}�7}�7}�7��������38 1995 EST" --> ProgSoc Mailing List: Re: Club Tshirt - Re: Windows haters... WHY???

Re: Club Tshirt - Re: Windows haters... WHY???

Sammy Yousef (syousef@nospam.socs.uts.edu.au)
Tue, 12 Sep 1995 15:08:00 +1000 (EST)

On Tue, 12 Sep 1995, James 'Woody' Webster wrote:

> Actually, here is something for everyone to think about. A friend of a
> friend (who is in his early-20's) is of the opinion that computing
> degrees (CompSci, BTech, AppSci, whatever), aren't worth the paper they
> are printed on.

I would agree that what is learnt in the above degrees probably does
amount to a waste of time. On the other hand a lot of employers don't
see this. Ever tried to get a job in the Comp. Sci. arena. Usually unless
you have exceptional skills you'll be paid a lot less, and you're less
likely to be employed than if you have a degree. This is a sad fact and a
state of affairs with which I don't agree. If I had a choice I'd be out
there learning something useful only I don't want to be on about 20K for
the rest of my life. I'm speaking from experience here.

they are flexible enough to do things in a way that gets results and in
the way that they are told.......the assumption is that a person with a
degree will have a reasonable level of intelligence and basic skills in
self-management, and will not be the sort of person who goes off and
tries to do things his/her own way. As for the actual content of the
course they can't really care although they try to find someone who has
the basics in the area which they will be employed (ie they don't want to
employ an arts graduate who doesn't know RAM from spam) and who has
demostrated an affinity for what they have learnt (ie they can put up
with it for many hours a day for most of the year for many years on end)

> His opinion is that most comp.sci students are wasting
> their time at uni, time which would be better spent in industry learning
> stuff you need to know! Time management, project management, industrial
> strength coding, etc, etc. To give you some idea of his skills profile,
> I believe this gentleman has recently been offered a career working for a
> British game development software house. And, of course, he has no
> degree! You Decide!

If you have the skills and the attitude you will find work. If you have
the degree you're more secure if work is scarce.

+---------------------------------------------------------+
* "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, *
* Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." *
* *
* Hamlet Act I Scene V Catchya Later!!!!! *
* Sammy (syousef@nospam.socs.uts.edu.au) *
+---------------------------------------------------------+