[KLUG Advocacy] Let's get this CS v. CIS v. moron v. other party started -- WAS: Oh, the joys of upgrading!

Bruce Smith advocacy@kalamazoolinux.org
31 Dec 2002 11:20:22 -0500


> >[ Let's stop playing footsies here and just start it on ADVO! ]
> 
> But I like footsies!

OK, just keep them to yourself!  :-)

> >>Include me if you do, mostly I'm interested in watching this debate. 
> >>Personally,  I've worked with recent graduates with either degrees - and
> >>in general they are both totally useless.
> >Of course traditional education is _practically_ useless.  It is by its
> >very nature and focus.  Technical colleges and programs are far more
> >intense, 4x the practical knowledge in 1/4th the time.
> 
> I'm not so cure it is that black and white, or what "traditional education"
> encompsases.  I attended a technical college/program and dropped out in both
> disgust and boredom.
> 
> I'd actually like the graduates I've met to have a more "traditional"
> background.  If they understand the theory and concepts learning specific tools
> comes easy.
> 
> It is the complete lack of clue about things like version control that bug me. 
> Not that they don't know how to use CVS, but that they don't get it, even the
> "why".  And having to explain to a CIS person how to read a basic UML class
> diagram?  And object inheritence in OO?  The difference between a thread and a
> process?  Constraints in relation databases (or even what the "relational" part
> of that description means)?  Seriously, why not just grab a high-school graduate
> and teach him what he needs to know,  your going to be doing it anyway, and
> he'll do it for less money and with less attitude.
> 
> What exactly do they spend all those months/years studying?  I'm curious to have
> someone actually involved in those coarses to answer that question.

I heard one explanation a LONG time ago about college degrees that 
made some sense.  Notice I said "made sense", in the sense of I can
understand someone else's thinking.  I did NOT say that I agreed.
(I didn't say that I don't agree - I'm staying neutral in this email)

For the sake of playing devil's advocate, I'll explain it, as best as I
can remember.  It's been a long time, and I don't remember the exact
wording, so this is mainly paraphrasing.

It's also been over 20 years since I graduated with my BS degree, so the
this thinking may have changed since then.

Basically I was told that a company is looking for college graduates so
they have a better chance of fitting into the corporate world.  Having
graduated shows the person's _ability_ to learn, which is much more
important that what they _actually_ learned at college.

Forcing a broad range of required subjects (English, speech, history,
religion, PE, etc. for a computer science degree) creates a more well
rounded person and proves the person has a broader range of thinking,
and they can apply themselves in areas other than their specialty,
including areas they may not like. (qualifying them for management? :)

--------------------------------------------
Bruce Smith                bruce@armintl.com
System Administrator / Network Administrator
Armstrong International, Inc.
Three Rivers, Michigan  49093  USA
http://www.armstrong-intl.com/
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