Go to the liberal arts school. Learn the theory. Anybody who isn't an idiot can learn software syntax. As far as employment goes, most people who get great CS jobs out of college get them based on the projects/open source work/internships they did in college. Education teaches you how to work better, but you prove you can work well by working. You're assuming, of course, that a liberal arts college will teach the same theory and teach it to the same intensity that a tech school will offer. You have to remember that, many times, a LA school will not provide the same selection of courses that a tech school will provide. They have no reason to.
And, as mentioned elsewhere, bonus: Girls. If that's your only reason for choosing a school, forget about it. Typically, girls DO go to tech schools and they typically tend to be very smart. (Yeah, I know someone is going to talk about looks or some crap like that. STFU) Typically, if you attend one school, there are other "sister" schools nearby where you can find said girls. (Best example I can think of is Carnegie Mellon - Pitt, Duquesne and Chatham are right next door.) DO NOT...DO NOT make your decision based off of the number of chicks on a campus.
Seriously - I went to a tech school and, yes, there were your share of individuals who probably did fit into the tiny little box that you've created for them. However, you're going to find that at any school.
I could flip it around and say that a liberal arts school is only going to introduce you to people who don't know what they're doing with their life, who only know how to party and are pretty much a waste to any company who wants to succeed. Of course, I'd be wrong (although such people do exist).
Vast generalizations, while sounding good for sound bytes, are typically wrong.
As for the original question - as I said, I went to a tech school. I very much enjoy technology and I had a great time there. BUT, I minored in Psychology because I wanted something more than just tech all the time. It was a great decision because it gave me enough to work on that was not tech. I highly recommend going that route. Of course, what works for me may not work for you. Really take time to think about what it is that you want out of your college experience.
Actually, there are six billion simpletons living here. It's just that roughly one billion of them have firmly convinced themselves that they're not simpletons. I think it would be more fair to say that six billion of them have firmly convinced themselves that they're not simpletons...
We geeks need to get out of the basement and put our collective intelligence to work. If said geeks do not have experience of dealing with the real world, no amount of intelligence will solve these social issues. (And, of course, being a geek != intelligence, but that's beside the point.)
And that attitude is *exactly* why FOSS is not as widely represented as it should be.
There are some excellent open source tools out there, but the fact of the matter is, people are shallow. (Oh, I know...you're not...but everybody else is.) They will generally look at an interface first and what the product does second. That's not to say that a crap product will be used if the interface is beautiful, but a pretty interface makes someone like that thing a lot more. (The same is true with people.)
So, you can say, "Too f'ing bad" all you want. Go for it. But as long as that attitude prevails, and FOSS product don't focus on their presentation, then they will not draw the crowds that they hope to draw.
Balmer is a Tyrannosaurus, a dinosaur of the past. He's still playing an aggressive dominance card of leadership, but his ship has started sinking very slowly a long time ago. Wait...dinosaurs have ships?
Unfortunately for MS, virtually the entire world's population now has Windows experience. It was not a great experience. I know you're making a point, but, honestly, a very small portion of the world's population actually owns a computer...so..."everybody" doesn't hate Windows.
Other assumptions you're making:
1. Everybody who has used Windows (and specifically, Vista) has disliked the experience. I personally have had no problems with any version of Windows except Windows ME. I can also make a fair comparison because I run a Linux box (or two, depending) and have used Sun's POS OS for the past couple years.
2. Everybody who is "in the know" hates Windows. That's just not true. Some IT folk actually enjoy Windows. Whether they're right or wrong is beside the point. They will use what they're comfortable with.
3. Everybody cares. Trust me, they don't. I sold computers when I was in college. If the person could check their e-mail and surf the web, they were happy. They didn't care about "Thing X" or "Thing Y" that their operating system did or didn't do. And, quite honestly, some people never even cared to learn...and they never will. The fact of the matter is, even though newer generations are more and more tech savvy, it doesn't mean they're always going to use the best technology. Path of least resistance is the way to go.
Yes, you are right - people ARE being educated. But, again, eduction does not always mean people will make smart/correct choices.
FTFS
Police officials that Tenereillo has talked to haven't complained about the service because it inevitably encourages drivers to slow down. Yeah...I can see it now.
