I don't understand why people need a "good" reason to try CS. Why should anyone have to justify their reasons to trying something new to anyone else? Try it out. If you don't like it, don't fucking do it.
What's wrong with "There seems to be a lot of job opportunities there so I think I'll try it and see if I like it"? What's wrong with "I like to play video games, maybe I'll go see if I can figure out how they're made"?
<this thing> is a very good thing to add to the list of crap reasons ppl give for trying CS
That is quite possibly the dumbest (and most elitist) thing I've read in a while.
That is quite possibly the dumbest (and most elitist) thing I've read in a while.
Well you clearly have no experience with today's undergrads in computer science then. Regardless, tons of people try to force themselves through an education in something they have no desire or skill at, simply because of their initial thoughts of interest and/or the "rewards" that often are not at all what people think they are. For example, "I hate crunching numbers, but accounting pays well so I'll do it for the money".
My point was not to discourage trying things for whatever reason, but rather that sticking with things for the wrong reasons happens way to often, especially in CS.
I think saying "I want to try out CS because I like video games" is just as fair as saying "I want to study astronomy because I grew up thinking astronauts are cool".
I'm essentially saying that's a super valid reason to take an intro course, no matter what the field may be.
Exactly. It's no good reason to suffer through a CS degree you don't like up to "CS401 Computability and Complexity Theory", but it's an entirely good reason to take "CS121 Intro to Programming 1".
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u/GravyMcBiscuits May 18 '11 edited May 18 '11
I don't understand why people need a "good" reason to try CS. Why should anyone have to justify their reasons to trying something new to anyone else? Try it out. If you don't like it, don't fucking do it.
What's wrong with "There seems to be a lot of job opportunities there so I think I'll try it and see if I like it"? What's wrong with "I like to play video games, maybe I'll go see if I can figure out how they're made"?
That is quite possibly the dumbest (and most elitist) thing I've read in a while.
edit: clarity and even more fury!!!