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From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate)
Newsgroups: net.cse
Subject: Value of CS Degree (round the next)
Message-ID: <196@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Mar-86 09:34:24 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.196
Posted: Tue Mar 11 09:34:24 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 14-Mar-86 05:46:13 EST
References: <767@harvard.UUCP>
Organization: U of Maryland, Computer Science Dept., College Park, MD
Lines: 28


>Some of you out there seem to think that the abilities of a coworker,
>colleague, or prospective employee can be reduced to a simple "University
>of Texas, 1982, B.S., C.S.".  Well, a diploma by itself doesn't say anything
>about how much creative insight, self-discipline, ability to learn, common
>sense, "deep understanding", ability to work with others, experience, or
>broad knowledge its owner has.  Whatever his or her diploma says, a college
>graduate may or may not have major side interests, which may or may not
>be appropriate for the particular position (s)he has or is applying for.

>For example, if you had a position open for a researcher in the state-of-
>the-art computer graphics, and Richard Feynman and my friend-Teddy-with-a-
>C.S.-degree applied for the job, which should you hire?  My answer is Richard
>Feynman, because he is a genius, while Teddy is not, despite the fact that
>Feynman's degree is in physics.

Unfortunately, Feynman is presently employed.  When the choice is between my-
friend_Teddy-with-a-BSCS and my-friend-Eddie-with-a-BSEE, I'm going to hire
Teddy 90% of the time.  Most college graduates are not genuises, and
personally, I'd rather have some testimonial that a person (a) is capable of
learning at the the college level, abd (b) knows something about computer
science.  THAT's what a CS degree means.

Of course, this isn't the whole story.  One would like a little spark of
imagination and various other desirable qualities.  This is why we have
interviews.

C. Wingate