CMU CS Academy: a free online computer science curriculum by Carnegie Mellon

Post by analog31 » Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 1:15 PM UTC

dotancohen wrote: post #45

analog31 wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One factor may be that mechanical engineering remains dominated by expensive proprietary software, and the field is largely OK with that. Programming is unique in the sense that programmers can create their own tools, and have adopted an expectation that the most advanced tools should be free and easy to obtain. This culture could easily extend to making the training materials free too. Another factor is that "coding…

Another factor might be that the term engineer is a protected term, and not unlike doctors and lawyers there exist state-regulated tests to confer such a title. I'm sure that a mechanical engineering course would be possible, but the course would have to clearly state that it cannot accredit the credentials to actually work in the field.

Post by pjmorris » Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 1:40 PM UTC

hedora wrote: post #36

swighton wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have both MechE and CS degrees. The big difference I see is that MechE is one course that builds on top of another on and on. Quite a rigorous progression that is hardcore on math and physics. To self teach MechE you have to work yourself through that progression which is a huge commitment. OTOH what most people consider “CS” is more like “the ability to program”. You can get competent enough to be dangerous with a…

I've heard the saying: Any idiot can make a bridge stand up. It takes an engineer to make the bridge barely stand up. I want a class on making the bridge stand up for idiots (like "let's write this bridge in python, and build it with cob"). I don't care if I spend twice as much on wood and hay and mud or titanium or whatever. I live in the SF Bay Area, so I can't afford the mechanical engineers I can actually hire to…

Post by philonoist » Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 2:06 PM UTC

rg111 wrote: post #88

philonoist wrote: post #13

I hope they don't take it down like how Berkeley CS videos were taken down.

You can't find them anywhere? Not even Archive.org? Please tell me you can find them somewhere .

Post by philonoist » Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 2:09 PM UTC

dave333 wrote: post #46

diebeforei485 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those were taken down because of some complicated lawsuit about use of public funds to make available content that wasn't accessible to people with disabilities. It was too expensive to make the recorded lectures work with tools used by people with disabilities, so the university took down the content instead instead of spending even more resources making it compatible with screen readers, adding captioning, etc. CMU…

I would think there's a legal way around that - maybe donate the rights to the affected materials to a private charitable trust that is exempt.

Post by ghaff » Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 2:27 PM UTC

fma wrote: post #103

boppo1 wrote: post #101

What's with all the free CS programs? How about a free law or pre-med curriculum?

Maybe because HN is skewed towards CS topics. But I agree, there are other careers that I think deserves attention for the benefit of society besides trying to cram everyone into an IT career. I keep reading of shortages in medical and trades fields. If we are short CS degree holders for the benefit of society, simply pivot them to meaningful software work rather then driving clicks.