:: someone is driving fast:: :: cell phone warns them of upcoming speed traps:: :: slams on breaks:: :: traffic jam/accident ensues::
Flow of traffic is better than speed where lots of cars are involved. I don't know how many times I've been driving into the city, and some guy who is going 55 causes a huge backup while everybody is going 65/70.
But I could see how someone like Britney Spears would feel the punch of fans just getting "Oops, I Did It Again" and not being forced to pay for the filler crap that barely passes as music on the rest of the album. Silly me. I thought "Oops, I Did It Again" WAS filler crap.
It's one thing to let users do admin work on their computer. There are many IT folks who are knowledgeable a competent and will manage their software well. But, when it comes to configuring, purchasing, etc, etc...ack! I know for a fact, if I was given complete liberty over the hardware that I was using, I'd have my own server. Money and resources need to be managed. Giving a developer a faster computer won't make his work any faster if his current machine is Good Enough(TM).
The real trick is to have an efficient IT support system within the company that actually understands the user's needs. Many times, IT folks are not well trained or just don't care. That's when it becomes an issue.
I can't say I have seen that issue, but if you are having that problem, I'd recommend taking note of how you're using it and provide feedback to the developers. My guess is they don't intend for a site that you choose frequently off the Awesomebar to drop farther in the list. They may need to tweak the algorithm.
I know you've been modded insightful, and I'm not going to necessarily disagree with that. The "Awesomebar" (meh on the name) is not for everybody. It's definitely a different way of thinking.
However, I have been using and testing Firefox 3 Betas pretty significantly. Personally, I'm very much enjoying the Awesomebar. I tend not to use bookmarks all that often - it's nicer to just start typing and, based on how I browse, the site I want to go to is usually at the very top of the list. The Awesomebar has also been helpful when I haven't been able to quite remember the site I want to go to. I start typing, and the site is usually listed somewhere near the top.
Either way, it would be cool if there was an option to shut off the Awesomebar (for those people who don't like it) - but a new way to do something does not necessarily make it hideous.
If your defenses are so strong that your enemy will require all his concentration in order to understand/penetrate them, he won't see that guy sneaking behind him and about to bite him in the ass. Wow, dude...you fight dirty.
1. American's news and, especially it's politics, affect many more people than just Americans. We're not in a bubble. 2. While the world still has physical countries, that distinction is not so cut and dry anymore - especially where the internet is concerned. Right now you're talking with people from countries all over the world. That does not make their opinion any more or less valuable.
And, of course...what's wrong with someone in another country being interested in our country? I don't get that mindset at all. Is it wrong for an American to be interested a foreign country?
You're assuming that people can make that determination. Yet, everyday, we spend a lot of time on fairly useless things. (And, yes, I realize the irony in the fact that I'm posting this on Slashdot.)
But they are. People like and WANT to feel connected. As we become a culture that is more connected, losing that connection has real implications for the people who are disconnected. They feel as though they are being left out or that they are missing something. Many times, I wonder if people are having as much fun as they appear to be having on Facebook/Twitter/MySpace/etc. As an previous poster said, it's high school all over again.
With all that said, being connected via someone's text updates vs. being connected by sitting down and actually interacting with someone is a very different thing. Give me a real, face-to-face conversation any day.
Slashdot Mirror
+1 Flamebait
Seriously - I went to a tech school and, yes, there were your share of individuals who probably did fit into the tiny little box that you've created for them. However, you're going to find that at any school.
I could flip it around and say that a liberal arts school is only going to introduce you to people who don't know what they're doing with their life, who only know how to party and are pretty much a waste to any company who wants to succeed. Of course, I'd be wrong (although such people do exist).
Vast generalizations, while sounding good for sound bytes, are typically wrong.
As for the original question - as I said, I went to a tech school. I very much enjoy technology and I had a great time there. BUT, I minored in Psychology because I wanted something more than just tech all the time. It was a great decision because it gave me enough to work on that was not tech. I highly recommend going that route. Of course, what works for me may not work for you. Really take time to think about what it is that you want out of your college experience.
Right. Just what I was going to say.
(No wonder people don't adopt *nix.)
And that attitude is *exactly* why FOSS is not as widely represented as it should be.
There are some excellent open source tools out there, but the fact of the matter is, people are shallow. (Oh, I know...you're not...but everybody else is.) They will generally look at an interface first and what the product does second. That's not to say that a crap product will be used if the interface is beautiful, but a pretty interface makes someone like that thing a lot more. (The same is true with people.)
