Re:Problems with Computer Science Education
by jameshart on Tuesday August 11, 2015 @04:44PM
(#10044253)
In general, you're right.
But I think you're underselling the value of pure computer science compared to the software engineering discipline. Physicists don't have to go into academia, they can ply their trade applying physics, collaborating with engineers on the cutting edge of semiconductor manufacturing, aeronautics, space exploration, and so on. Before a field is ready to be turned into engineering, the early work is usually done by physicists.
Sure, there's hopefully no need to account for novel physics when you're building a bridge - all the theoretical models engineers need have been worked out long ago (by physicists). But if those same engineers were working on a space-elevator? They'd bring along some physicists to help figure out the new stuff they were going to encounter.
The same applies to the software domain, too: before something like deep learning can be engineered into regular products, it's going to be computer scientists who work out all the details - and not just in an academic environment, they're doing it in industry, working with engineers to turn theory into practice.
But I think you're underselling the value of pure computer science compared to the software engineering discipline. Physicists don't have to go into academia, they can ply their trade applying physics, collaborating with engineers on the cutting edge of semiconductor manufacturing, aeronautics, space exploration, and so on. Before a field is ready to be turned into engineering, the early work is usually done by physicists.
Sure, there's hopefully no need to account for novel physics when you're building a bridge - all the theoretical models engineers need have been worked out long ago (by physicists). But if those same engineers were working on a space-elevator? They'd bring along some physicists to help figure out the new stuff they were going to encounter.
The same applies to the software domain, too: before something like deep learning can be engineered into regular products, it's going to be computer scientists who work out all the details - and not just in an academic environment, they're doing it in industry, working with engineers to turn theory into practice.