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Computer science is more about math than programming. Software engineering isn't really engineering - it's more of an eclectic mix of things that people have f
by fsloth 5y ago
Computer science is more about math than programming.
Software engineering isn't really engineering - it's more of an eclectic mix of things that people have found out are useful to produce working programs.
Sadly our field lacks near complete scientific rigour in figuring out how to actually write programs.
Which is not to say software engineering isn't usefull - it is! But it reminds more of a trade school subject than an academically rigorous one.
Hence prepare for occasional cognitive dissonance when discussing with people from actual engineering degrees.
The only way to learn to program is to program a lot.
Good luck and remember to have fun!
- jimmont 5y ago--comment about the comment: in the US the only software eng I've ever worked with was a postdoc from Taiwan working at Stanford; everything else software-related in the States has been software development, which is basically how I read your comment and totally agree with; my German NLP PhD friend would review papers in the States and regularly say (when she said anything about it) they were really bad; it's fairly easy to look at major US based projects (led by software staff at Google) and see major flaws in overall approach which I see as quite anti-engineering and science; for me personally and professionally its been super frustrating in various ways, when practicing the art and craft; a former manager commented a couple years ago that software eng is several decades behind all the engineering professions; hopefully this sheds light and substantiates your points and comment in some useful way because it's difficult to see things the way they really are in this field and practice