I majored in English and minored in Fine Art at a state University.
My current business card reads "Lead Systems Engineer" -- and yes, it's a real business card from a real company that has very large very real clients. I have a lovely office, with a door and windows and everything.
Every interview I've ever had (3 in the 8 years since I graduated), I've mentioned that I went to a university to learn things I couldn't learn anywhere else. It probably helps that I've been a technology junkie since I was a kid, worked part-time in tech the entire time I was in college, and that I took a few CS classes on the side.
I realize I'm a statistical anomoly. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy saying "If I wanted career training, I would have gone to DeVry."
My very first program (in Apple Basic, hah) was a Mad Libs type program for my little brother.
It would ask him to type in a noun, verb, color, whatever, and then output a story using those words. Later I modified it to ask him if he wanted to play again. Then I added more possible stories (I was copying them out of a Mad Libs book) and added a "Do you want to play again with the same story or a different story?" at the end.
Extremely basic, taught me the foundation of programming concepts, and was fun.
But that test would have no bearing whatsoever on real world use of the product. Unless, of course, the only market for Linux on the desktop is going to be "people who have never used a computer before."
Agreed... I moved to Los Angeles three years ago and the internet has been invaluable in helping me figure out how to get around the city and what sorts of areas have things I like. There are tons of small restaurants, bars, and clubs that I never would have found without the internet.
I told my family and friends that if they weren't using Firefox, I would no longer help them remove spyware from their computers.
Oddly enough, since I did that, they haven't needed my help..
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I majored in English and minored in Fine Art at a state University.
My current business card reads "Lead Systems Engineer" -- and yes, it's a real business card from a real company that has very large very real clients. I have a lovely office, with a door and windows and everything.
Every interview I've ever had (3 in the 8 years since I graduated), I've mentioned that I went to a university to learn things I couldn't learn anywhere else. It probably helps that I've been a technology junkie since I was a kid, worked part-time in tech the entire time I was in college, and that I took a few CS classes on the side.
I realize I'm a statistical anomoly. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy saying "If I wanted career training, I would have gone to DeVry."
My very first program (in Apple Basic, hah) was a Mad Libs type program for my little brother. It would ask him to type in a noun, verb, color, whatever, and then output a story using those words. Later I modified it to ask him if he wanted to play again. Then I added more possible stories (I was copying them out of a Mad Libs book) and added a "Do you want to play again with the same story or a different story?" at the end. Extremely basic, taught me the foundation of programming concepts, and was fun.
But that test would have no bearing whatsoever on real world use of the product. Unless, of course, the only market for Linux on the desktop is going to be "people who have never used a computer before."
Agreed... I moved to Los Angeles three years ago and the internet has been invaluable in helping me figure out how to get around the city and what sorts of areas have things I like. There are tons of small restaurants, bars, and clubs that I never would have found without the internet.
I told my family and friends that if they weren't using Firefox, I would no longer help them remove spyware from their computers. Oddly enough, since I did that, they haven't needed my help..