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From: reggie@dinsdale.nm.paradyne.com (George W. Leach)
Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.software-eng
Subject: Re: CS education
Message-ID: <6759@pdn.paradyne.com>
Date: 17 Nov 89 14:53:01 GMT
Article-I.D.: pdn.6759
References: <6995@hubcap.clemson.edu> <1814@naucse.UUCP>
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In article <1814@naucse.UUCP> sbw@naucse.UUCP (Steve Wampler) writes:

[stuff deleted]

>My point is that you cannot "just teach the things they'll be
>using" - you end up with truly empty courses without giving the
>students any real knowledge.  

   The things they will be using will change over time.  The
concepts that are taught can be applied much longer.

>Operating Systems (for example) is
>a valid and valuable course because it is an in depth look at
>at least one complex field within computer science and because
>(as has been said) it ties together a lot of otherwise esoteric
>topics.  I'm particularly fond of compiler courses for exactly
>the same reasons.

     These kinds of courses provide examples of applying computer
science theory to real applications.  They just don't tie together
esoteric topics but demonstrate how applying knowledge gaining in
other CS courses to real problems.

     Many apsects of compiler design can be applied to other areas.
Too often folks go off and blindly build systems.  If they had an
adquate background in other areas, they could leverage off of previous
experiences.  Even within CS we are guilty of this.  How many folks
have run off and built distributed operating systems without looking
into what work has been done in distributed databases?

>I rarely use Calculus anymore.  I constantly use the skills I
>learned in my Caluculi courses.  Had I been explicitedly taught
>those skills devoid of their *real* application, I don't believe
>I could use them as adroitly.
 

     A college education will further the ability to learn, by showing
us how to acquire and apply knowledge.  This is something you just don't
get in a trade school.



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