I need your opinion

[ofiraltarasy]

What would you rather major in, in collage
1. PHP, Java Script, Excel and Macromedia Dreamwever

-or-

2. Computer Science and Software Engineere

Pick Either #1 or #2, if neither post what you would like to major in

 

[LeadMagnet]

My company hires 50 CS majors every 2 months, they have to have a 3.5+ GPA from a big name tech university. I am always amazed how little they actually know about computers - outside of programing.

With that said I would say #2 at a university. An actual degree show employeers you can learn, are will to work, and stick to a commitment.

 

[So]

#2.

With a real CS degree you can pick up any language in half of a day.

 

[Armitage]

Eh??
#1 is not a college education. Programming != Computer Science.

 

[FP]

#2 without a doubt.

But if I had to do it all over again I would skip the CS degree and get a degree in something else while taking CS classes or get a double major.

CS majors are a dime a dozen, but how many anthro major do you know that can also program? Having experience in a niche market like that will make you 1000x more marketable. Plus you will get to do something you love in addition to programming.

A buddy of mine got his CS degree but hated programming for random companies. So he went back to school and got his brewers degree and now does programming for a large microbrewery in addition to making beer. It turns out there are only 12 people in the WORLD that know how to program the various equipment used in modern beer making. He couldn't be happier.

 

[QED]

You can't really major in "PHP, Javascript" etc. in college (unless you going to ITT Tech or some place like that).

Computer Science and Computer Engineering is great and all, but a lot of classes are overly broad, or far too technical to be of any real-world practical use for most IT positions.

If you can, I would go the mathematics major route, maybe with a minor in CS-- which means you can take the classes in CS you want and will actually use. But then again, what sort of advice did you expect from a guy nicknamed "MathMan"??

 

[Skiddex]

yea, #1 is tech school, with CS very few of your classes are "this is how to program in xyz". most of my classes have been, "this is the theory behind operating systems, this C book may be useful for your assignments"

 

[ofiraltarasy]

#2 seems like a good major but im not sure #1 also has alot of potential in the media industry (by media i mean advertising like making bannors of websites and monitoring the ammount of people that click on them well i dont know too much about it im still young but my entire family works into except my parents and the ones that work in media make ALOT of money)

 

[rsd]

There is a HUGE difference between learning a programming language and leaning how to program.

End of thread

 

[EKKC]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
What would you rather major in, in collage
1. PHP, Java Script, Excel and Macromedia Dreamwever

-or-

2. Computer Science and Software Engineere

Pick Either #1 or #2, if neither post what you would like to major in

#1 is not a major. if it was i wouldn't have the CS degree right now

if you're into money, pick neither. if you like web programming, #1, if you like tons of sleepless nights coding, pick #2

 

[ofiraltarasy]

Originally posted by: MathMan
You can't really major in "PHP, Javascript" etc. in college (unless you going to ITT Tech or some place like that).

Computer Science and Computer Engineering is great and all, but a lot of classes are overly broad, or far too technical to be of any real-world practical use for most IT positions.

If you can, I would go the mathematics major route, maybe with a minor in CS-- which means you can take the classes in CS you want and will actually use. But then again, what sort of advice did you expect from a guy nicknamed "MathMan"??

i dont want to go to ITT Tech i want to go to a real College and Major in #1 or at least learn them very well

 

[ofiraltarasy]

Originally posted by: EKKC

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
What would you rather major in, in collage
1. PHP, Java Script, Excel and Macromedia Dreamwever

-or-

2. Computer Science and Software Engineere

Pick Either #1 or #2, if neither post what you would like to major in

#1 is not a major. if it was i wouldn't have the CS degree right now

if you're into money, pick neither. if you like web programming, #1, if you like tons of sleepless nights coding, pick #2

Well if your into money what should you pick?

 

[akubi]

i don't think a real college offers a major in #1.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy

Originally posted by: EKKC

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
What would you rather major in, in collage
1. PHP, Java Script, Excel and Macromedia Dreamwever

-or-

2. Computer Science and Software Engineere

Pick Either #1 or #2, if neither post what you would like to major in

#1 is not a major. if it was i wouldn't have the CS degree right now

if you're into money, pick neither. if you like web programming, #1, if you like tons of sleepless nights coding, pick #2

Well if your into money what should you pick?

Going into web development or software development for the money is a VERY BAD IDEA.

 

[saymyname]

How old are you?

 

[ofiraltarasy]

17

 

[Lazy8s]

wtf kind of major is #1? That's not even a major, that's some books you picked up at Boarders. I'm a CS major, there is no substitute, and no CIS is NOT the same thing.

CS is a LOT of math and it's a difficult major. Everyone expects a CS major to be able to "fix our computer" and that's NOt what the degree is about. If we went to school to "learn windows" which windows would we learn? XP? Vista? 2000? Server 2003? What about the rest of them?

The idea of CS is to learn how an operating system works such as memory allocation, scheduling algorithms etc. How do registers work, how do you manipulate linear algebra to allow for movement? People forget that you can't look at memory address 487B236 and find the word "HI". Your processor does math and your memory stores numbers, period end of story. CS is almost a math degree.

I'm finishing up 3 undergrad classes before I go to graduate school and I haven't written a program for class in almost a year. I have, however, done a 200 page 8 1/2"x 11" notebord worth of mathematic proofs, proving either algorithm runtimes or fundamental math equations.

If you "just want to program" you don't even need a highschool education, go ahead and drop out and move to india or mexico and work for $4 an hour. If you want to be a programmer then get a degree in CS and learn to enjoy program design and writing hundreds of pages in design documents detailing down to the finest detail a program that you never actually write.

