Ask HN: Why do many CS graduates lack foundational knowledge?

Re:Ask HN: Why do many CS graduates lack foundational knowle... by alxmng on Monday March 20, 2023 @07:32AM (#35230055)

Sure, let’s consult Wikipedia:

“A computer is a machine that can be programmed to carry out sequences of arithmetic or logical operations (computation) automatically”

“Computation is any type of arithmetic or non-arithmetic calculation that follows a well-defined model (e.g., an algorithm)” AKA a program.

So computation is executing a program. And computers are machines which execute programs.

Turing and the Church-Turing thesis define computability as whether something can be expressed as a program (an algorithm).

Computer science involves math, information theory, and other disciplines insofar as they pertain to programs and programming.

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Re:Ask HN: Why do many CS graduates lack foundational knowle... by arethuza on Monday March 20, 2023 @07:58AM (#35230279)

Analogue computers can handle certain classes of problems very nicely and they don't follow "sequences of arithmetic or logical operations"?

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Re:Ask HN: Why do many CS graduates lack foundational knowle... by alxmng on Monday March 20, 2023 @08:15AM (#35230416)

Yes, analog computers are very interesting. Though they typically do include arithmetic operations. They were often programmed with patch bays and the program is the patch bay configuration. So the programming was still discrete.

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Re:Ask HN: Why do many CS graduates lack foundational knowle... by dcow on Monday March 20, 2023 @12:08PM (#35233681)

Wikipedia is literally telling you there’s a difference between the abstract study of the logic that underpins how we approach designing and programming computers, and the actual tools and processes used to do so, and you’re just ignoring it. IDK how else to help you.

Nobody is arguing that computers don't compute. Why are you stuck on that minutia?

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