By the end of my first semester, I was using functions as first class values. Throw in functions as member data of structs, and you have objects. The gradual transition to full-fledged Java was an absolute cinch the second semester, as has been the transition to learning any other language after being exposed to the functional concepts of Scheme.
Plus, they have no clue when it comes to writing good solid efficient code.. Statements like this just exemplify your complete ignorance and stupidity.
You could not get hired as a developer at Microsoft.
Couldn't Blizzard somehow implement using captchas to catch bots?
I don't play WoW but I would think that there must be at least 10 seconds of "free time" every half hour (or hour, whatever) during which a player could be prompted to answer a captcha. The captchas could be heuristically delivered, etc.
I think this would be a fail-proof way of weeding out the bots.
But beyond that- I just don't see any way for a young person graduating from high school to become a software engineer anymore. Sure, you can probably get the 4 years of schooling. But you'll be competing with people who earn $2.50/hr halfway around the world when it comes to getting experience. And that's not a winning bet when it comes to paying back your $40,000 of student loans it will take to get that Bachelor's degree
Allow me to take this opportunity to flaunt Northeastern University's co-op program. At NEU, 6 month co-ops are incorporated into our undergradute (and graduate) curriculum. After your sophomore year, you essentially take classes for 6 months, and then work for 6 months, and alternate until you graduate. It's a great program -- companies get to hire help cheaply, and students gain experience working with real technologies in the real world. It is a perfect solution to the catch 22 situation that "you need experience to get a job, and you need a job to get experience."
By the time I have my bachelor's degree next Spring, I will have 18 months of industry experience. I worked with low level embedded systems at my first co-op (loved it), decided to try something new for my second co-op, and ended up writing backend applications for Wall Street (that was interesting), and now I'm on my final co-op for a Big Company out in Silicon Valley. I am completely confident in my ability to find a job after I graduate, and that confidence is absolutely due to NEU's co-op program.
And oh yeah, I'm getting a kick-ass education, too.
That is really unfortunate. My text editor allows me to customize the tabstop length with a single command, and could have rendered that discussion moot.
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I recommend Menomena's website, here, for any font or color scheme related inspiration.
I wish I could mod parent up.
Scheme is absolutely a better pedagogical choice.
Northeastern University also uses Scheme in their introductory course (see How To Design Programs).
By the end of my first semester, I was using functions as first class values. Throw in functions as member data of structs, and you have objects. The gradual transition to full-fledged Java was an absolute cinch the second semester, as has been the transition to learning any other language after being exposed to the functional concepts of Scheme.
I only wish more people could "see the light".
Couldn't Blizzard somehow implement using captchas to catch bots? I don't play WoW but I would think that there must be at least 10 seconds of "free time" every half hour (or hour, whatever) during which a player could be prompted to answer a captcha. The captchas could be heuristically delivered, etc. I think this would be a fail-proof way of weeding out the bots.
Allow me to take this opportunity to flaunt Northeastern University's co-op program. At NEU, 6 month co-ops are incorporated into our undergradute (and graduate) curriculum. After your sophomore year, you essentially take classes for 6 months, and then work for 6 months, and alternate until you graduate. It's a great program -- companies get to hire help cheaply, and students gain experience working with real technologies in the real world. It is a perfect solution to the catch 22 situation that "you need experience to get a job, and you need a job to get experience."
By the time I have my bachelor's degree next Spring, I will have 18 months of industry experience. I worked with low level embedded systems at my first co-op (loved it), decided to try something new for my second co-op, and ended up writing backend applications for Wall Street (that was interesting), and now I'm on my final co-op for a Big Company out in Silicon Valley. I am completely confident in my ability to find a job after I graduate, and that confidence is absolutely due to NEU's co-op program.
And oh yeah, I'm getting a kick-ass education, too.
That is really unfortunate. My text editor allows me to customize the tabstop length with a single command, and could have rendered that discussion moot.