I got my CE, but I am finding I want more CS like experience now.
It is possible to get a CE because it is more general and opens more doors (to both the software and engineering sides of the industry) and then take vocational courses for upgrading progamming skills.
The university I attended only taught us programming theory, and concepts in UNIX and at best Linux. Now I am developing almost entirely in Windows. The only place that will teach Windows like stuff is a vocational college.
Get the CE for demonstrating competience in many areas, and then specialize and fine tune your programming knowledge with VO courses in what you really like (be it Java, MFC, Oracle, IBM, Sun or whatever). They'll teach you to actually work with stuff in the real world, and you'll be able to apply the theory you learned in university.
After completing a CE and having worked in the industry for about 2 years..
My CE involved a lot more math than CS. I had a friend go through CS and he had a lot more programming courses, and general science. I had more engineering classes, less general science. I had more math (calculus flavor) than he did. Expect almost every engineering class to include lots of math. CS courses are likely to be more programming.
My friend been working as a programmer/analyst for the last year and a half. I've had a bit more variety - I've been in IT, worked on the control and automation side of engineering (PLCs, HMI and the like) and now for the last year been doing software development (code monkey).
It seems like CE opened more doors for me (on both the engineering side of the industry and the software side of the industry). I'm also able to go out and solve problems that involve control systems, software and hardware - I have a little bit of everything. If you like dabling in different things CE is a good choice.
On the down side, I feel I am not as effective a computer programmer or software engineer compared to a CS. This can be fixed with self-teaching, or practical courses from technical institutions.
Money? About the same at the start for a CS or CE.
I've found after 2 years that I enjoy software far more than hardware integration / implementation. Its far more rewarding and satisfying to solve problems in software and write programs that DO something. I'm considering taking some practical courses to pad the experience side in software.
I wish sometimes I could read the full version of my favorite magazines online (instead of toned down versions), or pay for just the articles I wanted to read.
This system would be very useful in some cases.
Advertising would remain useful in some places.
Some information will always be given away.
I think there is a vacuum when it comes to making small donations (tips or micropayments) on the internet, as Visa/Mastercard are overkill for small amounts. There isn't enough incentive for big banks to go into this, or they don't know how. There is a need however.
I've already made my donation to the EFF... Have you?
I'm a Canadian, but I know that whatever materializes in the US will pretty much permeat the rest of the world. The battle is being fought in the US, and needs to be won in the US. And thats where I want my donation to go.
I went looking for an webmail service some time ago for the same reason, and that I was moving a lot and was tired of having to constantly retire email addresses and get new ones with different ISPs.
A really good web site that sums up all free webmail services is : http://www.emailaddresses.com/
Particularly, check their free POP/IMAP-webmail providers. Also has reviews and user comments, and feature comparisons.
Through them I found www.mailandnews.com, which is my current favorite webmail. mailandnews offers 10MB email space, address book, email forwarding, POP3/IMAP, both unsecure and secure servers for webmail, and very little in the way of intrusive advertising. Its very good for reliability and is pretty fast.
At the time when I needed a keyboard for my Palmpilot Personal (512kb) the only choice around was the GoType. I've been using it for about 2 years now and am quite happy with it.
The keys are large enough for comfortable typing, they could use to be larger. It does not drain batteries excessively. I've cranked out some large amounts of text in relatively short times and haven't found myself cursing the size of the keys.
My only complaint is that: the driver I am currently using with Hackmaster will occasionally require me to power down and power back up for the keyboard to work (this only happens after a 'timeout' shutdown, not a manual shutdown). This problem is probably fixed with new driver versions though.
After suffering at the hands of SCMS on my minidisc I won't be buying into any SDMI devices anyway. They can crack it whenever and however they like, I'm staying open format thank you.
How about beating all these companies at their own game by creating open-source, freely available content creation/trading systems and software and getting early adopters and users on this before any industry can get their technology adopted. This happened with MP3 and look where it went? Like it or not, the genie is out of the bottle. Maybe other technologies need to be 'uncorked' in the open-source manner, rather than letting big companies and Hollywood lead the way with their version of the future (proprietary, closed and protected)?
Big companies don't like investing in R&D anyway, so leave it to us and we can set the pace and direction then they can follow.
