[ale] CS Degree necessary?

[Geoffrey]

James P. Kinney III wrote:

> A degree makes the difference between a "job" and  "career". Without the
> degree, you _will_ get passed up on promotions even if you are the best
> coder in company.


Jogged some more cobwebs with that one.  My brother's title is 
Electrical Engineer, although he does not have a degree.  He did 7 years 
in the Navy working on flight simulators.  He now works for a company 
designing and testing the electrical systems in simulators.  He can code 
circles around anyone.  Yet, he's been told more than once that the lack 
of the parchment is holding him back.  He went back to school for a 
while, but with three kids (1 college, 1 high school, 1 middle) and the 
job (he travels to Europe alot) it was too much.

So, although all companies are not the same, there's at least two 
examples of the necessity of the paper.

But, the original question was, which one, right?  Back when I started 
working for AT&T, the basic premise was, get a college degree and you'll 
get promoted.  Didn't matter what it was in.  On down the road that 
changed to, get a business degree.  Further, the hot item was a 
technical degree.  So, things change.  I started out going to school 
part time when it was 'get a degree.'  Fortunately for me (pure luck) I 
went for the CS.  When I finished, I was promoted, while others stayed 
in place with their liberal arts degrees.


-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

"...the system (Microsoft passport) carries significant risks to users that
are not made adequately clear in the technical documentation available."
- David P. Kormann and Aviel D. Rubin, AT&T Labs - Research
- http://www.avirubin.com/passport.html


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