I have never attended a CS course! 

Is it me or is computer science meant to be more than coding and computer languages like Java or python, thought it was more about the science of computers that is algorithms, storage, transmission etc i mean it's the science that makes it all come together. Most of us are good at using computer languages to write programs but how many can actually write the the language, or better yet really explain it.

Always thought a CS course was more than high level languages that you can teach yourself and more about the nuts and bolts the stuff that makes data storage possible, the storage sizes getting bigger as the physical size gets smaller - that's computer science.


On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 4:34 PM, Dennis Kioko <dmbuvi@gmail.com> wrote:

Meanwhile, in the US, they can't find 1 million CS graduates http://dthin.gs/ZGhaoD

On Feb 26, 2013 5:46 PM, "Bwana Lawi" <mail2lawi@gmail.com> wrote:
I went to Stanford (but do I say), er, online classes for a week. The CS101 was very deep from the word go. The CS department had (or has) it's own flavour of Eclipse IDE and you get real hands-on java training.

I feel my love for java was lost when all i learnt was Person = new Person. 

I am not saying we should be like Stanford but in that 1 week I realized there is a very big difference between my degree and Stanford CS degree.

PS: I decided to drop out after a week after seeing what it means to be a Stanford dropout. Feel free to add me to your network :)


On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 5:27 PM, Peter Karunyu <pkarunyu@gmail.com> wrote:
Guys, you are all forgetting one thing: the mindset of a Kenyan academician is totally different from that of a professional on the field.

Academicians want to produce well rounded graduates, this basically means they will teach a little bit of everything; Pascal, C, C++ and Java, HIV&AIDS, Organic Chemistry, Communication Skills, Psychology 101, Ethics etc to a CS student.

What the market needs is a sharp edged graduate, someone who can hit the ground and make a mark, the day after graduation.

That said, without self drive to teach themselves stuff, a CS graduate will be less than ideal.


On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 3:59 PM, joe mwirigi <joemwirigi@gmail.com> wrote:
All this time av been thinking this CS is CSharp :( so its commuter Science.

All said, I think these classes and courses are necessary. Some of the things like software life cycle
and other things on taking-on large Software projects come in hardy. For some of us who started with a pan
and a 'Cook what You May' philosophy have had it hard documenting such things that the Mgt of companies want to 
see before you start the cooking. Though we learn through google and 'please forward me ...' , if well taught in colleges,

this would make the lifes of skunks/ettes bit easier out here.

And of course I echo self effort above all which matters after all the helping we get after being mentored like i have been by a one Ndungi Kyalo and Frankline Chitwa both in this forum here.


Rgds


_______________________________________________________________
We must Keep on, 
   
 


On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 3:42 PM, Ndungi Kyalo <ndungi@gmail.com> wrote:
Wow @Claire, kudos to you. That is quite admirable actually. I also hope that after you are done you can mentor another one and another one who feels like giving up on CS because it seems too daunting or the lectures are a raw deal. On university staffing, I am trying to say that though most people here have come this far due to God's grace (and pure grit), it doesnt have to be that way. Not every one is Chuck Norris or McGyver you know :) . One way or another, we will need to produce a lot more superb programmers, systems analysts, ai experts, dba's etc for a young economy as ours. Self-drive and initiative will work for us as individuals but the big picture demands we do more for the sake of others as well.
--
Ndungi Kyalo


On 26 February 2013 15:04, Clare N <101stylz@gmail.com> wrote:

@Ndungi I only say this coz 4 years ago I was that ms-word student but I have self taught myself EVERY language n tech skill I know.
Whether or not u lyk ur course, its up to you to figure stuff out...
Instead of waiting for a miracle, go out and make one.

On Feb 26, 2013 2:55 PM, "Ndungi Kyalo" <ndungi@gmail.com> wrote:
@Clare, It is wrong to first assume that a young person lacks initiative or self-drive. In the first place, he came to the university because he figured he couldnt hack it by himself. That is some form of initiative right there that any lecturer could work with to mould the young mind into a great skunker/ette. Of course, there are those who are simply fulfilling their parents' wishes to complete a 4-year 'marketable' course, but i think those are the minority. Many more enthusiastic young people get into class only to be met by lecturers who recycle class notes and do not have an idea what new technologies are driving the world outside that class.

Our real problem I think is staffing. How I wish Comp Sc lecturers were sourced directly from this forum!

Or perhaps, what the students need is mentoring ?

--
Ndungi Kyalo

On 26 February 2013 11:11, Clare N <101stylz@gmail.com> wrote:

+1 Nick. Some students come with basic MS-word knowledge only.

But miaka nne pia ni mob sana not to have caught up.
Zero ambition/self-drive.


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