My own spin of course on this subject is that I (also) believe that piracy is wrong, and the RIAA being greedy or not wanting to share.. yada yada yada are just minor issues (not major issues).
A major issue would be that the artists and of course distribution and promotion entities involved get paid in some way for people listening to music (a consumable product), where individual personal enjoyment is the product being sold -- how do they get paid if everyone pirates music via mp3s? They have no control and no way of getting paid. This is a serious problem. I'd be a little concerned if my employer had issues with paying me for my time at work.
On the consumer side, we stand to loose some amount of our technological freedom. Some types of technology are going to be completely outlawed (minidisc without SCMS, DAT without SCMS) -- that is science, physics, engineering and safety issues aside -- we can never be allowed to own a minidisc player without SCMS whether we want one or not. This can be likened to perhaps doing away with photocopiers because they MIGHT be used to copy copyrighted material... Sounds ridiculous, but it has already happened with DAT, Minidisc now Liquid Audio (and probably the entire upcoming generation of portable audio players) and DVD.
Why not start giving out speeding tickets with every sportscar purchased (just because it can go over the legal max speed limit, but the police can't be there all the time.), or better yet giving out tickets to any pedestrian on the street because they are a potential J-walker?
This paranoia that just because I can copy for ever in MP3 format meaning I will obviously become a thief and never again pay for music is ridiculous. I could have been pirating every piece of music on analog media I ever listened to, and this really doesn't change with digital media.
The concept of stealing music when I am pirating it from a friend has to be made seen as an evil taking away from the right of musicians and the music industry to earn a living and make a profit (they have a constitutional right to). And I have an moral and civil obligation to not steal (pirate). If everyone behaves, this system should work fine. If the industry tries to control and strangle free choice to follow civil and moral obligations... Hehe... I would like to see how long they can with-hold free choice from consumers.
Fact is there will be more grass roots type MP3 technologies coming out because that is the only place where they can come from, and short of outlawing these technologies and free thought (and limiting what types of algorithms and programs programmers are allowed to write and release) they can't be stopped. Hardware manufacturer's can be legally threatened, but I will not allow myself to be bullied by the RIAA.
How many of you reading this forum can really say you fully enjoy the control over your choice and freedom the RIAA has attempted to exercise by taking away DAT (or SCMSing it), minidisc, liquid audio and encrypting the shit out of DVD? I hate it, I feel like a fucking kid who is told I will never be old enough to be trusted with the content that CAN exist on these formats.
I make the choice not to pirate myself, and not because it is made for me. The RIAA will NOT take away my rights to use MP3s, minidiscs without SCMS and DAT players. The fact they have is already a line they have NO RIGHT TO CROSS.
Perhaps its time to take the RIAA to court on the idea that they are limiting technological advancement and free choice by assuming the consumer is not capable of making morally (and civilly) correct choices? This has to be constitionally illegal somehow.
Just my 0.02 worth. Mike
ps (hehe.. the other version of this, the one without any CR/LFs was a booboo..)
