First, some background. I just graduated from the (or one of the) top CS schools in the nation, with a dual degree in CS and ECE. (And I busted my ass to do so, so please forgive any cockiness that develops, it's a pride thing). Around a hundred graduated this year, with the CS department as their home department.
How many double majors were there for CS/ECE? 1. CS and Mathmatics? 15. What about double majors in CS and Chem? 5. CS and Bio? 6. There was even one guy who in three years managed to pull a CS degree, a Pysch degree and a hard science degree.
And how many of the rest of the graduating class had a hard science as a minor? I know quite a few CS people who have entered into biotech based upon the merits of their minor degree. You wouldn't believe the number of *art*majors* with a CS minor.
My roomate was a physics major. Granted it was a small department, but he was the only one not to go on to grad school. Why? He realized that he was a better computer scientist than a physicist. More power to him.
What does this mean? I think that it means that the really bright *scientists* realize that having a full knowledge of CS will greatly aid them in their research.
I do not feel that biotech and other hard science research will be suffering by this movement. Why? Because the real scientists, the ones that are bright enough to make the breakthroughs in for things like nonotech livers and curing AIDS, WILL STILL BE IN THE FIELD. All they may have done is increased their knowledge, and by doing so are better suited to achieve their original goals.
Does it really matter if Joe Schmoe got-an-A-in-high-school-bio picks CS over Bio or Chem? Would he really have made a difference in the field anyways?
So there's a glut of CS majors. Fine. The people who enter CS for the purpose of learning CS will have better skills and understanding of what is going on. They will always be able to design and implement faster, smaller algorithms. They'll get the sexier work.
I agree that this stuff gets way to complex much too quickly. That's why I'm trying to get some clarification here...
So I write my code using a Plugin Crypto API, which I then publish. That's legal
To my understanding I can then write an encryption module within the confines of the crypto-export rules for distribution with the software.
But then after the code is released, someone else in Uganda writes a crypto plugin that exceeds the crypto laws. Now, I can import that module for my own use. But is it covered by the export laws in any way?
i.e. could I store this new module on my web site, and link it from the download page for other people to use?
I've been thinking about this type of thing myself lately. (#$%*@ Cryptonomicon)
The main question I keep comming back to is, what defines the crypto?
Say I and a buddy are developing an editor that encrypts the files when they are written/read from the disk. If he lives in Timbuktu and writes the crypto module, and I in the USA write functions that operate solely on the cleartext, can it be exported? Or is the whole project covered by the crypto laws by default?
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Hasn't something like this always been happening?
Wasn't there a big shift into Law during the eighties, and away from medicine?
I could be wrong. I was much to busy watching the smurfs, transformers, and airwolf at the time. Not to mention Manimal.
There are a couple of main issues here.
First, some background. I just graduated from the (or one of the) top CS schools in the nation, with a dual degree in CS and ECE. (And I busted my ass to do so, so please forgive any cockiness that develops, it's a pride thing). Around a hundred graduated this year, with the CS department as their home department.
How many double majors were there for CS/ECE? 1. CS and Mathmatics? 15. What about double majors in CS and Chem? 5. CS and Bio? 6. There was even one guy who in three years managed to pull a CS degree, a Pysch degree and a hard science degree.
And how many of the rest of the graduating class had a hard science as a minor? I know quite a few CS people who have entered into biotech based upon the merits of their minor degree. You wouldn't believe the number of *art*majors* with a CS minor.
My roomate was a physics major. Granted it was a small department, but he was the only one not to go on to grad school. Why? He realized that he was a better computer scientist than a physicist. More power to him.
What does this mean? I think that it means that the really bright *scientists* realize that having a full knowledge of CS will greatly aid them in their research.
I do not feel that biotech and other hard science research will be suffering by this movement. Why? Because the real scientists, the ones that are bright enough to make the breakthroughs in for things like nonotech livers and curing AIDS, WILL STILL BE IN THE FIELD. All they may have done is increased their knowledge, and by doing so are better suited to achieve their original goals.
Does it really matter if Joe Schmoe got-an-A-in-high-school-bio picks CS over Bio or Chem? Would he really have made a difference in the field anyways?
So there's a glut of CS majors. Fine. The people who enter CS for the purpose of learning CS will have better skills and understanding of what is going on. They will always be able to design and implement faster, smaller algorithms. They'll get the sexier work.
I agree that this stuff gets way to complex much too quickly. That's why I'm trying to get some clarification here...
So I write my code using a Plugin Crypto API, which I then publish. That's legal
To my understanding I can then write an encryption module within the confines of the crypto-export rules for distribution with the software.
But then after the code is released, someone else in Uganda writes a crypto plugin that exceeds the crypto laws. Now, I can import that module for my own use. But is it covered by the export laws in any way?
i.e. could I store this new module on my web site, and link it from the download page for other people to use?
I've been thinking about this type of thing myself lately. (#$%*@ Cryptonomicon)
The main question I keep comming back to is, what defines the crypto?
Say I and a buddy are developing an editor that encrypts the files when they are written/read from the disk. If he lives in Timbuktu and writes the crypto module, and I in the USA write functions that operate solely on the cleartext, can it be exported? Or is the whole project covered by the crypto laws by default?
Worse comes to worse, the Ultra66 drives will work on a normal 40 conductor IDE connection.
=
It's not as fast, but it gets the job done.
I learned this when the company I got my drive "forgot" to send the 80 conductor cable...
Aside: the Abit BP6 is unbelievable. I haven't even bothered to overclock my dual celerons yet.
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