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Questions About Computer Science Major and OS's

N

Nighthawk69

Golden Member
Hi there...

I am getting a laptop for use in college and I am going to be majoring in Computer Science. Now, I'm really eager to get into Linux since I get more fed up with Windows as the days go by, but I would like to know if running only Linux on a computer that I will be using in class for notes and programming would be a good idea? How much Windows specific coding will I be doing? Unfortunately, my guess is that most things will be Windows specific, except for Java stuff, especially when I start working on DirectX stuff on my own... am I correct?

Suggestions and opinions are welcome! 😀
 
If it requires a certain OS it is probably not worth the time or effort. Unless of course you are trying to study something specific (ie MCSE type of thing). Just my opinion. The short time I spent in school I very rarely needed a Windows OS. The only thing I can think of (besides the silly "This is how you use a computer" type classes) was a class where I could not find a compiler for the linux platform.
 
I have almost no experience with Linux, but think that after you learn your way around it, it will do fine in your situation. In my experience with CS classes, the professors liked the basic unix compilers for java and c. I think those come in all the major linux distributions.
 


<< I have almost no experience with Linux, but think that after you learn your way around it, it will do fine in your situation. In my experience with CS classes, the professors liked the basic unix compilers for java and c. I think those come in all the major linux distributions. >>



My UNIX instructor bashed UNIX on a daily basis 😛
 
look at your school's curriculum. The courses required for your major will be layed out, and the year you enroll its sorta frozen as a contract for you. Just read the descriptions to see what you'll need. I really doubt you'll see any DirectX.

bart
 
I would just advise that you know your compliers inside and out. Chances are, your professors (at least with intro level, java, c++) will teach the class assuming a Windows compiler. The code is the same of course, but the mechanics of the compilers can be very different.

It is also my experience that most comp sci professors can barely turn their PCs on, much less use different compilers. Usually if you ask them questions about a 'foreign" complier, you get blank looks.
 
Thanks for the advise STaSh, I'm sure that after using it for a bit I will become familiar enough with it to use it in class.

One other question: Do the classes actually consist of compiling programs and working on them, or are CS classes usually just learning and taking notes? (trying to plan how best to use my laptop in class 😀 )

Thanks!
 


<< Thanks for the advise STaSh, I'm sure that after using it for a bit I will become familiar enough with it to use it in class.

One other question: Do the classes actually consist of compiling programs and working on them, or are CS classes usually just learning and taking notes? (trying to plan how best to use my laptop in class 😀 )

Thanks! >>



In the classes I took I probably should have taken notes. My C class especially, but I couldnt understand the teacher so I sat in the back copying code out of the book and fixing it. I did some compiling/coding, and some lectures in that class. Another class was all lecture with coding on my own time. So its basically up to the professor.
 
Ahh, I see. It'll be nice to take notes on the laptop and be able to switch right over to a compiler and give it a try! 😀
 


<< Ahh, I see. It'll be nice to take notes on the laptop and be able to switch right over to a compiler and give it a try! 😀 >>



Virtual terminals 😉

Or if you are the gooey type, multiple xterms 😛
 
I don't know how CS is generally taught, but in my experience you don't need a PC in the lectures. Your responsibility in a lecture is to listen, learn and ask questions.

You will need one for any labs (which are usually well-stocked with PCs). And for homework and programming projects as well.

There are of course theoretical CS courses where a PC isn't used as much (sometimes not at all). Theoretical CS isn't nearly as popular because it's basically closer to higher math than it is to computer engineering.

As far as the warning about VStudio compilers, you don't need to worry about it unless your school has sold out to Mickeysoft.
 
Please lets try to stop hating on Microsoft people don't sell out to ms you have a choice linux ms or macs whatever you prefer. Its amazing our country is supposed to be the place where business can thrive but low and behold after you get so big your considered a monoply and something just has to be done about those people. Damn linux people are relentless.
 


<< Please lets try to stop hating on Microsoft people don't sell out to ms you have a choice linux ms or macs whatever you prefer. Its amazing our country is supposed to be the place where business can thrive but low and behold after you get so big your considered a monoply and something just has to be done about those people. Damn linux people are relentless. >>



What is more of a problem, and you should care about more, is the education of some of these "coolege" [sic] students get. But I will give my standard response to this kind of crap. Go away 🙂
 
Thanks all! I appreciate your help!

manly: Yeah, I may not _need_ one, but I think it would make taking and organizing my notes much easier than on paper, since they have a tendency to disappear when they are written down, at least at times in my case, and if they are on a laptop I have them at all times when I'm programming, plus they are easily legible and I type faster than I write 🙂

Thanks again! 😀
 


<<

<< monoply >>


that stuff is harsh on the bum. >>



hahah, good one. i'd love to wipe my arse with microsoft anyday.
 
watts3000,

In all fairness to you, allow me to elaborate.

Unlike some Microsoft fanboys in these forums, I generally don't "hate" without cause or rationale.