Yup. Agree 101.5% with everything posted. My own spin of course on this subject is that I (also) believe that piracy is wrong, and the RIAA being greedy or not wanting to share.. yada yada yada are just minor issues (not major issues). A major issue would be that the artists and of course distribution and promotion entities involved get paid in some way for people listening to music (a consumable product), where individual personal enjoyment is the product being sold -- how do they get paid if everyone pirates music via mp3s? They have no control and no way of getting paid. This is a serious problem. I'd be a little concerned if my employer had issues with paying me for my time at work. On the consumer side, we stand to loose some amount of our technological freedom. Some types of technology are going to be completely outlawed (minidisc without SCMS, DAT without SCMS) -- that is science, physics, engineering and safety issues aside -- we can never be allowed to own a minidisc player without SCMS whether we want one or not. This can be likened to perhaps doing away with photocopiers because they MIGHT be used to copy copyrighted material... Sounds ridiculous, but it has already happened with DAT, Minidisc now Liquid Audio (and probably the entire upcoming generation of portable audio players) and DVD. Why not start giving out speeding tickets with every sportscar purchased (just because it can go over the legal max speed limit, but the police can't be there all the time.), or better yet giving out tickets to any pedestrian on the street because they are a potential J-walker? This paranoia that just because I can copy for ever in MP3 format meaning I will obviously become a thief and never again pay for music is ridiculous. I could have been pirating every piece of music on analog media I ever listened to, and this really doesn't change with digital media. The concept of stealing music when I am pirating it from a friend has to be made seen as an evil taking away from the right of musicians and the music industry to earn a living and make a profit (they have a constitutional right to). And I have an moral and civil obligation to not steal (pirate). If everyone behaves, this system should work fine. If the industry tries to control and strangle free choice to follow civil and moral obligations... Hehe... I would like to see how long they can with-hold free choice from consumers. Fact is there will be more grass roots type MP3 technologies coming out because that is the only place where they can come from, and short of outlawing these technologies and free thought (and limiting what types of algorithms and programs programmers are allowed to write and release) they can't be stopped. Hardware manufacturer's can be legally threatened, but I will not allow myself to be bullied by the RIAA. How many of you reading this forum can really say you fully enjoy the control over your choice and freedom the RIAA has attempted to exercise by taking away DAT (or SCMSing it), minidisc, liquid audio and encrypting the shit out of DVD? I hate it, I feel like a fucking kid who is told I will never be old enough to be trusted with the content that CAN exist on these formats. I make the choice not to pirate myself, and not because it is made for me. The RIAA will NOT take away my rights to use MP3s, minidiscs without SCMS and DAT players. The fact they have is already a line they have NO RIGHT TO CROSS. Perhaps its time to take the RIAA to court on the idea that they are limiting technological advancement and free choice by assuming the consumer is not capable of making morally (and civilly) correct choices? This has to be constitionally illegal somehow. Just my 0.02 worth. Mike
Slashdot Mirror
The hardware business for VA is a large source of REVENUE not PROFIT.
You can have as much revenue as you want and still operate at a net loss (as opposed to net profit).
I suppose the shareholders of VA want to finally make more money than they currently are.
Time to vacuum pack all my CDs and head for the hills.
No more dirty, dusty CDrom drives for me. Thats where this fungus lives y'know.
They'll never get my precious data.
I got my CE, but I am finding I want more CS like experience now.
It is possible to get a CE because it is more general and opens more doors (to both the software and engineering sides of the industry) and then take vocational courses for upgrading progamming skills.
The university I attended only taught us programming theory, and concepts in UNIX and at best Linux. Now I am developing almost entirely in Windows. The only place that will teach Windows like stuff is a vocational college.
Get the CE for demonstrating competience in many areas, and then specialize and fine tune your programming knowledge with VO courses in what you really like (be it Java, MFC, Oracle, IBM, Sun or whatever). They'll teach you to actually work with stuff in the real world, and you'll be able to apply the theory you learned in university.
mike
After completing a CE and having worked in the industry for about 2 years..
My CE involved a lot more math than CS. I had a friend go through CS and he had a lot more programming courses, and general science. I had more engineering classes, less general science. I had more math (calculus flavor) than he did. Expect almost every engineering class to include lots of math. CS courses are likely to be more programming.
My friend been working as a programmer/analyst for the last year and a half. I've had a bit more variety - I've been in IT, worked on the control and automation side of engineering (PLCs, HMI and the like) and now for the last year been doing software development (code monkey).
It seems like CE opened more doors for me (on both the engineering side of the industry and the software side of the industry). I'm also able to go out and solve problems that involve control systems, software and hardware - I have a little bit of everything. If you like dabling in different things CE is a good choice.
On the down side, I feel I am not as effective a computer programmer or software engineer compared to a CS. This can be fixed with self-teaching, or practical courses from technical institutions.
Money? About the same at the start for a CS or CE.
I've found after 2 years that I enjoy software far more than hardware integration / implementation. Its far more rewarding and satisfying to solve problems in software and write programs that DO something. I'm considering taking some practical courses to pad the experience side in software.
mike
Yes, I would pay.
I wish sometimes I could read the full version of my favorite magazines online (instead of toned down versions), or pay for just the articles I wanted to read.
This system would be very useful in some cases.
Advertising would remain useful in some places.
Some information will always be given away.
