I'm taking Computer Science courses "just for fun" at my college (I'm mechanical engineering) and they start with Java first. Although I can't say that I'm entirely thrilled with the language (hey! lets have the Stack class return the Object you just passed it when you.push, that will be appreciated!), and the fact that its inherently slow, I think its a wonderful language to start learning on. I first learned BASIC, and was told that those who learned BASIC first have a hard time learning other languages, but that hasn't been the case; Java seems to be a high-level enough language not to lose people only familiar with BASIC. Another nice point is that the programs we wrote in lab I can take home and run on my Wintel machine, and my lab partner can run it on his Macintosh, and Joe on his Linux box, and so on; all without recompiling.
The point isn't to put out useful programs your first year, its to get you interested and teach a programming foundation. Java is not a bad choice.
But my teacher keeps telling me I think in C, a language I'm not at all familiar with, so I can't wait to get into that.
Think of how much better off we'd all be if warfare had stopped short of projectiles that left the immediate vicinity of the user. No stones, arrows, guns, missiles, or bombs. Not only would there be less time rebuilding after wars, which stalls innovations; the entire middle ages may have been avoided. We could be commuting to mars by now.
RPI required the purchase of a wintel laptop. For what I spent on my dual booting Linux/Win98 P3-500 with 256Mb ram, cd burner and dvd player, I would have ended up with a difficult to upgrade p3-400 (or slower), 64Mb ram with a 40x cd-rom. It was a major influence in my choice.
I am definitly all about computers, but it is still much easier to take notes on paper.
Another issue is that there exists a large number of people who can afford a state school and do very well using school labs for their computing needs; but the mandatory cost of a computer would push the school out of financial reach. Isn't that why they have computer labs?
A GUI has to be customisable to fit a persons needs. Good: KDE. Bad: MacOS. I want to be able to choose where everything is shown, in what manner, how windows overlap, where my taskbar is, what's on the start menu, how my file manager works.
but will the computers be delivered before feb 17? "i mean, if i went around saying i was emporor because some moistened bint threw a simitar at me, they'd put me away"
I hope that mp3s are not the future of music, for 3 reasons. 1. They sound awful. 2. You don't get liner notes, et cetera. 3. The combination of the my CD player's DA converter and my receiver's preamp is far superior to the combination of mp3 decoders and my computer's preamp. This is the case with most people. 4. Lousy mp3s don't make good frisbee like projectiles. I can only pray that people realize that music media's first priority should be sound quality. That's happen about the same time people realize that SUV's are ugly, gas sucking, impracticle weapons.
Businesses are ways for people to make money to live on, feed their children, and pursue a good life. Encrypting is a valid way for companies to protect their intelectual property and all the work they put into it. It is not fair for people to rip off their work and means of living and distribute it. It is not exploitation. People do not have a right to the product of other's effort, work, intelligence, and inspiration.
First, don't get a calculator whos potential you will never come close to using. Example: if you are a freshmen in high school, don't get a TI-89 or HP-49, unless you are Einstien. Second, when you get one, learn it well. Read the manual. There are some excellent FAQs and discussion boards out there. Learning to program for it will help immensly. My experience with the TI-85 and TI-89 have been wonderful. I've used several HPs, and they have all appeared to be good. There are differences in the way the calcs function, so each will have its advantages and disadvantages. Its a tradeoff: figure out what you need, and look for it. Alas, the supremacy between the TI-89 and HP-49 will never be decided. As for one being better with certain higher calculus function, I'd be using a computer for that stuff anyway, and I don't know if I'd completely trust a calculator anyway.
WARNING: WHATEVER YOU GET: DON'T LET THE CALC DO STUFF YOU COULDN'T DO BY HAND IF YOU HAD TO. You will be cheating yourself if you do.
Slashdot Mirror
if this thing gets out of hand they might give monoliths their own slashdot topic. or maybe even their own slashbox!
I'm taking Computer Science courses "just for fun" at my college (I'm mechanical engineering) and they start with Java first. Although I can't say that I'm entirely thrilled with the language (hey! lets have the Stack class return the Object you just passed it when you .push, that will be appreciated!), and the fact that its inherently slow, I think its a wonderful language to start learning on. I first learned BASIC, and was told that those who learned BASIC first have a hard time learning other languages, but that hasn't been the case; Java seems to be a high-level enough language not to lose people only familiar with BASIC. Another nice point is that the programs we wrote in lab I can take home and run on my Wintel machine, and my lab partner can run it on his Macintosh, and Joe on his Linux box, and so on; all without recompiling.
The point isn't to put out useful programs your first year, its to get you interested and teach a programming foundation. Java is not a bad choice.
But my teacher keeps telling me I think in C, a language I'm not at all familiar with, so I can't wait to get into that.
Stephen Byrne
Think of how much better off we'd all be if warfare had stopped short of projectiles that left the immediate vicinity of the user. No stones, arrows, guns, missiles, or bombs. Not only would there be less time rebuilding after wars, which stalls innovations; the entire middle ages may have been avoided. We could be commuting to mars by now.
so you don't like netscape's stuff? you are a cutting edge, tech-saavy person. you know about mozilla. use it. so whats the big problem?
stephen byrne
RPI required the purchase of a wintel laptop. For what I spent on my dual booting Linux/Win98 P3-500 with 256Mb ram, cd burner and dvd player, I would have ended up with a difficult to upgrade p3-400 (or slower), 64Mb ram with a 40x cd-rom. It was a major influence in my choice.
I am definitly all about computers, but it is still much easier to take notes on paper.
Another issue is that there exists a large number of people who can afford a state school and do very well using school labs for their computing needs; but the mandatory cost of a computer would push the school out of financial reach. Isn't that why they have computer labs?
stephen byrne
A GUI has to be customisable to fit a persons needs. Good: KDE. Bad: MacOS. I want to be able to choose where everything is shown, in what manner, how windows overlap, where my taskbar is, what's on the start menu, how my file manager works.
I don't want it to crash. Ever.
It has to be quick.
Cool logos are always nice too.
stephen byrne
but will the computers be delivered before feb 17? "i mean, if i went around saying i was emporor because some moistened bint threw a simitar at me, they'd put me away"
I hope that mp3s are not the future of music, for 3 reasons. 1. They sound awful. 2. You don't get liner notes, et cetera. 3. The combination of the my CD player's DA converter and my receiver's preamp is far superior to the combination of mp3 decoders and my computer's preamp. This is the case with most people. 4. Lousy mp3s don't make good frisbee like projectiles. I can only pray that people realize that music media's first priority should be sound quality. That's happen about the same time people realize that SUV's are ugly, gas sucking, impracticle weapons.
Businesses are ways for people to make money to live on, feed their children, and pursue a good life. Encrypting is a valid way for companies to protect their intelectual property and all the work they put into it. It is not fair for people to rip off their work and means of living and distribute it. It is not exploitation. People do not have a right to the product of other's effort, work, intelligence, and inspiration.
i could just dump windows!
actually, the 85 was the first to be hacked.
WARNING: WHATEVER YOU GET: DON'T LET THE CALC DO STUFF YOU COULDN'T DO BY HAND IF YOU HAD TO. You will be cheating yourself if you do.
Now my plug: index of sites with math/science programs for TI-89/92+ at www.rit.edu/~smb3297/ti/.