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Linux Foundation Shares LinuxCon Highlights (linuxfoundation.org)
An anonymous Slashdot reader writes:
The Linux Foundation held its "LinuxCon Europe" this week, "where developers, sys admins, architects and all types and levels of technical talent gather together under one roof for education, collaboration and problem-solving to further the Linux platform." They've now updated their web site with photos and slide presentations.
The 44 presentations included a talk about Linux kernel security subsystem by kernel developer James Morris and an interesting talk by GitHub's Carol Smith arguing that mandatory math requirements can create a "steep barrier to entry" for people trying to launch programming careers. Karsten Gerloff also described how Siemens is making "strategic" use of free software.
The 44 presentations included a talk about Linux kernel security subsystem by kernel developer James Morris and an interesting talk by GitHub's Carol Smith arguing that mandatory math requirements can create a "steep barrier to entry" for people trying to launch programming careers. Karsten Gerloff also described how Siemens is making "strategic" use of free software.
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Removing math from programing?
Is he/she serious? It's required to understand the functions and computer languages. Without it you can't properly make code!
Mandatory math requirements are also creating steep barriers to entry for electricians.
I'm doing work so I couldn't look at this article the two links are downloads not allowed. The other link wants my e-mail address.
When I have taken the other computers off of network I can look but what was the point of doing that?
I agree, we should get rid of the math requirement, but we should change it to physics
Most programming does not need all that complex of math, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and sometimes raised to the power.
Gaming / Science / Crypto / AI / Robotics based programing jobs for the most part are the exceptions, most other programming is very basic in the math.
Seriously man, What is Relational Algebra, dude?
After going through the pdf, she has decided that set theory and logic is not part of maths, when of course it is.
It is how maths is taught that she is moaning about, and how some maths' equations are used to teach programming.
And UI design is not programming, it is graphic design.
Teaching programming, good luck with that idea. I don't think there has ever been an instance of a programmer who has been taught coding by another. Those who learn to program, tend to learn by doing, reinforced with a definitive manual. That's probably the same with Maths actually. Teachers of those subjects tend to get in the way of those with the ability and interest in that subject. The education system is generally just an extension of the governmental control system, not really serving any purpose than iper serts own. How did Pink Floyd put it, 'We don't need no education, We don't need no thought control."
It appears, she wants to change education and how some companies view education when it comes to hiring programmers, but she doesn't seem to want to actually just program. If she wanted to program, then she would just program. Learning to program, just how other programmers learnt to program, by themselves with a computer, it really is that simple or hard.
Based on her LinkedIn profile, GitHub's Carol Smith has a BA in journalism and hasn't worked as a programmer. She's managed programs like Google's Summer of Code, but that hardly qualifies her to talk about the actual work of programming and its requirements.
Looking at the slides, she seems a little confused. She wants to separate math and programming, even though solving a mathematical problem and solving a programming problem are basically the same thing. She also uses databases as an example of something that doesn't require math. She seems to think that programmers only need math when they have to write a program that performs a "math" calculation. "Math" seems to mainly consist of arithmetic and polynomial equations. Logic for example is left out in the cold and rain as it's not included in her definition of math.
that anti math thing is very saddening and i hope that wicked suggestion doesn't become a reality kids coming out from many university are stupid enough don't make it worse!
...that would see a flood of students in the "Programming" courses, because suddenly there's a major that results in lucrative jobs that doesn't require math classes.
We better do it. It'll solve the H1B problem.
-- sigs cause cancer.
Math Lite == Bud Lite
It looks good until you actually try it.
In GOD we trust, all others we monitor.
If you're having a hard time understanding what 'x' and 'y' mean in equations and how to manipulate equations in basic ways, I'd be surprised if you don't also have a hard time understanding what 'var foo' means in a program and how to manipulate programs with variables in basic ways.
If we're talking about basic algebra only, it's about manipulating simple equations with variables, and understanding the notion of what a variable is and why it's ok to reason about equations without caring what value is in a variable. Many people have a hard time understanding that concept in school until it clicks, if it ever does. It seems to me program variables are a similar concept.
Of course you can still get by and do useful things with computers without understanding variables. See for example HTML & copy-pasting scripts to get a job done while thinking of the script-authoring as an "advanced" skill. There's a big market of people who work that way, it does work for them and it's useful.
Next conference, at the closing ceremony, Lennart Poettering will be burned in effigy.