I think there is a vacuum when it comes to making small donations (tips or micropayments) on the internet, as Visa/Mastercard are overkill for small amounts. There isn't enough incentive for big banks to go into this, or they don't know how. There is a need however.
mike
I've already made my donation to the EFF ... Have you?
I'm a Canadian, but I know that whatever materializes in the US will pretty much permeat the rest of the world. The battle is being fought in the US, and needs to be won in the US. And thats where I want my donation to go.
mike
I went looking for an webmail service some time ago for the same reason, and that I was moving a lot and was tired of having to constantly retire email addresses and get new ones with different ISPs.
A really good web site that sums up all free webmail services is : http://www.emailaddresses.com/
Particularly, check their free POP/IMAP-webmail providers. Also has reviews and user comments, and feature comparisons.
Through them I found www.mailandnews.com, which is my current favorite webmail. mailandnews offers 10MB email space, address book, email forwarding, POP3/IMAP, both unsecure and secure servers for webmail, and very little in the way of intrusive advertising. Its very good for reliability and is pretty fast.
Highly recommended
$0.02 cha-ching
mike
Its not in the _consumer's_ best interest, it's in 4C _industry member's_ best interest.
At the time when I needed a keyboard for my Palmpilot Personal (512kb) the only choice around was the GoType. I've been using it for about 2 years now and am quite happy with it.
The keys are large enough for comfortable typing, they could use to be larger. It does not drain batteries excessively. I've cranked out some large amounts of text in relatively short times and haven't found myself cursing the size of the keys.
My only complaint is that: the driver I am currently using with Hackmaster will occasionally require me to power down and power back up for the keyboard to work (this only happens after a 'timeout' shutdown, not a manual shutdown). This problem is probably fixed with new driver versions though.
After suffering at the hands of SCMS on my minidisc I won't be buying into any SDMI devices anyway. They can crack it whenever and however they like, I'm staying open format thank you.
$0.02,
mike
How about beating all these companies at their own game by creating open-source, freely available content creation/trading systems and software and getting early adopters and users on this before any industry can get their technology adopted. This happened with MP3 and look where it went? Like it or not, the genie is out of the bottle. Maybe other technologies need to be 'uncorked' in the open-source manner, rather than letting big companies and Hollywood lead the way with their version of the future (proprietary, closed and protected)?
Big companies don't like investing in R&D anyway, so leave it to us and we can set the pace and direction then they can follow.
just my $0.02 worth
Yup. Agree 101.5% with everything posted.
My own spin of course on this subject is that I (also) believe that piracy is wrong, and the RIAA being greedy or not wanting to share.. yada yada yada are just minor issues (not major issues).
A major issue would be that the artists and of course distribution and promotion entities involved get paid in some way for people listening to music (a consumable product), where individual personal enjoyment is the product being sold -- how do they get paid if everyone pirates music via mp3s? They have no control and no way of getting paid. This is a serious problem. I'd be a little concerned if my employer had issues with paying me for my time at work.
On the consumer side, we stand to loose some amount of our technological freedom. Some types of technology are going to be completely outlawed (minidisc without SCMS, DAT without SCMS) -- that is science, physics, engineering and safety issues aside -- we can never be allowed to own a minidisc player without SCMS whether we want one or not. This can be likened to perhaps doing away with photocopiers because they MIGHT be used to copy copyrighted material... Sounds ridiculous, but it has already happened with DAT, Minidisc now Liquid Audio (and probably the entire upcoming generation of portable audio players) and DVD.
Why not start giving out speeding tickets with every sportscar purchased (just because it can go over the legal max speed limit, but the police can't be there all the time.), or better yet giving out tickets to any pedestrian on the street because they are a potential J-walker?
This paranoia that just because I can copy for ever in MP3 format meaning I will obviously become a thief and never again pay for music is ridiculous. I could have been pirating every piece of music on analog media I ever listened to, and this really doesn't change with digital media.
The concept of stealing music when I am pirating it from a friend has to be made seen as an evil taking away from the right of musicians and the music industry to earn a living and make a profit (they have a constitutional right to). And I have an moral and civil obligation to not steal (pirate). If everyone behaves, this system should work fine. If the industry tries to control and strangle free choice to follow civil and moral obligations... Hehe... I would like to see how long they can with-hold free choice from consumers.
