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From: jrj1047@ultb.UUCP (J.R. Jarrett)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: CS education
Message-ID: <1593@ultb.UUCP>
Date: 9 Nov 89 21:40:14 GMT
References: <9734@june.cs.washington.edu> <34705@regenmeister.uucp>
Reply-To: jrj1047@ultb.UUCP (J.R. Jarrett )
Followup-To: comp.edu
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology, Information Systems
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In article <34705@regenmeister.uucp> chrisp@regenmeister.uucp (Chris Prael) writes:
>There is a basic set of disciplines to engineering.  This set seems to
>be well taught in civil and mechanical engineering curricula and less
>well in electronic engineering curricula.  The set seems to be taught
>little or not at all in the typical computer science curriculum.
 
Yes, I agree there is a basic set of disciplines to engineering.
However, they are based on *physical* laws (How much force can a piece
of steel take before it collapses, etc...)  Software is an *artificial*
construct, much more complex than a bridge, or circuit.  Perhaps an
oversimplification, but you get the idea.

>> What did you learn?
>
>Between a math BS (from UW) and 5 years of motor racing, I learned to be
>a pretty effective engineer of software.

Ah, there's a big difference between a Mathematics (especially a pure
math degree) and a CS degree.  I have a BA with majors in both math and
computer science.  In the computer science curriculum, I learned about
such fun things as finite state machines, data flow diagrams, and
operating systems :-}.  But, in math, I learned how to attack problems,
systematically solve them and show how they were solved.  With that kind
of background, one can learn to do anything (ok, an exaggeration! :-)))

With a math degree, you're more flexible.  I think CS should take a look
at sucessful mathematics programs and try to become a bit more like
them.

-- 
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Jim Jarrett, Rochester Institute of Technology        |
|  (716) 271-7019  jrj1047@ultb.isc.rit.edu             |
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