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GeekNights 070108 - Computer Majors

RymRym
edited January 2007 in Technology
Tonight on GeekNights, we explain the differences between all of those computer majors, including Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Microelectronic Engineering, and more. In the news, Macworld and the Consumer Electronics Show are coming, and Ubuntu adds more support for useful yet not entirely free code.

Scott's Thing - Autopsy Prank
Rym's Thing - Istanbul

Comments

  • SailSail
    They Might Be Giants FTW!
  • VentureJVentureJ
    Awesome. I inspired a GeekNights episode.
  • CremlianCremlian
    edited January 2007
    Those music videos from Tiny Toons were so my first exposure to TMBG, and I still love them to this day. Smart move by TMBG. They definitely gained a ton of fans because they let Tiny Toons use their song.

    My friend the apostrophe is rarely used for pluralization. Do not worry about those very rare instances. You will not be scolded for missing them, because it is a topic of grammatical dispute. Your best bet is to never use apostrophes to pluralize. -Mr. Period
    Post edited by Apreche on
  • MagL33ToMagL33To
    This was a great episode, thanks Scrym! I'm in my 2nd year of a 3 year BSc in Comp Sci.
  • AprecheApreche
    Awesome. I inspired a GeekNights episode.
    You were not the first.
  • VentureJVentureJ
    Awesome. I inspired a GeekNights episode.
    You were not the first.
    Yeah, I'm pretty sure I wasn't. Either way, my comment helped spur the episode along. It was a really informative episode, and yes. I would really like a "GeekFable" episode regarding your experiences getting INTO college. You've never done one of those.
  • MarcusNobleMarcusNoble
    Not sure if they mentioned this, but another thing to make sure of when looking for a college is to make sure that it is accredited in the state in which it is located. Otherwise the degree you earn is no more than just a piece of paper.
  • PilitusPilitus
    In response to one of your early comments in this episode: If you like playing around in Photoshop, or posting your stuff up on Deviant art, then hell no CS, IT, CE, and any of the majors mentioned in this class. You probably want to be doing an art major that uses the computer to create the art: Graphic Design and Printing are the two primary ones I can think of.
  • AprecheApreche
    In response to one of your early comments in this episode: If you like playing around in Photoshop, or posting your stuff up on Deviant art, then hell no CS, IT, CE, and any of the majors mentioned in this class. You probably want to be doing an art major that uses the computer to create the art: Graphic Design and Printing are the two primary ones I can think of.
    Isn't that what we said?
  • PilitusPilitus
    You said that you didn't want to do CS et al, but you didn't mention any suggestions or other avenues. You mention New Media passingly, but I though here, away from the flow of the podcast, would be a good place to mention other ways of applying a love for computers if you don't like coding or aren't obsessed with computers.
  • ErwinErwin
    edited January 2007
    Wacky Land was pretty awesome. Those anyone remember those old SNES Tiny Toons. You know the ones that are like sports games. Those anyone know if they are gonna be release on the virtual Wii ?
    Post edited by Erwin on
  • navelfluffnavelfluff
    Is there something wrong with today's feed? Juice found today's episode, but didn't start the download. The only other new podcast I got today worked fine.
  • SymmetrySymmetry
    I wouldn't have divided the lines between the more hardware oriented disciplines the same way, but whatever. Both my degree and job description say "Electrical Engineer" and right now I'm laying out printed circuit boards and writing firmware for a living.

    Oh, and do the world a favor and don't learn Basic. Learn either a language that teaches you important things like some flavor of Lisp or Assembly, or baring that a language thats actually useful like C++. Most of what you learn from Basic is just bad habits.
  • AprecheApreche

    Oh, and do the world a favor and don't learn Basic. Learn either a language that teaches you important things like some flavor of Lisp or Assembly, or baring that a language thats actually useful like C++. Most of what you learn from Basic is just bad habits.
    BASIC teaches its namesake, the basics. The concepts you will learn programming in BASIC carry over into pretty much every procedural and object oriented language out there. It's certainly not a useful language, but knowing it is enough to get you through CS 101.

