On Sat, Jul 29, 2017 at 09:16:51PM -0500, golinux@??? wrote:
>On 2017-07-29 20:40, Steve Litt wrote:
>>On Wed, 26 Jul 2017 20:49:00 -0400
>>Robert Marmorstein <robert@???> wrote:
>>
>>>> >>> My high-school programming class was advertised as teaching
>>>> >>> people how to
>>>> >>> program in C and do all sorts of low-level stuff. I signed up
>>>> >>> thinking I might finally meet a "computer expert" that actually
>>>> >>> knew what they were talking about...
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> The teacher began by forcing us all to make "hello world"
>>>> >>> applications IN JAVA!
>>>
>>>I teach Computer Science at a small public university. There is a
>>>wide variety in the high school preparation of my students. Most of
>>>them wind up in Java classes similar to yours, which demotivates them
>>>and makes my life harder. Some of them have absolutely excellent
>>>classes. It depends a lot on whether the school district can afford
>>>to have dedicated computing/technology faculty. My general
>>>impression is that large, wealthy school districts are able to devote
>>>enough resources to provide I.T. classes, but most (smaller and
>>>poorer) school districts can't.
>>>
>>>That said, I agree completely with you about the importance of a
>>>"low-level" understanding of computer systems. You don't have to
>>>understand how an engine works to be a race-card driver, but it
>>>helps. And if you want to be in the pit crew, you'd better know the
>>>difference between a metric wrench and an imperial one. Knowledge of
>>>binary, especially, shows up in lots of applications other than
>>>"systems-level" coding -- graphics filters, subnet masks, digital
>>>signal processing, numerical analysis, bitsets for network flags,
>>>lots of places. _______________________________________________
>>
>>Next question:
>>
>>Given that instructors in both high school and college vary from the
>>guy who has a Gigabit Ethernet connection between his brain and yours,
>>and the clown who can't explain what a loop is and how it's used, and
>>given the enormous debt incurred by going to college, what is the way
>>forward for folks without the money to take courses and hope they get a
>>good instructor?
>>
>>SteveT
>>
>>
>
>You assume that a teacher is necessary. But anyone who wants to learn
>WILL learn if they are motivated. There are geeks who have even
>skipped college and made a go of it. If you're in the 'system', the
>quality of teachers is always a crapshoot these days and the adventure
>will put you in the poorhouse in the process . . .

Sometimes it seems like the only difference between Aunt Tilly and Neo is
that one of them is willing to search the internet and/or read a manual.

It also helps to find some kind, patient soul on IRC who can answer
any questions you have about said manuals or tell you how to avoid
embarrasing yourself by posting something stupid on a mailing list.
(Wish I'd learned sooner...)

--
"It seemed like a good idea at the time; now I know better.
In the future, I'll probably feel the same way about today."
-- Me, every time I see something I wrote.

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