To any people who graduated with a computer science degree or to any upper classmen.

Is computer science all about coding?

I am thinking of changing my major because as of right now i absolutely hate java. I have an A in the class so grades aren't a concern. I just really don't enjoy doing it.

3/25/2007 3:21:57 PM

it doesn't have to be just about coding. there's a lot of theoretical aspects to computer science too. but there is going to be at least some coding in almost all classes.

why did you get into csc in the first place? what are your interests?

3/25/2007 3:26:33 PM

it depends on if you want it to be or not - i haven't coded a day since college (although i was hired to be a java developer - other things came up) - i know of a few others that this is true for also

of the csc grads i know - i'd say about half are coders and half aren't - completely by choice

3/25/2007 3:28:34 PM

i always have been interested in computers and how programs work. i really love just tinkering around with different operating systems and figuring out how and why different things do what they do. i love the theoretical aspects that you are talking about. i just hate the idea of sitting and doing nothing but coding all day.

i also think that maybe i have a bad teacher. i've seen some of the other java teachers powerpoint presentations and compared to his they are absolutely amazing.

3/25/2007 3:30:01 PM

you're definitely going to have do deal with coding with java in the majority of your classes. There's not very many, if any, classes that aren't going to involve coding.

3/25/2007 3:47:13 PM

who is your professor - people on here can tell you if you do in fact have a bad one or one of the few good ones - when i was going through the good ones were very rare

a lot of csc professors have had no formal training in how to teach a class and therefore suck at it

3/25/2007 4:02:50 PM

Quote :

"a lot of csc professors have had no formal training in how to teach a class and therefore suck at it"

seriously. if i didn't need that piece of paper, i wouldn't have wasted my time with classes anyways. in the real world, you teach yourself most stuff anyways, or at least learn within your team/group. you try learning from anybody other than the professor in school and you get kicked out for cheating

[Edited on March 25, 2007 at 4:07 PM. Reason : but that's not exactly good encouragement for our n00b here, so forget what i said ]

3/25/2007 4:07:15 PM

i completely agree with qntmfred

the most important thing i learned in college was how to learn on my own - i used to wonder why csc degrees don't automatically come with a minor in hoop jumping

3/25/2007 4:09:38 PM

I don't code now, but I'll probably move back into development in a few years since I miss it. There are plenty of csc jobs that don't deal with coding, although being able to understand any object oriented programming language will help. It doesn't have to just be java. I almost switched majors back in the day when I had Balik for a lower level class, but luckily I dropped it and got a better prof the second go round. Although, if you do hate java, its going to be a long road for you since I had to do coding in nearly all of my csc classes.

3/25/2007 4:16:19 PM

Thanks for the help.

I think i'll stick with it and try to substitute what professors don't teach me with what books can and hopefully in three more years I will be on my way to a successful career.

3/25/2007 8:58:17 PM

I'm just getting done with my 2nd year, and god I HATE java -it makes me want to change my major - I just can't think clearly when it comes to object-oriented programming, but I've done VERY well with other languages. I'm not sure if I really want to code the rest of my life, and probably should have went into computer engineering. I took some CCNA classes before I came to NCSU and really liked Networking, but I'm not sure if thats what I wanna do. I really like web based things also, like creating webpages, so web security, network security. Are there any classes that are CSC and revolve around networking and what I've mentioned?

These are the classes I had planned for my last year, but I don't want to be dealing with so much programming. I'm not looking for something easy here, but something I'm going to enjoy and get the most out of it.

CSC 450 WEB SERVICES 03.00 070100
CSC 405 COMPUTER SECURITY 03.00 060300
CSC 454 HUMAN COMP INTERAC 03.00 070200
CSC 467 MULTIMEDIA TECHNOL 03.00 080300
CSC 461 COMPUTER GRAPHICS 03.00 070300
CSC 481 GAME DESIGN & DEV 03.00 060500
CSC 370 COMP PROF SOC RESP 03.00 080400

3/25/2007 9:23:32 PM

^your situation sounds exactly like mine!

I took net I and II in high school and got the CCNA certificate or whatever and loved it. My major before I arrived here was computer engineering but at the last second I decided to change to computer science because I thought i would enjoy more software oriented classes than hardware but now I don't know whether or not it was the right choice.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only person who hates java.

