Comments on: In defense of elite, irrelevant curricula http://joemorrison.org/blog/2009/11/01/in-defense-of-elite-irrelevant-curricula/ How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Writing Software Thu, 09 Sep 2010 02:20:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Kalani Thielen http://joemorrison.org/blog/2009/11/01/in-defense-of-elite-irrelevant-curricula/comment-page-1/#comment-7434 Kalani Thielen Sat, 05 Dec 2009 16:53:37 +0000 http://joemorrison.org/blog/?p=86#comment-7434 I agree that a university education ought to be concerned with fundamental principles. You said "math, math and more math" but I would even explicitly add logic (or "mathematical logic" if you prefer) and proofs of program correctness. But in defense of some of Joel Spolsky's article, I also think that CS students need to be familiar with using a version control system (just like they need to be familiar with using a compiler). It's basic to writing software, and for that matter the general principle of version control applies to more than just tracking changes in text files (software transactional memory, RDBMS transactions, etc). I think that there's a good argument to be made for a Capstone project as well. Ultimately, people will always need to be able to sum up their work and present it clearly -- even (or especially) if they're going to be researchers or professors rather than commercial programmers. This is where great programmers (and great schools) can emphasize that what makes them great are their ideas and their work rather than their name. I agree that a university education ought to be concerned with fundamental principles. You said “math, math and more math” but I would even explicitly add logic (or “mathematical logic” if you prefer) and proofs of program correctness.

But in defense of some of Joel Spolsky’s article, I also think that CS students need to be familiar with using a version control system (just like they need to be familiar with using a compiler). It’s basic to writing software, and for that matter the general principle of version control applies to more than just tracking changes in text files (software transactional memory, RDBMS transactions, etc).

I think that there’s a good argument to be made for a Capstone project as well. Ultimately, people will always need to be able to sum up their work and present it clearly — even (or especially) if they’re going to be researchers or professors rather than commercial programmers. This is where great programmers (and great schools) can emphasize that what makes them great are their ideas and their work rather than their name.

]]> By: Daniel Simon http://joemorrison.org/blog/2009/11/01/in-defense-of-elite-irrelevant-curricula/comment-page-1/#comment-6958 Daniel Simon Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:56:26 +0000 http://joemorrison.org/blog/?p=86#comment-6958 Here, here. I'm an enormous fan of liberal arts education during undergraduate years. If one has the fortunate opportunity to study at a 4-year university program, one had damn well better spend those years with history, philosophy, underwater basket weaving, and the like, in order to become an intelligent human being with a sense of context. A B.A. is *not* a professional degree. Some of the best finance and technology professionals I know never set foot in a technical course, and I think that's a causal relationship. Here, here. I’m an enormous fan of liberal arts education during undergraduate years. If one has the fortunate opportunity to study at a 4-year university program, one had damn well better spend those years with history, philosophy, underwater basket weaving, and the like, in order to become an intelligent human being with a sense of context. A B.A. is *not* a professional degree. Some of the best finance and technology professionals I know never set foot in a technical course, and I think that’s a causal relationship.

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