[ale] Sort of OT: College Majors

[Bob Toxen]

On Mon, Nov 15, 2004 at 09:34:02PM -0500, Parker McGee wrote:
> This past weekend I went to Ga Tech's Connect with Tech program. 
> Going into it, I was all "Yeah, I'm going to major in Comp Sci, no one
> can convince me to do anything else!!"  Now, they've convinced me.
Computer Programming as a decent well-paying profession is DEAD in
the U.S. (and Europe).  Pick another Major (lots of Engineering
possibilities, possibly Pre-Law, Business, etc.)

Someone I know graduated this summer with a CompSci degree, could not
find anything in Atlanta, moved to Washington, DC, where the economy is
better with our tax dollars propping it up through Defense Contractors.
Still, with the added priority of being a Disabled Veteran still didn't
get a job until he sent out hundreds of resumes and his job is nothing
great.  He is working a second job to help pay bills and is looking for
something better.

The party is over for Programmers!
...
> Meanwhile, I was meeting a lot of the other Comp Sci hopefuls, and
> realized that a lot of them were the typical "l33t" computer user. 
> "Whoa!  A degree!  With computers?!  And I can build video games!?!?!?
>  I'm in!!  Wait... science?  Crap!"  And also, a lot of the Comp Sci
> majors were even like that!  I don't think I could stand working with
> people like that day in and day out for the rest of my life.
The incompetents may not survive a good CompSci program but they'll still
do as well as anyone else since most managers cannot tell bleep from
shinola.

> A good story: One of the high schoolers at the program talked all day
> about how he was going to do computer science and nothing else; how he
> loved computers and such.  Then, I was sitting behind him in the Study
> Abroad seminar when the speaker said "Oxford College's dorms were
> built in the 1300s but they even have Cat5 wiring now!"  He turned to
> the person sitting next to him and asked "What's Cat5?"
That's a hardware detail left to the lowly SysAdmins (from a programmer's
perspective).

> Also, it seems like I'm going to be bored out of my mind for the AT
> LEAST the first two years in the Comp Sci curriculum.  It's something
> that I've enjoyed so much for the past two years that I've practically
> taught myself 2+ years of college material.  I don't mean to brag,
> that's just how it goes.  I think I can teach myself the rest of the
> things I would be able to learn in that degree in another two years. 
> The Internet is an amazing thing.  Going back to being a sponge for
> information, I don't think I can take, much less want to take,
> spending two years of college, when I could be learning tons, just
> relearning things.

> A good part of me wants to go get my PhD and become a college
> professor.  Now, if it's people like my Cat5 friend up there that I'm
> going to have to teach, I don't want any part of it.  I'm sure every
> major has their "l33t krew" but it seems like Comp Sci has more than
> its fair share.  I really enjoy the really out-there theory and almost
> philosophy based AI theory.  A good part of the reason I want to be a
> professor is that I will always have an excuse to learn something new.
>  Like if I want to learn about a new Physics theory, I could just go
> ask my friend the Physics professor.  I feel like in a 40 hour-a-week
> job, I'm limited, and learning new things would have to be put on the
> back burner as opposed to more of a "How can this information help my
> company earn more money?" Because of this and my enjoyment of the
> Physics class I took, I'm starting to get pulled me away from a Comp
> Sci degree.  I honestly don't know what to do.

> Part of me says pure Physics sounds interesting, but then I question,
> "Well, what if I decide that PhD isn't for me?  What do I do with just
> a Physics degree?"  The main majors I'm starting to lean towards are
> Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering.  I'm still, of
> course, thinking that maybe things aren't so bad as I think in
> Computer Science and I should give it a shot.  I honestly feel that I
> could major in anything and still be interested in it.  What I'm
> currently leaning towards is Electrical Engineering with an emphasis
> in Comp Sci, but then I go back to my original problem which is now
> amplified, I don't have enough electives to get past the boring stuff
> into the things that will actually be interesting to me.

> I really don't know what I should do.  Does anyone have any
> recommendations, particularly personal insights?  Anything is
> hugely(!!!) welcome!  Thanks!!

> Parker McGee

Bob Toxen
bob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]
http://www.verysecurelinux.com        [Network&Linux/Unix security consulting]
http://www.realworldlinuxsecurity.com [My book:"Real World Linux Security 2/e"]
Quality Linux & UNIX security and SysAdmin & software consulting since 1990.

"Microsoft: Unsafe at any clock speed!"
   -- Bob Toxen 10/03/2002