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From: smosha@most.magec.com (Steve O'Shaughnessy)
Subject: Re: The art of Software
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Date: Thu, 3 Aug 1995 13:14:46 GMT
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Subject was Comparison of languages for CS1 and CS2 and changed to
The art of Software

In article <qqenz43ptf.fsf@tartarus.ucsd.edu>, 
djohnson@tartarus.ucsd.edu says...

>... But practically, most CS students get jobs as programmers (not 
>all, since CS is not the same as programming).  And in these days, 
>getting a job without lots C++ experience is very hard. ...

>Practically, the university is treated by industry as a trade school,
>so C++ is a good thing to learn as that is the trade skill that
>industry wants (ability to learn and adapt seems to be a luxury when
>the economy is sour).

Welcome to the information age ?!?!  What can we learn from the 
industrial age?  In the 1930's and '40's Henry Ford ran its own Trade 
School to train a work force in "Shop Theory" for work in the 
automakers machine shops.  Even the government used Ford's methods.

Darin makes a good point, 'CS is not the same as programming'.  Much 
the same as a mechanical engineer is not a lathe operator.  Much of 
society still views software as high tech.  Even the Iowa farm boy, 
familar with machinery, would have been awed by the vast machine shops 
of Detroit.  My question is: has software made a similar turn?  Is 
straight programming the assembly line of the 21st century?  Does 
anyone know, is the success of Indian programming shops due to the 
difference in our respective economies or does India recognize the 
distinction between programmers and scientist (or engineers) and 
compensate accordingly?  Does industry really want (or need) C++ 
programmers with 4 year degrees?  

Pondering,

Steve O
smosha@most.magec.com

