[PLUG-TALK] What they teach in CS classes

[AthlonRob]

Michael Rasmussen wrote:
> I still feel like the writer is BSing everyone.  

Yeah, he probably is.

I've taken my first small (as in number of students) CS class this term.
 The title of the course is "Network Administration."  It's a 300-level
course.

Out of the class of about 30 or so, I'd wager five have experience with
Linux or similar (including the instructor and myself).

The instructor repeatedly was attempting (often unsuccessfully) to
illustrate concepts and examples using Windows.  I wrote to him outside
of class and offered him shell access to several Linux boxes I have,
including root on a few so he could more adequately demonstrate things.

He responded back stating essentially none of the students have any *nix
experience and in the past, they have discounted anything demonstrated
at the command line as old and irrelevant to the real world.  CS
students at this university are not required to take *any* Unix classes.
 None.  Not one.  They spend the first three years writing everything in
Java, then are introduced to .Net (C#) for their senior project.

Ickkk! I said.  He agreed.

I've regularly been shocked at how little "Computer Science" students
know about computers.  They don't teach people about computers in CS
classes - they teach them about Programming.  Really, I think the entire
CS department needs to be renamed Programming Science.

Ah well.

Rob  (end rant)