Fact is there will be more grass roots type MP3 technologies coming out because that is the only place where they can come from, and short of outlawing these technologies and free thought (and limiting what types of algorithms and programs programmers are allowed to write and release) they can't be stopped. Hardware manufacturer's can be legally threatened, but I will not allow myself to be bullied by the RIAA.
How many of you reading this forum can really say you fully enjoy the control over your choice and freedom the RIAA has attempted to exercise by taking away DAT (or SCMSing it), minidisc, liquid audio and encrypting the shit out of DVD? I hate it, I feel like a fucking kid who is told I will never be old enough to be trusted with the content that CAN exist on these formats.
I make the choice not to pirate myself, and not because it is made for me. The RIAA will NOT take away my rights to use MP3s, minidiscs without SCMS and DAT players. The fact they have is already a line they have NO RIGHT TO CROSS.
Perhaps its time to take the RIAA to court on the idea that they are limiting technological advancement and free choice by assuming the consumer is not capable of making morally (and civilly) correct choices? This has to be constitionally illegal somehow.
Just my 0.02 worth.
Mike
ps (hehe.. the other version of this, the one without any CR/LFs was a booboo..)
Yup. Agree 101.5% with everything posted. My own spin of course on this subject is that I (also) believe that piracy is wrong, and the RIAA being greedy or not wanting to share.. yada yada yada are just minor issues (not major issues). A major issue would be that the artists and of course distribution and promotion entities involved get paid in some way for people listening to music (a consumable product), where individual personal enjoyment is the product being sold -- how do they get paid if everyone pirates music via mp3s? They have no control and no way of getting paid. This is a serious problem. I'd be a little concerned if my employer had issues with paying me for my time at work. On the consumer side, we stand to loose some amount of our technological freedom. Some types of technology are going to be completely outlawed (minidisc without SCMS, DAT without SCMS) -- that is science, physics, engineering and safety issues aside -- we can never be allowed to own a minidisc player without SCMS whether we want one or not. This can be likened to perhaps doing away with photocopiers because they MIGHT be used to copy copyrighted material... Sounds ridiculous, but it has already happened with DAT, Minidisc now Liquid Audio (and probably the entire upcoming generation of portable audio players) and DVD. Why not start giving out speeding tickets with every sportscar purchased (just because it can go over the legal max speed limit, but the police can't be there all the time.), or better yet giving out tickets to any pedestrian on the street because they are a potential J-walker? This paranoia that just because I can copy for ever in MP3 format meaning I will obviously become a thief and never again pay for music is ridiculous. I could have been pirating every piece of music on analog media I ever listened to, and this really doesn't change with digital media. The concept of stealing music when I am pirating it from a friend has to be made seen as an evil taking away from the right of musicians and the music industry to earn a living and make a profit (they have a constitutional right to). And I have an moral and civil obligation to not steal (pirate). If everyone behaves, this system should work fine. If the industry tries to control and strangle free choice to follow civil and moral obligations... Hehe... I would like to see how long they can with-hold free choice from consumers. Fact is there will be more grass roots type MP3 technologies coming out because that is the only place where they can come from, and short of outlawing these technologies and free thought (and limiting what types of algorithms and programs programmers are allowed to write and release) they can't be stopped. Hardware manufacturer's can be legally threatened, but I will not allow myself to be bullied by the RIAA. How many of you reading this forum can really say you fully enjoy the control over your choice and freedom the RIAA has attempted to exercise by taking away DAT (or SCMSing it), minidisc, liquid audio and encrypting the shit out of DVD? I hate it, I feel like a fucking kid who is told I will never be old enough to be trusted with the content that CAN exist on these formats. I make the choice not to pirate myself, and not because it is made for me. The RIAA will NOT take away my rights to use MP3s, minidiscs without SCMS and DAT players. The fact they have is already a line they have NO RIGHT TO CROSS. Perhaps its time to take the RIAA to court on the idea that they are limiting technological advancement and free choice by assuming the consumer is not capable of making morally (and civilly) correct choices? This has to be constitionally illegal somehow. Just my 0.02 worth. Mike