gets done. They also happen to give great job security Wink
Author:  Andy [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 8:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
or just come to silicon valley. developers with bachelors here start at 75k usd + bonus.
Author:  md [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 9:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Andy wrote:
or just come to silicon valley. developers with bachelors here start at 75k usd + bonus.


Uhh... I think you missed my point about job security... plus I would not take a job in the states no matter how much it paid. I much prefer Canada where laws are at least mostly sane and the politicians are not yet in the pockets of lobbyists.
Author:  bugzpodder [ Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
all my cs jobs are boring as hell... projects either too ambitious or too nitty-picking.. either too constrained or too vague
Author:  Durf [ Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:04 am ]
Post subject: 
Would you guys agree that if I'm already not liking it and finding it hard to motivate myself to do the work that I won't make it another 3.5-4 years?

I really want to go into Political Science (maybe double major with Urban Studies) but don't know where my future would lie after I graduate (especially financially).
Author:  Martin [ Tue Nov 28, 2006 1:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
As an aside, programming isn't necessary to be a computer scientist. I went to a talk yesterday with Cormack, he described it like this. A person with a degree in music will find it greatly beneficial to know how to play an instrument. After they graduate, however, chances are they won't be making their money from playing their instrument.

Go talk to your professors, get them to tell you what's in store. Sit in on upper year classes to get a taste for it, even if you don't understand all of the details. And if you're really not liking it, switch out. You only live once.

Most importantly, don't do anything solely for the money, because you will find yourself unhappy and severely out-competed. Are you going to rise to the top of a field that you really don't care that much for? No chance in hell.
Author:  Tony [ Wed Nov 29, 2006 10:31 am ]
Post subject: 
Martin wrote:
Most importantly, don't do anything solely for the money, because you will find yourself unhappy and severely out-competed. Are you going to rise to the top of a field that you really don't care that much for? No chance in hell.

QFT

I've been looking into India and it's scary how the nation can just pick up new languages (Ruby!) as needed.
Author:  wtd [ Wed Nov 29, 2006 12:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Durf wrote:
Would you guys agree that if I'm already not liking it and finding it hard to motivate myself to do the work that I won't make it another 3.5-4 years?

I really want to go into Political Science (maybe double major with Urban Studies) but don't know where my future would lie after I graduate (especially financially).


You'd become a lawyer. There's decent money in that. Can't say whether or not you'd enjoy it.

There is certainly a market for those with expertise in both computer science and political science. Our politicians are woefully naive about technology.
Author:  octopi [ Wed Nov 29, 2006 3:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'd recommend sitting in on POLISCI classes before you decide to switch, A friend tried to switch, but he found it hard, everyone is very oppinionated.

Plus if you want to become a lawyer, you'll need another few years after to acctually become one. I'm pretty sure its usually 7 years in total.
Author:  Durf [ Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Law school is an extra 2 years, assuming that I first get a bachelors degree (which is pretty much a requirement, very few get into Law without already having a degree), it would take 6 years.

I'm pretty sure I could get into Law school, but I don't know if it's something I want to do. Decisions, decisions.
Author:  Clayton [ Wed Nov 29, 2006 9:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Take a look around, or as someone suggested, sit in on a couple of classes that would suit that career path, quite honestly I think a bit of checking out what its all about is the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for a change.

:


You can syndicate this boards posts using the file backend.php or view the topic map using sitemap.php.

Terms of Use | Privacy Policy