Learning to Code vs Learning Computer Science

Re:Learning to Code vs Learning Computer Science by tim333 on Sunday February 09, 2014 @03:11PM (#7206974)

I'm not sure most of gets called computer science is actually science it terms of "a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe" as wikipedia puts it. Mostly it would be better called software engineering. I think people tend to call it science because that sounds sexier.

The stuff the writer of the article says he supports in the Apps For Good initiative is even less science like. "competitor analysis, testing, monetizing, building a team, and legal / social ramifications of releasing an app" is business studies, not science.

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Re:Learning to Code vs Learning Computer Science by dclara on Sunday February 09, 2014 @05:23PM (#7207625)

You have a good point. OP was trying to show how to pursue computer science by understanding the meaning behind programming. But he deviated it to the software engineering which is a different scope to chase for.

If you like to pursue computer science, you spend your time on improving algorithms, improving compilers, improving language and improving operating systems. When you like to pursue a different direction to write software applications, you focus more on the latter part OP mentioned.

There is no absolute line between the two. Understanding better in the low level will always help, especially for the new programmers. That's why we had the principle courses in colleges.

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