🚀 go-pugleaf

On Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 4:17:28 PM UTC-5, Charles Richmond wrote:

> > The Phila Inqr reported that compsci is a hot major.
> > 
> > Across the country, the number of computer science majors
> > at doctoral institutions has more than tripled in the last
> > decade. It’s much hotter than it was during the dot-com
> > blitz in the late 1990s, according to the national Computing
> > Research Association. The group refers to the current surge
> > as “Generation CS,” fueled by the pervasiveness of computing
> > across society and the plethora of jobs, some with six-figure
> > salaries and eye-popping signing bonuses.
> > 
> > for full article please see:
> > http://www.philly.com/philly/education/hot-major-on-campus-computer-science-20180218.html
> > 
> 
> I hope this reflects a true interest in computers and programming... but 
> I fear a generation of half-baked programmers who are *only* in this for 
> the money.

Well...when I started years ago, a lot of computer personnel were
people who were in another field* and for various reasons, found
themselves working as a programmer**.  It wasn't that they were
interested specifically in computers but rather circumstances of
life put them there.

* Literally A to Z--airline pilot to zoologist, bartender, welder,
pretty much every field.  (Never saw a former professional athlete
or actor, though, but there certainly could've been.)

** Many people were working in some paperwork job at a large 
corporation and were selected to be trained as a programmer for
the company's new or expanding computer.
  Others found themselves laid off or otherwise out of a job,
so they went to community college and got an associate degree
in programming since it looked like the best career option.


When I read the article, I wonder if any of them in their
"algorithm training" will also learn mundane tasks like getting
out the payroll or profit & loss statement.