"I would really like get more involved in machine learning, data analytics, scientific computing" - this doesn't sound like C++ at all.
Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
11–20 of 35 posts
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#12Going forward, 2-3 years, I would really like get more involved in machine learning, data analytics, scientific computing. I would recommend the C# experience in so much as it will build familiarity with .NET, and thus allow you to graduate to F#, which is increasingly popular in those fields (and damn good at them).
> graduate to F# This is condescending to C# programmers when F# is nearly the same language.
I'd be a lot more willing to get on board with the former part of that sentence if you hadn't blundered into the latter bit.
Paul Graham was right again. http://www.paulgraham.com/avg.html
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#13What is the C# role doing? Is it moving your career/knowledge forward in any way (other than learning C#)? It just seems like an odd choice (C#) given what you want to do. Scientific computing is C++, Fortran, and Python, along with some Matlab, R, maybe Julia. A ton of machine learning is in R and Python. Of course Java is heavily used in data analytics due to Hadoop, so C## will help you there. But really, it's pre…
Java gets quite a bit of use in ML as well.
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#14As someone who was described as having "an interesting career path" by his manager due to simultaneously developing Windows device drivers and GUI code, I say learn C#. The availability of device driver writers is shrinking rapidly, as my search for one in the last year proves. However, it's shrinking because the market is shrinking. Might be more accurate to say that the market has already tanked. At the same time,…
> I love C/C++, but it's getting harder to find work in that language unless you want to focus on embedded systems.
It's getting harder even if you do want to focus on embedded systems. I see the hiring bars for those positions getting increasingly higher, to the point where it is almost impossible to switch in if you didn't start there or back if you took a break.
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#15What is the C# role doing? Is it moving your career/knowledge forward in any way (other than learning C#)? It just seems like an odd choice (C#) given what you want to do. Scientific computing is C++, Fortran, and Python, along with some Matlab, R, maybe Julia. A ton of machine learning is in R and Python. Of course Java is heavily used in data analytics due to Hadoop, so C## will help you there. But really, it's pre…
I think you pointed out my only concern quite well.
The C# role is mainly developing application level software which would talk to the C/C++ drivers and such. This C# will be fitted into another framework which is the top level platform.
Can you please elaborate on this "But really, it's pretty trivial to learn a language. C# is a fantastic language, but it seems that it is likely that your role will be taking you further away from your future plans, not nearer them."
As people have pointed out, learning a new language seems definitely like a good addition to the skill set, but I wouldn't want to do it at the expense of pigeon holing myself.
TL;DR: I am not sure if I should become better in C/C++ or pick up C#?
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#16"I would really like get more involved in machine learning, data analytics, scientific computing" - this doesn't sound like C++ at all.
Why?
A lot of ML and scientific computing libraries are in C++. Quite a few of the roles I have see want a solid understanding/experience with C++.
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#17"I would really like get more involved in machine learning, data analytics, scientific computing" - this doesn't sound like C++ at all.
Why? A lot of ML and scientific computing libraries are in C++. Quite a few of the roles I have see want a solid understanding/experience with C++.
OK, you probably know more than me. I just assumed that most of those libraries are then consumed from something like Python. If you want to develop high-performance libraries themselves, then C++ is probably the way to go. Unless you want to be on the cutting edge with something like Rust :).
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why? A lot of ML and scientific computing libraries are in C++. Quite a few of the roles I have see want a solid understanding/experience with C++.
OK, you probably know more than me. I just assumed that most of those libraries are then consumed from something like Python. If you want to develop high-performance libraries themselves, then C++ is probably the way to go. Unless you want to be on the cutting edge with something like Rust :).
Getting a job to develop with Rust would be a dream :)
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#19What is the C# role doing? Is it moving your career/knowledge forward in any way (other than learning C#)? It just seems like an odd choice (C#) given what you want to do. Scientific computing is C++, Fortran, and Python, along with some Matlab, R, maybe Julia. A ton of machine learning is in R and Python. Of course Java is heavily used in data analytics due to Hadoop, so C## will help you there. But really, it's pre…
C# is used a lot in health sciences.
Re: Ask HN: C# vs. C/C++ as career forward.
#20As someone who was described as having "an interesting career path" by his manager due to simultaneously developing Windows device drivers and GUI code, I say learn C#. The availability of device driver writers is shrinking rapidly, as my search for one in the last year proves. However, it's shrinking because the market is shrinking. Might be more accurate to say that the market has already tanked. At the same time,…
> I love C/C++, but it's getting harder to find work in that language unless you want to focus on embedded systems. It's getting harder even if you do want to focus on embedded systems. I see the hiring bars for those positions getting increasingly higher, to the point where it is almost impossible to switch in if you didn't start there or back if you took a break.
Fully agree.
My employer moved away from C++ projects in the enterprise space back in 2005, into more programmer friendly languages.
In spite all the nice C++11/C++14 features, the enterprise hardly cares for C++ nowadays.
And when it does, the code is most likely pre-C++98, written with MFC, Tools.h++ or similar.