How to Become a Computer Geek 101

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Well I've never understood the perception that homeschooled kids are socially inept. Public school isn't a bed of roses.

Most socially inept people: IB students (ALL SCHOOL ALL THE TIME WHY AREN'T YOU DOING YOUR HOMEWORK) and homeschooled students (AHHH OTHER CHILDREN WHAT DO I DO).

[Ben Kenobi]

So you have an objection because IB is too rigorous?

That's amusing.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
So you have an objection because IB is too rigorous?

That's amusing.

It's not rigorous, it's full of pointless busywork.

The people it spits out are absolutely terrible. They're arrogant but they're dumb as ****, so dumb that they took IB thinking it gave them an advantage.

[Ben Kenobi]

It's not rigorous, it's full of pointless busywork.

Such as?

The people it spits out are absolutely terrible. They're arrogant but they're dumb as ****, so dumb that they took IB thinking it gave them an advantage.

Sour grapes eh? I guess you didn't want them anyways.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Such as?

90% of the coursework?

Sour grapes eh? I guess you didn't want them anyways.

I have no idea what you're talking about?

My school offered full IB. I didn't opt in, except for one elective (computer science IB). And CS IB was a joke as well.

[Ben Kenobi]

90% of the coursework?

Why was it busywork. If you have any familiarity with the courses, you should be able to go into more detail. All you have said is that it is and we should believe you based on that.

My school offered full IB. I didn't opt in, except for one elective (computer science IB). And CS IB was a joke as well.

Ah, so the truth outs. You benefitted from IB, and then you go around and say it sucks?

Why can't you admit it was very helpful to you in your chosen field?

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Why was it busywork. If you have any familiarity with the courses, you should be able to go into more detail. All you have said is that it is and we should believe you based on that.

Because it's the across-the-board philosophy. There was extensive homework assignments the IB kids had to do for the most mundane subjects (eg, history). While other kids got together and socialized, the IB kids spent 50 manhours writing a detailed essay on the history of yarn.

Ah, so the truth outs. You benefitted from IB, and then you go around and say it sucks?

Why can't you admit it was very helpful to you in your chosen field?

Because it absolutely was not. The "project" we had to do was heavily regulated and needed to make use of already-obsolete CS design paradigms, and the emphasis of the course was on documentation and essay writing rather than understanding the science of computers.

I learned far more on my own using the internet, the library, and my own intuition than IB. IB, for all of its intents and purposes, is for what soulless busybodies may enjoy but anyone with any reasonable intelligence should be able to see what a waste of time it is. If you're smart, find a better way to spend your time and educate yourself than IB.

[Ben Kenobi]

Because it's the across-the-board philosophy.

Yes, IB is rigorous, it's not for everybody.

There was extensive homework assignments the IB kids had to do for the most mundane subjects (eg, history).

I did my history term essay on the Schlieffen Plan, and how von Schlieffen was influenced by Hannibal's plan at Cannae, adapting it to modern warfare. Way more interesting then anything I would have gotten to do in a regular class. Just because you don't like history says nothing about whether the IB program is a worse program then the regular system.

While other kids got together and socialized, the IB kids spent 50 manhours writing a detailed essay on the history of yarn.

My extended essay was on the influence of the galactic magnetic field on stellar formation. I'm sure I still have it somewhere. If you did yours on yarn, that's your own fault.

Because it absolutely was not. The "project" we had to do was heavily regulated and needed to make use of already-obsolete CS design paradigms,

Which paradigms?

and the emphasis of the course was on documentation and essay writing rather than understanding the science of computers.

IB believes in well-rounded individuals, even for it's certificate students. They expect that you should be able to write well regardless of your field. That means documentation and essay writing.

I learned far more on my own using the internet, the library, and my own intuition than IB.

Self-learning isn't really a good argument for the public school system over alternatives. I agree that in any subject which interests you, that you should have interests in going beyond the course.

IB isn't perfect, and it certainly isn't for everyone. However, I would reject your assessment that it produces inferior students, when it is far more challenging then the regular program.

IB, for all of its intents and purposes, is for what soulless busybodies may enjoy but anyone with any reasonable intelligence should be able to see what a waste of time it is. If you're smart, find a better way to spend your time and educate yourself than IB.

I got my ass kicked for two years, and a diploma at the end of it. Was happy and proud to be done and one of the last few that were left standing at the end of the program.

Soulless busybodies? I dunno, I had a blast for two years. Learned way more in two, then I did my whole time in university.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
Yes, IB is rigorous, it's not for everybody.

It is rigorous with no benefit in the end. That's why the people who take it aren't as smart as they think they are. IB people tend to be book smart, but they're really ****ing daft in the real world.

I did my history term essay on the Schlieffen Plan, and how von Schlieffen was influenced by Hannibal's plan at Cannae, adapting it to modern warfare. Way more interesting then anything I would have gotten to do in a regular class. Just because you don't like history says nothing about whether the IB program is a worse program then the regular system.

I was giving a ****ing example. Man, this is why IB sucks. You've no idea what's going on, ever.

Which paradigms?

Procedural programming. They wanted us to use Pascal.

IB believes in well-rounded individuals

They obviously failed.

