How much programming as a Computer Engineer?

[JohnCU]

Here at Clemson, I have to take two Java classes for computer engineering... but I just started the first one and I hate it. Is the fact that I hate Java/programming in general a suggestion that I should switch to maybe EE?

 

[NivekC4]

if you find you hate the first class...there is little chance you will like the ones to follow

 

[notfred]

Have you started your engineering classes yet? Do you enjoy those? Why'd you choose CE?

 

[JohnCU]

I haven't started engineering classes yet, just like Calculus, Physics, Chemistry, not the Computer Engineering courses yet... I chose CE because I've always loved computers and desiging stuff and just engineering in general is really interesting to me.

 

[scorp00]

You'll never have another programming class in java, but you will have a few more programming classes.

ECE 272 is programming in assembly, 371 is programming in C, 329 is programming in C, 327 is programming in an HDL(verilog now), 352 is programming in 4 different languages.

EE's have to take 272 and 371. I'm a senior Computer Engineering major at Clemson, btw.


I hated the java CPSC classes too. They are total crap. The CpE programming classes aren't nearly as bad though.

 

[xyion]

my roomie is a CE and does a good amount of programming in VHDL and MIPS. He is learning how to program the HC12 right now, and also has an operating systems class where you basically have to write UNIX or something like that (i dont know, he spends like 10+ hours in lab a day for a couple days finishing the assignment).

I'm an EE and hardly do any programming.

 

[AbsolutDealage]

Switch to EE. I graduated CE and there's a LOT more programming down that road....

 

[CanOWorms]

Did you just hate java programming or find it too hard?

 

[JohnCU]

Well, we had a lab today involving Linked Lists, and I couldn't even finish it because I just couldn't get the logic down. I knew what I had to do, I just couldn't convert it to code... so that just frustrated me because I'm thinking if I can't understand the logic to this stupid list, how can I understand all the other stuff?

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
Well, we had a lab today involving Linked Lists, and I couldn't even finish it because I just couldn't get the logic down. I knew what I had to do, I just couldn't convert it to code... so that just frustrated me because I'm thinking if I can't understand the logic to this stupid list, how can I understand all the other stuff?

Why don't you ask your professor or TA for help? If you don't want to, you can find tons of books and info online, too. Linked lists are a pretty basic part of data structures type course so tons of info should be available.

Maybe you can tough it out through the course... Is this your first CS type course? You could go through your entire school without encountering linked lists and similar things again depending on the program.

 

[notfred]

Generally people are offended by this type of comment, but it's true all too often and I've seen it happen MANY times. People go into computer science or computer engineering because they "liked computers" in high school (generally meaning they played lots of video games, kept up with the latest video cards, and overclocked thier PCs) and when they get to the technical aspect of it they find out that either they jsut plain don't like it, or they can't hack it. They generally end up switching to finance or economics majors. Now I'm not saying that is neccesarily true with you, but your last post kinda makes it sound that way. Now I'm a computer Science major so I do a lot of programming, but I know that as a CE major you're going to do a lot of stuff That's more abstact and frustrating than a linked list in Java. When you're learning how an adder works in hardware or how CPU cache functions or how the processor multiplies numbers, I found that stuff more difficult than most data structures (especially simple ones like linked lists).

I'm not saying that you should switch majors, but just make sure you're majoring in something you really want to do, you may not want to build computers.

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: notfred
Generally people are offended by this type of comment, but it's true all too often and I've seen it happen MANY times. People go into computer science or computer engineering because they "liked computers" in high school (generally meaning they played lots of video games, kept up with the latest video cards, and overclocked thier PCs) and when they get to the technical aspect of it they find out that either they jsut plain don't like it, or they can't hack it. They generally end up switching to finance or economics majors. Now I'm not saying that is neccesarily true with you, but your last post kinda makes it sound that way. Now I'm a computer Science major so I do a lot of programming, but I know that as a CE major you're going to do a lot of stuff That's more abstact and frustrating than a linked list in Java. When you're learning how an adder works in hardware or how CPU cache functions or how the processor multiplies numbers, I found that stuff more difficult than most data structures (especially simple ones like linked lists).

I'm not saying that you should switch majors, but just make sure you're majoring in something you really want to do, you may not want to build computers.

I agree with you.

Also, if you're thinking about changing to EE you should ask yourself if you think you'll be able to handle it if you couldn't handle this course. Generally EE is much more harder than CE or CS and a lot more "abstract". If you can't get the logic of a linked list down, you definitely won't get a lot of logic required in EE down unless you're a special case.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms

Originally posted by: notfred
Generally people are offended by this type of comment, but it's true all too often and I've seen it happen MANY times. People go into computer science or computer engineering because they "liked computers" in high school (generally meaning they played lots of video games, kept up with the latest video cards, and overclocked thier PCs) and when they get to the technical aspect of it they find out that either they jsut plain don't like it, or they can't hack it. They generally end up switching to finance or economics majors. Now I'm not saying that is neccesarily true with you, but your last post kinda makes it sound that way. Now I'm a computer Science major so I do a lot of programming, but I know that as a CE major you're going to do a lot of stuff That's more abstact and frustrating than a linked list in Java. When you're learning how an adder works in hardware or how CPU cache functions or how the processor multiplies numbers, I found that stuff more difficult than most data structures (especially simple ones like linked lists).