So, you can say, "Too f'ing bad" all you want. Go for it. But as long as that attitude prevails, and FOSS product don't focus on their presentation, then they will not draw the crowds that they hope to draw.
Other assumptions you're making:
1. Everybody who has used Windows (and specifically, Vista) has disliked the experience. I personally have had no problems with any version of Windows except Windows ME. I can also make a fair comparison because I run a Linux box (or two, depending) and have used Sun's POS OS for the past couple years.
2. Everybody who is "in the know" hates Windows. That's just not true. Some IT folk actually enjoy Windows. Whether they're right or wrong is beside the point. They will use what they're comfortable with.
3. Everybody cares. Trust me, they don't. I sold computers when I was in college. If the person could check their e-mail and surf the web, they were happy. They didn't care about "Thing X" or "Thing Y" that their operating system did or didn't do. And, quite honestly, some people never even cared to learn...and they never will. The fact of the matter is, even though newer generations are more and more tech savvy, it doesn't mean they're always going to use the best technology. Path of least resistance is the way to go.
Yes, you are right - people ARE being educated. But, again, eduction does not always mean people will make smart/correct choices.
I learned that, if you're going to try to make it to Oregon, having money (banker) helps. Otherwise, it's better to stay put.
Flow of traffic is better than speed where lots of cars are involved. I don't know how many times I've been driving into the city, and some guy who is going 55 causes a huge backup while everybody is going 65/70.
No.
It's one thing to let users do admin work on their computer. There are many IT folks who are knowledgeable a competent and will manage their software well. But, when it comes to configuring, purchasing, etc, etc...ack! I know for a fact, if I was given complete liberty over the hardware that I was using, I'd have my own server. Money and resources need to be managed. Giving a developer a faster computer won't make his work any faster if his current machine is Good Enough(TM).
The real trick is to have an efficient IT support system within the company that actually understands the user's needs. Many times, IT folks are not well trained or just don't care. That's when it becomes an issue.
Hate to tell you...it's already here. Web 3.0
I can't say I have seen that issue, but if you are having that problem, I'd recommend taking note of how you're using it and provide feedback to the developers. My guess is they don't intend for a site that you choose frequently off the Awesomebar to drop farther in the list. They may need to tweak the algorithm.
I know you've been modded insightful, and I'm not going to necessarily disagree with that. The "Awesomebar" (meh on the name) is not for everybody. It's definitely a different way of thinking.
However, I have been using and testing Firefox 3 Betas pretty significantly. Personally, I'm very much enjoying the Awesomebar. I tend not to use bookmarks all that often - it's nicer to just start typing and, based on how I browse, the site I want to go to is usually at the very top of the list. The Awesomebar has also been helpful when I haven't been able to quite remember the site I want to go to. I start typing, and the site is usually listed somewhere near the top.
Either way, it would be cool if there was an option to shut off the Awesomebar (for those people who don't like it) - but a new way to do something does not necessarily make it hideous.
A couple reasons...
1. American's news and, especially it's politics, affect many more people than just Americans. We're not in a bubble.
2. While the world still has physical countries, that distinction is not so cut and dry anymore - especially where the internet is concerned. Right now you're talking with people from countries all over the world. That does not make their opinion any more or less valuable.
And, of course...what's wrong with someone in another country being interested in our country? I don't get that mindset at all. Is it wrong for an American to be interested a foreign country?
You're assuming that people can make that determination. Yet, everyday, we spend a lot of time on fairly useless things. (And, yes, I realize the irony in the fact that I'm posting this on Slashdot.)
But they are. People like and WANT to feel connected. As we become a culture that is more connected, losing that connection has real implications for the people who are disconnected. They feel as though they are being left out or that they are missing something. Many times, I wonder if people are having as much fun as they appear to be having on Facebook/Twitter/MySpace/etc. As an previous poster said, it's high school all over again.
With all that said, being connected via someone's text updates vs. being connected by sitting down and actually interacting with someone is a very different thing. Give me a real, face-to-face conversation any day.
The hypoallergenic cats produced by ALLERCA will allow consumers to enjoy the love and companionship of a pet...
Heh. Love and companionship. You *do* realize you're talking about a CAT here...right?