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- Xref: sparky comp.edu:1584 comp.lang.fortran:3481 comp.lang.misc:2975 comp.arch:9295 sci.math:11145
- Newsgroups: comp.edu,comp.lang.fortran,comp.lang.misc,comp.arch,sci.math
- Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!convex!convex!culter
- From: culter@convex.com (Brad Culter)
- Subject: Re: Scientists as Programmers (was Re: Small Language Wanted)
- Sender: usenet@news.eng.convex.com (news access account)
- Message-ID: <1992Sep9.061933.28304@news.eng.convex.com>
- Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 06:19:33 GMT
- References: <BtpAIn.EE5@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> <1992Sep3.123432.18806@bony1.bony.com> <Bu9FB3.BDK@world.std.com>
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- Lines: 65
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- In article <Bu9FB3.BDK@world.std.com> jkenton@world.std.com (Jeff Kenton) writes:
- >In article <1992Sep3.123432.18806@bony1.bony.com> richieb@bony1.bony.com (Richard Bielak) writes:
- >>Someone said earlier in this thread that "It is easier to teach a
- >>physics student to program, than it is to teach CS student physics."
- >>
- >>This is just the kind of thing a physicist would say :-).
- >>
- >>A computer scientist would say that "It is easier to teach physics to
- >>a CS student, than it is to teach a physics student to program."
- >>
- >
- >
- >As a physicist by training (MS, almost a PhD) and a programmer for
- >over 20 years, it's clear to me that it is difficult to teach anyone
- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- >to program. Everyone picks up the basics in their first class, but
- ^^^^^^^^^^
-
- Why? This has been a long-standing question for me, and one
- for which I have yet seen adequate theory. I can recall actually
- "learning" calculus, biochemistry, and physics,
- etc., but I cannot recall "learning" to program in the same
- way. My experience, not unlike others I've met, was that
- programming came more naturally to me than walking did.
- It was more like breathing, i.e., almost a "reflex" to
- the situation of being given a problem to solve and a tool
- (computer language) to solve it.
-
- I wish I could understdand why this kind of thinking was
- so natural to me, whereas thinking effectively for physical
- chemistry was so damn difficult. So is learning the piano.
-
-
- >few get really good. Even the stars take a while. They may claim to
- >have written a whole compiler in their first semester, but you wouldn't
- >enjoy reading the code. And some CS students write code that looks
- >like it came from the physics department, even after 10 years of work
- >experience.
- >
- >Some people are just better than others.
-
- Again, why? Although, knowing the answer will probably
- do nothing but satisfy my curiosity.
-
- Just to make this elavent to Comp.arch. I've seen even
- fewer really good computer architects than I have seen
- really good programmers. I would like to know why this
- is true too. Also, whether computer architecture is
- qualitatively different than traditional (building) architecture.
- I.M. Pei is a world-renowned architect who also has
- a reputation for designing buildings that nearly can't
- be built, often requiring new technology to be invented
- on the spot by the construction engineers. I think if
- a computer architect did this, she or he would be forced
- to change careers.
-
- >
- >
- >--
- >-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- >= Jeff Kenton (617) 894-4508 =
- >= jkenton@world.std.com =
- >-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-
-