CS is about not having a programming language hold you down. You should be able to get a job (like I have this summer) and be asked to write some script along with your daily work in a language you have never written (C++ for me) and have it finished by the end of the day using google (like I did). I may not have written alot of programs but I can audit databases like a mofo and suggest ways to improve them (never actually doing it myself) and then do a 180 and code in a language I've never seen. That's what CS is.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: binister
#2 without a doubt.

But if I had to do it all over again I would skip the CS degree and get a degree in something else while taking CS classes or get a double major.

CS majors are a dime a dozen, but how many anthro major do you know that can also program? Having experience in a niche market like that will make you 1000x more marketable. Plus you will get to do something you love in addition to programming.

I'll second that. Even in technical areas like engineering, there aren't alot of people that are good engineers and decent with computer science/programming.

A buddy of mine got his CS degree but hated programming for random companies. So he went back to school and got his brewers degree and now does programming for a large microbrewery in addition to making beer. It turns out there are only 12 people in the WORLD that know how to program the various equipment used in modern beer making. He couldn't be happier.

 

[saymyname]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
17

Don't let money be the driving force. What do you like? What do you want to do for the next 50 years? You might change careers a few times but what do you at least plan on doing for the next 15 years? If you aren't sure then maybe you should do something so that you can find out. Job, internship, travel, general ed, etc.

 

[ofiraltarasy]

wow that really makes you think

 

[QED]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy

Originally posted by: MathMan
You can't really major in "PHP, Javascript" etc. in college (unless you going to ITT Tech or some place like that).

Computer Science and Computer Engineering is great and all, but a lot of classes are overly broad, or far too technical to be of any real-world practical use for most IT positions.

If you can, I would go the mathematics major route, maybe with a minor in CS-- which means you can take the classes in CS you want and will actually use. But then again, what sort of advice did you expect from a guy nicknamed "MathMan"??

i dont want to go to ITT Tech i want to go to a real College and Major in #1 or at least learn them very well

You can't go to a "real college" and major in #1. There's no such major.

You can learn them very, very well right now if you want-- even if you are in high school. Heck, even if you are in junior high and a little motivated you can pick them up rather easily.

But if I were you I wouldn't focus on one specific programming language or specific technology if you want to make a lot of money. Going to college and learning should be all about maximizing your opportunities and abilities, not narrowing them down. When you have a lot of options available to you, making good money will follow-- and you are more assured of doing something you will actually enjoy doing for a living.

I should know-- I've tried lots of things in my young career-- college prof, real estate agent, mortgage broker, business analyst, systems administrator, software development, math teacher, and entrepreneur.

 

[Lazy8s]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy

Originally posted by: EKKC

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
What would you rather major in, in collage
1. PHP, Java Script, Excel and Macromedia Dreamwever

-or-

2. Computer Science and Software Engineere

Pick Either #1 or #2, if neither post what you would like to major in

#1 is not a major. if it was i wouldn't have the CS degree right now

if you're into money, pick neither. if you like web programming, #1, if you like tons of sleepless nights coding, pick #2

Well if your into money what should you pick?

You can earn money doing CS but I would suggest you do some serious reading. I think maybe you have your priorities wrong. If you want to pick a job just for the money be a doctor. If you're asking if web design or CS makes more money that answer depends.

In the short term: Web design if you're INCREDIBLY good. The market is saturated with web designers so you have to be something special to make money. (Yes, that's a compliment to any web designer that makes a living) On the other hand the internet is still new, so are the browsers and languages used. The market could change overnight and you could be out of a job trying to learn the new stuff just to keep up.

In the long run: CS teaches you the theory of computers. It's like teaching you how to cut wood, drive a screw, use a hammer, paint. With that knowledge you could build a deck, a house, a skyscraper, or a boat. If you just want to learn how to build a house cause you think houses will make alot of money you better pray people don't stop living in houses because you'll be out of a job and you won't know how to build a boat.

 

[ofiraltarasy]

Originally posted by: saymyname

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
17

Don't let money be the driving force. What do you like? What do you want to do for the next 50 years? You might change careers a few times but what do you at least plan on doing for the next 15 years? If you aren't sure then maybe you should do something so that you can find out. Job, internship, travel, general ed, etc.

what i really want to do is Open an online retail store just like newegg and i want to build a computer empire so people like us wont have to ever build another computer again, this empire will have all the same quality as building it your self and all the same options with out the hasel of actualy building it your self and it wont be expencive

 

[Kelvrick]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy

Originally posted by: saymyname

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
17

Don't let money be the driving force. What do you like? What do you want to do for the next 50 years? You might change careers a few times but what do you at least plan on doing for the next 15 years? If you aren't sure then maybe you should do something so that you can find out. Job, internship, travel, general ed, etc.

what i really want to do is Open an online retail store just like newegg and i want to build a computer empire so people like us wont have to ever build another computer again, this empire will have all the same quality as building it your self and all the same options with out the hasel of actualy building it your self and it wont be expencive

Like dell but more options, huh?

 

[Lazy8s]

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy

Originally posted by: saymyname

Originally posted by: ofiraltarasy
17

Don't let money be the driving force. What do you like? What do you want to do for the next 50 years? You might change careers a few times but what do you at least plan on doing for the next 15 years? If you aren't sure then maybe you should do something so that you can find out. Job, internship, travel, general ed, etc.

what i really want to do is Open an online retail store just like newegg and i want to build a computer empire so people like us wont have to ever build another computer again, this empire will have all the same quality as building it your self and all the same options with out the hasel of actualy building it your self and it wont be expencive

Major: Business or Finance
Minor: maybe CS, but probably a minor in whichever major you didn't pick

Seriously, how much do you need to know about how a processor works to run newegg? None, you need to know how to create product profitability charts and analyze cost curves.