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OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

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Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#131

Post by 908B64B197 »

randomdata wrote: post #102
galoisgirl wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, someone has to certify the university. They wouldn't stay certified long if they just gave diplomas to anything with a pulse.

As a Canadian, the most educated nation in the world, we do pretty much give diplomas to anything with a pulse. It doesn't affect school credibility, it merely pushes people to feel like they need even higher levels of formal education to compete.

I wonder if it's related to the immigration system: having a degree can score you enough points to be able to immigrate (no matter how employable or if the degree is real) [0].

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTg5zzFEKE

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#132

Post by nicoburns »

j45 wrote: post #81
nicoburns wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the reason fo this emphasis is that there are already plenty of resources for self-learning CS. Indeed a lot of the mainstream universities make their course materials available. The bit that is not typically available is the credential, so if we truly want to disrupt the edcuation model then that's the bit that needs to be solved.

This type of logic would say there no point in having more than a few CS programs worldwide because it already exists. Credentials historically are built in the brand of the institution, a clock which is starting to tick. Would you care for the credential of an institution if it goes out of business in the next 3-5 years?

> This type of logic would say there no point in having more than a few CS programs worldwide because it already exists.

Well... yes. If they were all open programs then that may well be true. Of course there's value in diversity. But it does seem like a massive waste of resources that we have students paying thousands for tuition they could get much cheaper if it was shared around more widely.

> Would you care for the credential of an institution if it goes out of business in the next 3-5 years?

That depends entirely on whether my credential was still accepted beyond that point. But in any case, I don't see why a new credentialing organisation should last any less long than an older one.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#133

Post by randomdata »

ericmay wrote: post #110
randomdata wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a Canadian, the most educated nation in the world, we do pretty much give diplomas to anything with a pulse. It doesn't affect school credibility, it merely pushes people to feel like they need even higher levels of formal education to compete.

> As a Canadian, the most educated nation in the world > we do pretty much give diplomas to anything with a pulse What's the metric for being the most educated nation? 'Cause ya know if it's "most diplomas per capita" or something and you freely give them out... we might want to rethink that lol. Just something to think about I guess

> What's the metric for being the most educated nation?

The metric OECD uses.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#134

Post by rufus_foreman »

LightMachine wrote: post #79
CleverLikeAnOx wrote: post #55

A lot of comments are dismissing this because it doesn't provide a credential upon completion. But you don't get mad at a hammer for not putting staples in paper, nor get mad at a stapler for not putting nails in wood. This is a tool that gives empowers you to educate yourself, not a tool that gives you a credential. As someone with a deep love of learning and knowledge, I am delighted that this exists.

Speaking of the subject, if someone DOES want a credential and already knows a lot of CS, are there good online courses that provide sped up process? I have been programming since 20 years ago, am a lead developer at a large company, but have no degree. Sadly some companies like Google do require it to even consider submissions, so I wonder if I should enroll an online course just for the paper.

You're a lead developer at a large company, are there any universities near this large company with CS degrees?

People are going to consider "online course just for the paper" to be somewhat of a scam.

So, just for the paper, no.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#135

Post by actually_a_dog »

imwillofficial wrote: post #121
zeepzeep wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's a feature that they scan your messages for abusive content, so it's surely not encrypted as they can read every private message

"Do the advertise encryption?" Do they need to? The point wasn't "they falsely advertise encryption" The point was "they do not respect privacy" Their advertising is irrelevant.

No, that was not, in fact, the question I asked. I asked whether they were "particularly privacy averse." And, to me, it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service.

In fact, the only real difference I see between Discord and an IRC server is that Discord forces you to create an account and associates your messages with it. But, so does Github, and nobody complains about needing a Github account to contribute to FOSS projects.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#136

Post by hpoe »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #129
hpoe wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Check out Western Governors University. It is an accredited online university formed back in the 90's and I believe is non profit as well so it isn't like the University of Phoenix or those other scam schools. They have a competency based model where if you can demonstrate competency by passing the test and/or completing the project you can be done with the class, whether that takes you 3 days or 3 months. You also p…

> You also play a flat rate for the semester and complete as many classes as you want at a time. Oooh, I did not know that. So you could figure out what classes you want, study for them on your own, then pay for one semester and pass all the tests? If you've got the discipline to study with no feedback for a year or two, that could be a really inexpensive way to get a degree...