In this case, I have a CS degree so I'm fairly qualified to comment. The issue boils down to if a university chooses GCC or Sun's Java2 SDK for undergrad programming, the students can get their work done on virtually *any* platform of their choice.

If the school chooses VStudio, which is known to have a less than standard C++ compiler (not to mention proprietary APIs and frameworks), it could be causing its students a lot of grief. Either they use VStudio on Windows as well, or they can't guarantee their code will work on the platform the TAs use to grade.

So in this case, a person's choice can be *directly* tied to the institution's curriculum standards.

Usually, I'll jump right into the anti-trust issues, but in this case, I'll stay on topic and only explain *exactly* why my opinion stands.
 
Manly point taken I'm in college right know. I'm doing a major in information systems and accounting. At our school we have labs that are all linux and unix based and we have some that are all windows bases. Most of our c classess we programmed on a linux unix box. After that we did the rest of our c++ and visual basic on windows boxes. I like them all unix linux and ms. I even still like novell for networking file and print servers. But it just amazes me how our society attacks any successful business. Think about it the bottom line is about bringing in the revenue. In this country if you bring in to much revenue you are considered a monolopy. Ok I agree with the entire world the first ms antitrust case was justified. But the rest of these cases that sprang up are pollitically driven. What I mean by that is that most politicians have financial backers part of the politicians getting financial support was agreeing that they would lobby against ms if they were elected.Futhermore ms is a world power thats from our country hell you all should be supporting them if I remember right linux was not engineered in america. And by ms being a world power thats an americian company our government is not really going to punish them.
 
if you are a smart and wise computer science major then you would not limit yourself to one school of thought. during your courses of study you will be taught many different ideas of computing. Some work better in windows and some work better in unix. But here some people will claim that Linux is the way to go. be cautious because when you go and apply for jobs people want rounded people. Can you do the job now with what we have. not what you think we need. keep that in mind. learn all that you can.
i would know because I am a computer science major at UAB.
 
watts3000,

No offense, but take an economics class sometime that covers anti-trust and then re-visit this discusssion.

You are correct that there is political and financial motivation for other tech companies to see Microsoft punished.

However, let's be crystal clear. It's perfectly legal to be a monopoly (and in the case of operating systems, most IT managers prefer it that way).

What Microsoft is guilty of is abusing its monopoly to limit competition in the marketplace. The United States has laws that specifically outlaw such behavior. Microsoft's illegal actions are *well* documented.

As far as lobbying and campaign finance goes, that's a completely separate issue (although I do see your point).

Frankly, your opinion that Microsoft should be supported because it's American is ridiculous. They blatantly and repeatedly broke the law, and they should pay for it. That's a central tenet of American justice. Furthermore, the government has tried repeatedly in the past to get Microsoft to operate within the law. They chose to break such agreements reached with the government.

Should we support Philip Morris too because they are American? It's a shame the Bush administration has directed the DoJ to not punish the guilty party, when it's very clear they have committed illegal abuse of their monopoly power, continue to do so, and plan to do so for the foreseeable future.
 
You could always get yourself a linux ready windows laptop and setup a dual boot.

That's what I did... Now I can run almost anything anywhere for class and at home...
 
Nighthawk69, it's hard to say because Computer Science departments at different colleges have different ways of doing things. What college will you be attending? Most CS departments make extensive use of *nix operating systems and many actually use Linux to help teach about operating systems. When I was in college, we used SunOS(a Unix-like OS)-based Sun workstations and shell accounts on *nix mini-computers for our programming environment for most CS classes.

Linux is good for a CS student because Linux distributions come with compilers for almost every programming language. You won't have to buy a development tool to do C++ programming the way you would for Windows.

The only problem you might have is if you take a CS class that's going to be using Microsoft Visual C++ for your programming assignments. If you do, I'm pretty sure they'll have PCs running Windows in a lab somewhere you can use for Visual C++. You'll still be able to edit your C++ source on your Linux laptop. You'll just have to wait until you get to the lab to be able to compile it.

In another post you asked, "Do the classes actually consist of compiling programs and working on them, or are CS classes usually just learning and taking notes?" In most CS classes you'll mostly listen to the professor and take notes. You'll have programming assignments and projects to do outside of class. Many 1st and 2nd year CS classes have both classroom and lab time. For example, you'll go to class 50 minutes Mon, Wed, & Fri and to a programming lab 2 hours 1 day a week. The lab is run by a graduate student, and he'll give you programming assignments related to what you're learning from the professor in class.
 


<< Futhermore ms is a world power thats from our country hell you all should be supporting them if I remember right linux was not engineered in america >>



RedHat is an American company.

Over all I support an OS that was not started in the US and would never move its base of operations into America. Why? Because of our draconian laws. I consider this a good thing and will continue to support my OS of choice, despite their non-American roots. The US sucks for software development. Too many rules.
 
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