Re:Ask HN: How would you evolve modern computer science curr...
by bayonetz on Wednesday July 02, 2014 @06:37PM
(#7980266)
Yes, very aware. What I suggest was just an off the cuff idea to help spark ideas. CS is still too new to not have some evolution left in the curriculum. This really isn't controversial.
You are like the guy back in 1975 saying "...We don't need no stinking change from Assembly to C, this isn't a 'Learn How To Program Degree' don't you know..."
Assembly is fine, it's just not relevant anymore to a CS major. C and Java are still good but they are becoming less relevant was time marches on. Blah blah blah. Is thing on?
In fact, if waited and just said the same thing in 7-14 years or so, everybody would be saying "..<insert newer language here> for Data Strucutres?...no sh*#t, who programs in C or Java anymore?!?..."
I think instead of attempting to revamp the CS curriculum, we should work harder to portray CS for what it is, which is not "Study this and be a programmer for the rest of your life". People who come out of CS go on to do a wide array of things, programming is just a basic and necessary skill for learning and understanding computing that one picks it up. And knowing the theories and concepts really well makes good programmers, same as how knowing the fundamentals of Mathematics would produce someone who could be a good accountant or something similar.