I'm not saying that you should switch majors, but just make sure you're majoring in something you really want to do, you may not want to build computers.

I agree with you.

Also, if you're thinking about changing to EE you should ask yourself if you think you'll be able to handle it if you couldn't handle this course. Generally EE is much more harder than CE or CS and a lot more "abstract". If you can't get the logic of a linked list down, you definitely won't get a lot of logic required in EE down unless you're a special case.

The way I read his post he did get the logic. But NOT how to write the code down. I find this a problem also when I was a 1st year CS. I got the logic but not how to construct the code for it . But it is better now after more java class's and more experience with it. 2nd year CS student now.

Koing

 

[JohnCU]

Yeah, I think both of you are right, I'm going to talk to my advisor tomorrow.

As long as I can remember though, engineering has always interested me. Watching people build stuff, taking things apart and putting them back together, stuff like that...

I dunno what else I would do/could do.

I know I hate chemistry, physics is okay, Calculus is fun.

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
Yeah, I think both of you are right, I'm going to talk to my advisor tomorrow.

As long as I can remember though, engineering has always interested me. Watching people build stuff, taking things apart and putting them back together, stuff like that...

I dunno what else I would do/could do.

I know I hate chemistry, physics is okay, Calculus is fun.

Hmm.. maybe you should consider EE then. If you think physics is OK and Calculus is fun, some of the fields of EE might appeal to you. Check out what fields your school's program offers. It's a pretty diverse field with things like control systems, signal processing, image processing, photonics, solid-state, etc. If you like Calculus some of the more math-intensive areas might appeal to you. You can even take some of the more CE-related courses without going through this Java stuff (well I guess it depends on your school).

 

[JohnCU]

Hmm now after I make this thread I finally get the lab to work.

It's kinda cool, you write this method to see if the list contains an object, and if it does, you replace it with its predecessor to decrease search times for frequently searched objects. Eventually if you search for it enough it goes to the top of the list so that it finds it quicker. We just have to use nodes and change the reference pointers and all that crazy stuff.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
Yeah, I think both of you are right, I'm going to talk to my advisor tomorrow.

As long as I can remember though, engineering has always interested me. Watching people build stuff, taking things apart and putting them back together, stuff like that...

I dunno what else I would do/could do.

I know I hate chemistry, physics is okay, Calculus is fun.

Engeneering isn't limited to elecronics and software, you could always do something like mechanical engineering or architechture if you decide against CE or EE. Of course, you may yet end up liking CE, But I'm just saying you should pick something you actually enjoy.

 

[Aharami]

all i can say is dont slack in engineering. its no joke (as anyone can tell you). but take it from me. i did decent in computer engineering...graduated with a 3.1. but i also studied for the exams but didnt study to really learn. basically i just wanted the degree. dont go thru engineering like that. do all your own work, dont cheat, and ask for help only if you have been stuck on something for a while. try to work problems out on your own rather than collaborating with your friends from the start. put in good couple hours of reading thru the texts everyday, do all the labs by yourself (or try to). dont cram for the exams...that will do you no good. the material has to sink in over time, not be memorized overnight. im telling you this cuz i didnt do all that i just said. now i wish i had cuz i dont feel like i really learned anything.
oh and learn to live without a huge social life for the next couple years. trust me...work hard your 1st three years and have fun your senior year.

 

[BarneyFife]

Originally posted by: notfred
Generally people are offended by this type of comment, but it's true all too often and I've seen it happen MANY times. People go into computer science or computer engineering because they "liked computers" in high school (generally meaning they played lots of video games, kept up with the latest video cards, and overclocked thier PCs) and when they get to the technical aspect of it they find out that either they jsut plain don't like it, or they can't hack it. They generally end up switching to finance or economics majors. Now I'm not saying that is neccesarily true with you, but your last post kinda makes it sound that way. Now I'm a computer Science major so I do a lot of programming, but I know that as a CE major you're going to do a lot of stuff That's more abstact and frustrating than a linked list in Java. When you're learning how an adder works in hardware or how CPU cache functions or how the processor multiplies numbers, I found that stuff more difficult than most data structures (especially simple ones like linked lists).

I'm not saying that you should switch majors, but just make sure you're majoring in something you really want to do, you may not want to build computers.

This is very true. I started off in Comp Sci for that same reason "I like computers and video cards etc..." but I found out that I hate programming. It goes in one ear and out the other. I also hated going to class because it was so damn boring to me. It also helps to have good teachers from the start. Maybe a different form of engineering might be your calling. It takes a special dedicated breed to program. Maybe mechanical engineering might interest you?

 

[edro]

Originally posted by: AbsolutDealage
Switch to EE. I graduated CE and there's a LOT more programming down that road....

w3rd.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
Here at Clemson, I have to take two Java classes for computer engineering... but I just started the first one and I hate it. Is the fact that I hate Java/programming in general a suggestion that I should switch to maybe EE?

have you done an EE classes yet?

 

[MegaloManiaK]

CE revolves around engineering. If you just hate java syntax you may be ok, but if its the whole programing system/thought/mindset thats got you down you should run away as fast as you can.