    Lisp and Assembler really aren't languages any beginner should go for. They are very different from most other languages out there, and the concepts do not carry over into general programming knowledge. These are languages you learn when the need arises, they are not learning languages. I would even argue that C++ is not as useful today as it has been in the past. The key is to learn the fundamental concepts of procedural and object oriented programming. If you master that, you will be able to learn the specific syntax of any language in a matter of days.

    I actually recommend Python as a great learning language these days.
  • SailSail
    edited January 2007
    Yep, TMBG is my favorite band of all-time. My first exposure to them was on a Nickelodeon show called Kablam! when they showed this video. And it's been bliss ever since.

    If I had to choose a "Geekiest Band of All-Time", I would pretend to think about it for a second, then say They Might Be Giants.

    Got-damn, that week without my computer really put me behind on my podcasts. I can't wait to listen to this episode, but I have to listen to the others first =P
    Post edited by Sail on
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    Great episode, up there with the Wii review.

    C/C++ is still the best language out there and anyone who wants to be a programmer should know the basics of C.
  • AprecheApreche

    C/C++ is still the best language out there and anyone who wants to be a programmer should know the basics of C.
    Do I have to do an episode now explaining how no language is better than any other?
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve
    edited January 2007

    C/C++ is still the best language out there and anyone who wants to be a programmer should know the basics of C.
    Do I have to do an episode now explaining how no language is better than any other?
    No, because we already know which one is best :)
    Post edited by HMTKSteve on
  • AprecheApreche

    C/C++ is still the best language out there and anyone who wants to be a programmer should know the basics of C.
    Do I have to do an episode now explaining how no language is better than any other?
    No, because we already which one is best :)
    Verb?
  • HMTKSteveHMTKSteve

    C/C++ is still the best language out there and anyone who wants to be a programmer should know the basics of C.
    Do I have to do an episode now explaining how no language is better than any other?
    No, because we already which one is best :)
    Verb?
    It's what you do!
  • SailSail
    What's the difference between Information Systems and Information Technology?
  • PagePage
    And Scott is right, Gogo Dodo for the win.
  • SailSail
    edited July 2008
    What's the difference between Information Systems and Information Technology?
    I need to ask about this again, because I need have all this college stuff figured out really soon. A ton of schools on the west coast seem to have dropped IT since the last time I checked and some of them replaced it with this "Information Systems" major. I'm really really confused and a little panicked. I need help.

    [Edit] Okay, I've sort of figured this out. IS is basically Business with some technology on the side. So, unless I go to the local community college, I pretty much have to go out of state. I'm seriously considering pulling a YoshoKatana and taking out a ridiculous loan to leave for some faraway IT school.
    Post edited by Sail on
  • ChaseChase
    What's the difference between Information Systems and Information Technology?
    I need to ask about this again, because I need have all this college stuff figured out really soon. A ton of schools on the west coast seem to have dropped IT since the last time I checked and some of them replaced it with this "Information Systems" major. I'm really really confused and a little panicked. I need help.

    [Edit] Okay, I've sort of figured this out. IS is basically Business with some technology on the side. So, unless I go to the local community college, I pretty much have to go out of state. I'm seriously considering pulling a YoshoKatana and taking out a ridiculous loan to leave for some faraway IT school.
    I've graduated with a degree in Information Systems, however I am assuming its different over here in the UK as its not specifically "business with IT". IS was perfect for me because it mixed many elements from programming to HCI, and in the later years you got to hone in on a specific area of IT.
  • RymRym
    RIT is pretty-much the very best IT school in the US, possibly the world. While you certainly don't have to attend RIT, use its program as a yardstick for others.
  • JukeBoxJoshJukeBoxJosh
    Yep, TMBG is my favorite band of all-time. My first exposure to them was on a Nickelodeon show called Kablam! when they showedthis video. And it's been bliss ever since.
    I can't believe they did this song, too! It's been on my computer forever, but I never knew who it was. It was my favorite song when I used to watch CN all the time!
  • m16 elitestm16 elitest
    Listening to this podcast made me realize how much guidance counselor knew. He knew exactly what IT was and how to obtain a degree in our city; off the top of his head. He also knew some basic differences between Network Engineering, Computer Engineering and Computer Science. He was a good counselor.
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