IT/Software career thread: Invert binary trees for dollars.

349
1
Looking at a few electives to take next semester. Unfortunately the ones I want to take aren't offered next semester (robotics and computer security) so I've narrowed it down to Data Mining or one of the networking/linux classes. I figured those would give me some better "real world" experience. This semester was actually challenging and so far so good. It's funny how I was complaining about recursion a few weeks ago. After going through binary trees in data structures, I definitely don't hate it is much. There were a couple of methods that would have been a pain in the ass to write with loops. I am not even sure how to do a few of the methods non-recursively.

Also looking for internship this summer. Anywhere in the US. Finishing up my resume now and will probably work on references in the next few weeks if you need them
biggrin.png
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
37,961
14,508
I find that networking and linux classes are pretty good in terms of a good all-around understanding of the two topics. In particular I would recommend taking a linux class just because in the real world you may find yourself needing/wanting a good familiarity with it. That is, unless you are already a linux pro.
 

Tripamang

Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
5,195
31,713
I'd argue that you could skip the linux class, download gentoo and use one of their early stage builds that let you build the system/kernel from scratch. I learned a boatload doing this and it'll probably take you a couple days just to get the system installed, but once you do you'll have a very deep understanding of the OS and how it's put together.

Presuming the data mining course is will cover big data and hadoop, I'd see those as more marketable skills then general linux knowledge as that's something anyone could learn in their spare time.
 

Vinen

God is dead
2,782
486
I feel kinda the same way about Hadoop, in a one semester class all you're basically going to learn is intro to stats(stuff like bayes), and how to actually install and use Hadoop for its bare minimum functionality. If you understand stats already then you could just do some tutorials over a week and end up in the same place.

I'd personally go with whatever one you're least comfortable with. I value courses that focus a lot more on theory than those that focus on practice because the practice is so easy to get on your own.
And then you realize you are using Hadoop for a small data problem.
 

Asshat wormie

2023 Asshat Award Winner
<Gold Donor>
16,820
30,963
Just curious:

How many people here actually do anything with the Science part of computer science? Most everyone seems to be engineers and not scientists. Anyone?
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,418
73,489
I think you'd have to explain what you mean by the 'science' part of computer science.

Someone creating a new way to rasterize some polygons in a scene with heavy fog could be said to be doing bonafied computer science as well as engineering.
 

Asshat wormie

2023 Asshat Award Winner
<Gold Donor>
16,820
30,963
I think you'd have to explain what you mean by the 'science' part of computer science.

Someone creating a new way to rasterize some polygons in a scene with heavy fog could be said to be doing bonafied computer science as well as engineering.
I meant it in a more general sense. Who does research, any sort of research, as opposed to strictly programming and what kind of research is it? And if you are building new algorithms (geometric especially), give me details
smile.png
 

Vinen

God is dead
2,782
486
I meant it in a more general sense. Who does research, any sort of research, as opposed to strictly programming and what kind of research is it? And if you are building new algorithms (geometric especially), give me details
smile.png
I have a few patents that shouldn't be patents... does that count?
 

Desidero

N00b
163
2
Ugh, fuck JCL. I'm so happy my company finally got off the mainframe - I never want to see any of that shit again.

Even zLinux (USS) was a pain in the ass to work with. It was such a treat to mix regular scripts/programming languages with Rexx and TSO commands as needed since certain functions only worked with specific languages/commands.
 

Asshat wormie

2023 Asshat Award Winner
<Gold Donor>
16,820
30,963
Another sample of programming language popularity. This is obviously not a representation of the entire field and is limited to people participating in programming competitions:

Languages used (2015) Code Jam Statistics

Also cool to note is that there is a language called "Brainfuck".
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,418
73,489
Another sample of programming language popularity. This is obviously not a representation of the entire field and is limited to people participating in programming competitions:

Languages used (2015) Code Jam Statistics

Also cool to note is that there is a language called "Brainfuck".
That's an interesting swing. A small minority use javascript. Probably because this seems to focus on more, I dunno, core 'computer science' people instead of 'web developers'.
 