3/25/2007 9:31:01 PM

^ yeah I couldnt make up my mind whether or not to go into comp engineering or comp sci - and I always wanted to learn more about computer parts and so forth, but I didnt want to deal with electricity and all that stuff, because I HATE PHYSICS - so I figured since I had done well with like VB and simple things like that and I dont mind HTML, Javascript and that good stuff that Java wouldnt be so bad, but I just cant concentrate on it, I draw a blank and it really gets to me

3/25/2007 9:36:00 PM

we are only required to take two java classes, correct?

if so hopefully i can just study like hell and get through it. i know right now these projects seem impossible.

3/25/2007 9:45:58 PM

CSC 116 and CSC 216 yes, but you're gonna use Java throughout most of your CSC classes even though they aren't called 'Java' classes

3/25/2007 9:48:06 PM

There are plenty of jobs that hire technical people to do more of a business role. Currently, I'm in Norway helping deal with customer relations. Don't forget that once you get your degree, you can move internally.

3/25/2007 11:38:53 PM

If you are a computer science major that does not like to program, you are not an outcast. You must however, completely enjoy solving problems as this is the crux of computer science.

Hate Programming? - Keys to success:
1) Receive problem requirements
2) Develop an algorithm (using whatever pseudo-code conventions you want as long as they are consistent)
3) Attempt to implement algorithm in code but don’t make a mess (stop when you get frustrated or have a question)
4) Visit class TA and force them to help you implement your algorithm

Example: Write a program that adds 3 integers provided at the command line and prints out the result. Display an error message if 3 integers are not provided.

Develop an algorithm (how do I solve this problem):
Read 3 integers from command line
If we don’t read 3 integers
Print error message
Otherwise
Add up the 3 integers read and print the result

Now depending on how comfortable you are with Java you should be able to write something, with this being a minimum template. Once you get stuck then you take your algorithm and code to see your TA.

public class AddThree
{
public AddThree()
{
}

public static void main (string [] args)
{
}
}

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 12:17 AM. Reason : code ]

3/26/2007 12:15:06 AM

For a computer scientist, coding is a tool that they use naturally. Until you have graduate students who can be your slaves, you should plan on being pretty comfortable with some kind of programming. This goes for even if you want to stay on the theoretical side.

3/26/2007 12:32:55 AM

For most of us, you reach a moment when a lightbulb goes off in your head and you "understand" how programming works. After that, you can pick up the basics of almost any language with ease and actual coding will be more about understanding WHAT to do (the solution to the problem), not HOW to type it in (the language). Before that, things are going to seem extremely weird. Don't get too frustrated if you haven't reached that point yet. But, don't wait too long if you haven't.

And yes, academia shows/portrays computer science in its purest sense, algorithms, coding, etc. There are a LOT of options out there for once you finish with a computer science degree, many of which don't require coding. In meetings, you can definitely tell who has an academic background in it, and who doesn't, based on some of the questions that get asked. Not saying one is better than the other, but there is a difference.

[Edited on March 26, 2007 at 5:32 AM. Reason : .]

3/26/2007 5:32:02 AM

Just to reiterate

Quote :

"CSC 116 and CSC 216 yes, but you're gonna use Java throughout most of your CSC classes even though they aren't called 'Java' classes"

3/26/2007 8:42:24 AM

maybe I just never understood java because I took all of my classes through DE and couldnt get the help from a TA - when I did ask the teacher for help, I would get an email 2 weeks later, after the project was due, and on campus TAs would not help me

I didnt ask for much help but when youre stuck youre stuck, and I wouldnt know what to do, I would drive an hour or more to campus to get laughed at and told, hey we cant help you

I made an A+ in 116 but almost died in 216, because I had questions that people wouldnt answer

3/26/2007 11:38:40 AM

Who did you have for each? For a lot of my classes, even non csc, there was always one good ta who was much better than the others. You just have to find that person.

3/26/2007 12:11:51 PM

^ i agree. i was a TA for 116 and 216 and most of those TAs are a joke

3/26/2007 12:22:43 PM

I agree, a degree in csc is pretty much essential if you want a decent job related to technology or software. If you hate programming, you don't have to take a job in coding. Most of the csc classes require coding of some type, but like other people said, not everybody enjoys coding that is in csc.

3/26/2007 7:20:01 PM