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How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

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Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#31

Post by praneshp »

DawkinsGawd wrote: post #9

Disappointed. I thought the article was going to focus on why a computer isn't even necessary for a computer science degree. In other words - how a computer science degree is mostly just a degree in mathematics, and a lot of the coding that you do (algorithm work, obviously not a software engineering or programming intensive course) should be done with pencil. I have been seeing a lot of articles claiming that a barr…

My first formal CS class was in high school (last two years), and my teacher then personally advised parents not to get a computer just for that class. Looking back I think that was one of the best things a teacher has done for me.

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#32

Post by jjp »

jakeway wrote: post #30
laurencerowe wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I ran an AP computer science class we would never touch a computer. Pencil and paper only. That would be a disservice to the students. Being able to code is probably the best predictor for students successfully completing a CS degree.

You can write code with pencil and paper

Yes but it's a little harder to prove that the algorithm you've described works.

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#34

Post by chrisseaton »

jjp wrote: post #32
jakeway wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can write code with pencil and paper

Yes but it's a little harder to prove that the algorithm you've described works.

But almost nobody proves that programs they write on computers work either. When was the last time you proved a program correct?

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#35

Post by sremani »

There are lot of people coming to same conclusion, learning low-tech is probably best way of doing learning. Because Computers themselves have become such a distraction, social media or tech journalism etc. There is a story in the book "Deep Work", where a finance dude Mastered programming (javascript,I would guess), with a textbook and flashcards.

If this does not change any thing, it should give all us a minute to think, the mind-numbing was technology is being pushed with a claim for improving education, but nothing empirical to back it up.

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#36

Post by timberburn »

DawkinsGawd wrote: post #9

Disappointed. I thought the article was going to focus on why a computer isn't even necessary for a computer science degree. In other words - how a computer science degree is mostly just a degree in mathematics, and a lot of the coding that you do (algorithm work, obviously not a software engineering or programming intensive course) should be done with pencil. I have been seeing a lot of articles claiming that a barr…

Along with all the other reasons why this is terrible, I would despise this because I just can't write as fast as I type. Having to use paper/pencil for the SAT was troublesome enough.

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#37

Post by foiejapofijw »

Misleading title and limited content aside, one sentence stood out to me:

"This wasn’t such a big deal when I was actually doing computer programming homework, since people who can code at typing speed are pretty rare."

How does everyone else feel about the "rareness"?

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#38

Post by zura »

dsp1234 wrote: post #13
DawkinsGawd wrote: post #9

Disappointed. I thought the article was going to focus on why a computer isn't even necessary for a computer science degree. In other words - how a computer science degree is mostly just a degree in mathematics, and a lot of the coding that you do (algorithm work, obviously not a software engineering or programming intensive course) should be done with pencil. I have been seeing a lot of articles claiming that a barr…

Computer science is not really about computers -- and it's not about computers in the same sense that physics is not really about particle accelerators, and biology is not about microscopes and Petri dishes...and geometry isn't really about using surveying instruments. Now the reason that we think computer science is about computers is pretty much the same reason that the Egyptians thought geometry was about surveyin…

> Computer science is not really about computers

He also added (prepended, to be precise) that it's not a science. :)

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#39

Post by grillvogel »

DawkinsGawd wrote: post #9

Disappointed. I thought the article was going to focus on why a computer isn't even necessary for a computer science degree. In other words - how a computer science degree is mostly just a degree in mathematics, and a lot of the coding that you do (algorithm work, obviously not a software engineering or programming intensive course) should be done with pencil. I have been seeing a lot of articles claiming that a barr…

why, so they can be completely unemployable?

figuring out how to get your shit to work and debugging it on the computer you're using is the actual hard part of CS.

Re: How I got a CS degree with pen and paper and why I'm doing it again

#40

Post by sevensor »

strictnein wrote: post #8
meshko wrote: post #4

This article just made me feel like i am 70. Thanks. Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Feeling_of_Power

Same. Mid 30s, no one used laptops to take notes when I was in college. Somehow we all survived.

Also mid 30s, just wrapped up an engineering Ph.D at a major state research university. It wasn't CS, but still quite technical. Never once did I see classmates use laptops for taking notes. Maybe it was just my department, but we were pen and paper all the way. I'm a bit astonished that taking notes on a laptop is even a thing. It seems incredibly distracting and ineffective. How does one draw diagrams or write equations?
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