Asshat wormie

2023 Asshat Award Winner
<Gold Donor>
16,820
30,963
That's an interesting swing. A small minority use javascript. Probably because this seems to focus on more, I dunno, core 'computer science' people instead of 'web developers'.
Its most likely due to the speed advantage of C++. Most algorithmic competitions, like TopCoder, are full of people using C/C++. Even though code jam does not emphasize speed as much as other competitions might, the people participating in code jam are a large sub set of the people from other competitions. I would keep C++ out of any comparisons when looking at code jam and just compare the popularity of other languages.
 

Lendarios

Trump's Staff
<Gold Donor>
19,360
-17,424
my new job has been so disappointing. First two senior developers, me and someone else were hired at the same time. We are both at the same level in the organizational diagram, but this guy wants to change everything.
And here is what I mean. He wants us to move away from .net mvc / webforms, to angular js, and eliminate the server side code.
By eliminating the server side code i mean, he wants angular talking to a single web method, doing json requests. Then those request get converted to the equivalent XML, and then pass to the DB to a series of SP, that interpret the XML and perform the action.

This translates to all your business logic been on the database, on functions and Stored procedures, plus heavy use of SQL XML queries.
My first reaction was GTFO, but no this guy is serious. I tried to explain how using SQl for all your Business logic is an antipattern, not reusable, not extensible, and a bad idea. But no, he is set on his corner, of not doing c# code, nor almost any server side objects. His point is "everything that touches data should be on the DB, that is db are for to work with data".

So my boss, instead of drawing the line on the sand, just said, "ok, each one of you do it a different way".

So now our differences in coding philosophies are affecting our interactions since we are both so passionate about our points. It fucking sucks.

So yey for having the same application been done in two incompatible ways =(
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,418
73,489
my new job has been so disappointing. First two senior developers, me and someone else were hired at the same time. We are both at the same level in the organizational diagram, but this guy wants to change everything.
And here is what I mean. He wants us to move away from .net mvc / webforms, to angular js, and eliminate the server side code.
By eliminating the server side code i mean, he wants angular talking to a single web method, doing json requests. Then those request get converted to the equivalent XML, and then pass to the DB to a series of SP, that interpret the XML and perform the action.

This translates to all your business logic been on the database, on functions and Stored procedures, plus heavy use of SQL XML queries.
My first reaction was GTFO, but no this guy is serious. I tried to explain how using SQl for all your Business logic is an antipattern, not reusable, not extensible, and a bad idea. But no, he is set on his corner, of not doing c# code, nor almost any server side objects. His point is "everything that touches data should be on the DB, that is db are for to work with data".

So my boss, instead of drawing the line on the sand, just said, "ok, each one of you do it a different way".

So now our differences in coding philosophies are affecting our interactions since we are both so passionate about our points. It fucking sucks.

So yey for having the same application been done in two incompatible ways =(
Haha.

When I see shit like that I think of a bad developer having worked at a previous place where good developers made a system that worked really well for everyone. Then when they move to a new job they see another system that does the same work but differently, but because they're bad developers they don't know how to work and improve a system using different technologies, and would rather just remake the system using technologies they're familiar with.

This is similar to:
Cargo cult programming - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Where people will read "Oh scrum is great I read it in a book and my last job used it let's shove notecards up our ass in standing meetings now."

I feel like the best response to this is to quantify progress for your team, then if they're a shit programmer their progress will suck and you can use that to disarm them when they start proposing dumb ideas.
 

Tuco

I got Tuco'd!
<Gold Donor>
45,418
73,489
Your boss sounds like, "I hired two senior developers and they can't work like senior developers. Time for a developer battle. Two men enter, one man leaves."
 
1,268
18
he wants angular talking to a single web method, doing json requests. Then those request get converted to the equivalent XML, and then pass to the DB to a series of SP, that interpret the XML and perform the action.
This sounds non-sensical. Convert HTTP to JSON, to XML, to SQL. Then the entire chain would go back the other way for responses? I don't get it...
frown.png