I got my ass kicked for two years, and a diploma at the end of it. Was happy and proud to be done and one of the last few that were left standing at the end of the program.

You should recognize that the smarter people dropped out when they realized how pointless it was. I had several friends take IB and by the time they got to third year university, they burned out. One of them took two years off of a CS degree to drive a forklift(!). I was at one of the most academic schools in Calgary, one of the few with the full IB program, so I know many people who did full IB and VERY few people who had it benefit them. About 95% of the people who remained in IB were asian students whose parents pushed them too hard, too often. When they got to university many rebelled as well...

Soulless busybodies? I dunno, I had a blast for two years. Learned way more in two, then I did my whole time in university.

That's because you took a crap program in university at a crap university. Why do you think I sneer at history degrees? By your own admission, you don't get much out of it.

[Ben Kenobi]

It is rigorous with no benefit in the end. That's why the people who take it aren't as smart as they think they are. IB people tend to be book smart, but they're really ****ing daft in the real world.

I've not seen that, and I know all sorts of folks who were in IB either certificate or diploma. All of them have done really well, I'd say half of them have advanced degrees of one sort or another.

Procedural programming. They wanted us to use Pascal.

Hmm, point taken. I'd agree with you there that the IB compsci program is well behind the times.

They obviously failed.

Obviously, since you were a certificate student. I think you really need the full benefit.

You should recognize that the smarter people dropped out when they realized how pointless it was.

Less pointless then the regular program. You don't really have a choice. It's IB or the regular system. Most dropped out for several reasons. First, like you they felt that the program was not worth the extra work they were putting into it, so they quit altogether. Others fell too far behind and quit. Many cut back, because one or two courses of full diploma were too rough for them (IOW, they didn't have the balance needed).

It's hard, because there are plenty of folks skilled in Maths or in Physics, but not many are skilled in Maths, Physics, French and History. I had my own struggles with I'll let you guess which two. The other two, one is working on her PhD in Maths who is from Belgrade, and the other is from South Africa and also working on her PhD in Geology.

And then you have me.

I had several friends take IB and by the time they got to third year university, they burned out.

Yep, sounds like me. Found the exact same thing.

One of them took two years off of a CS degree to drive a forklift(!).

I think we would get along I did much the same.

I was at one of the most academic schools in Calgary, one of the few with the full IB program, so I know many people who did full IB and VERY few people who had it benefit them. About 95% of the people who remained in IB were asian students whose parents pushed them too hard, too often. When they got to university many rebelled as well...

Not the case here. All the asians here dropped the program. You had a Serb, and Afrikaner and then me.

That's because you took a crap program in university at a crap university. Why do you think I sneer at history degrees? By your own admission, you don't get much out of it.

No, I don't feel I did. It really varied on the prof. Some of the courses I did were great and I learned so much from them. Others were useless.

On the balance I feel I learned far more in 2 years of IB then I did my entire stint at university. That is a statement of both the problems with the program at my university and the success of the IB program.

[Asher]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi
I've not seen that, and I know all sorts of folks who were in IB either certificate or diploma. All of them have done really well, I'd say half of them have advanced degrees of one sort or another.

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I talk about how IB grads are daft in the real world, and here you are -- an IB grad in the real world -- being daft!

Academia ("advanced degrees") does not constitute the real world.

Obviously, since you were a certificate student. I think you really need the full benefit.

If I'd been in full IB, I'd not have had the time to self-learn computers to the extent that I did. If I didn't do that, I wouldn't have landed my first job at a small business which got me my IBM job which got me my consulting gig now. I'm certain I'd be worse off if I wasted my time with full IB.

Less pointless then the regular program. You don't really have a choice. It's IB or the regular system.

Seems to me like this is a choice. Not to mention in civilized places like Alberta, you also get choice in the regular program. I think there's 4 different 12th grade math courses. Some are tailored towards idiots, some are tailored towards tradespersons, others tailored towards university...

It's hard, because there are plenty of folks skilled in Maths or in Physics, but not many are skilled in Maths, Physics, French and History. I had my own struggles with I'll let you guess which two.

Taking the IB courses doesn't make you skilled in them. With you as evidence, you are incomprehensibly terrible at all of the above.

Yep, sounds like me. Found the exact same thing.

I think we would get along I did much the same.

I'm glad you agree that IB was detrimental to your overall education, as it was for my friends. I'm also pleased as punch that you don't comprehend you are agreeing with me.

On the balance I feel I learned far more in 2 years of IB then I did my entire stint at university. That is a statement of both the problems with the program at my university and the success of the IB program.

No, it's unequivocally a statement about the program at your university. History is bad enough at a real school, I can't imagine how much of a joke it is at a rural university with ten students.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm glad you agree that IB was detrimental to your overall education, as it was for my friends. I'm also pleased as punch that you don't comprehend you are agreeing with me.

Hmm?

How was it detrimental to my future education? I'd have done far worse in the regular program.

No, it's unequivocally a statement about the program at your university. History is bad enough at a real school, I can't imagine how much of a joke it is at a rural university with ten students.

It was hit and miss for sure. One of my profs was a Harvard PhD, and he was excellent. I have to say all of my profs from Canada were wastes of space.