It is a really inexpensive way to get a good degree. The one caveat is that they already have determined the classes and the courses you just choose what order you go through them in. For example I am currently getting my masters, and someone has posted how they managed to knock out the entire degree (8 semesters) in 2 months. (The disclaimer was he had worked in the field for close to 10 years in various positions, so everything in the degree was second nature)

I got my degree in 18 months, plus one semester of a local college prior. But yes if you've got the discipline and motivation you can get your entire degree in 6 months for about 4 grand.

It really is the way of the future in my mind.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#137

Post by imwillofficial »

actually_a_dog wrote: post #135
imwillofficial wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Do the advertise encryption?" Do they need to? The point wasn't "they falsely advertise encryption" The point was "they do not respect privacy" Their advertising is irrelevant.

No, that was not, in fact, the question I asked. I asked whether they were " particularly privacy averse." And, to me, it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service. In fact, the only real difference I see between Discord and an IRC server is that Discord forces you to create an account and associates y…

"it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service." Pro tip, using sweeping words like "any" will almost always make you wrong.

Nearly every popular messaging service these days offers end-to-end encryption. I have no idea what you're talking about when you say they "are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service"

When you're worse off, privacy-wise than a Facebook owned messenger, you're not doing too hot.

I found a good write up of popular and e2e messengers for you to check out. https://getstream.io/blog/most-secure-messaging-apps/

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#138

Post by imwillofficial »

actually_a_dog wrote: post #135
imwillofficial wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Do the advertise encryption?" Do they need to? The point wasn't "they falsely advertise encryption" The point was "they do not respect privacy" Their advertising is irrelevant.

No, that was not, in fact, the question I asked. I asked whether they were " particularly privacy averse." And, to me, it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service. In fact, the only real difference I see between Discord and an IRC server is that Discord forces you to create an account and associates y…

"and nobody complains about needing a Github account to contribute to FOSS projects." Did you really just say that on hacker news? I literally read somebody complaining about that THIS MORNING.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#139

Post by rrrrrrrrrrrryan »

narag wrote: post #67
CleverLikeAnOx wrote: post #55

A lot of comments are dismissing this because it doesn't provide a credential upon completion. But you don't get mad at a hammer for not putting staples in paper, nor get mad at a stapler for not putting nails in wood. This is a tool that gives empowers you to educate yourself, not a tool that gives you a credential. As someone with a deep love of learning and knowledge, I am delighted that this exists.

A lot of comments are dismissing this because it doesn't provide a credential upon completion. Obvious solution would be decoupling teaching and certification. Actually, having both performed by the same institutions seems like a conflict of interest.

I'm still kind of surprised that software engineers don't have the same certification process as structural engineers, civil engineers, etc. You have to work as a newbie for a couple years, then get a few professional engineers to vouch for you, then pass an exam, then you get your stamp.

Sure, you can get certified by Amazon or Google or Microsoft in their own proprietary tech stack, and you can get a degree from an accredited university, but there's no formal body of software engineers who've outlined a process by which you can earn your engineering stamp.

Re: OSSU: Path to a free, self-taught education in computer science

#140

Post by [deleted] »

imwillofficial wrote: post #137
actually_a_dog wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, that was not, in fact, the question I asked. I asked whether they were " particularly privacy averse." And, to me, it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service. In fact, the only real difference I see between Discord and an IRC server is that Discord forces you to create an account and associates y…

"it seems like they are not any more privacy averse than any other messaging service, given that they don't claim to offer any more privacy than any other service." Pro tip, using sweeping words like "any" will almost always make you wrong. Nearly every popular messaging service these days offers end-to-end encryption. I have no idea what you're talking about when you say they "are not any more privacy averse than an…

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