Pope sends direct message to Ben

[MikeH]

Exactly. And electrical engineering is easy, and a classic practical hobby. There are tons of shops supporting it. Why would that be the example you'd pick?

[giblets]

College is stupid... the value of getting a college degree represents a failing on the part of society.

[Hauldren Collider]

Exactly. And electrical engineering is easy, and a classic practical hobby. There are tons of shops supporting it. Why would that be the example you'd pick?

I'm not talking about putting 555 timers on a breadboard. You don't design microarchitectures as a hobby.

Engineering degrees are about building actual human capital, not some philosophical humbling to respect your own ignorance. Maybe that's a side benefit. Regardless, for example, I'm learning things in my CS classes to apply later in my career.

A senior in ECE at carnegie mellon isn't doing things that are "easy" or can just be picked up from surfing wikipedia.

[kentonio]

Sure, just keep telling yourself that.

[MikeH]

I know I shouldn't have said easy. Can't resist taunting the engineers.

Rest of the point still stands though. Computer history is full of enthusiastic self taught amateurs (many of whom of course turned pro), not many Computer Science graduates in the 70s.

[The Mad Monk]

I'm not talking about putting 555 timers on a breadboard. You don't design microarchitectures as a hobby.

Engineering degrees are about building actual human capital, not some philosophical humbling to respect your own ignorance. Maybe that's a side benefit. Regardless, for example, I'm learning things in my CS classes to apply later in my career.

A senior in ECE at carnegie mellon isn't doing things that are "easy" or can just be picked up from surfing wikipedia.

You don't design microarchitectures with only a BS in electrical engineering, either.

[MikeH]

Just had a look at wikipedia on microarchitectures as with most science and engineering stuff on wikipedia it's a very good starting point.

[PLATO]

I've got a degree in Astrophysics. I think the main point of an undergraduate degree is to give you an insight into how much there is to know, and little you know about a subject.

I think there is some truth there. I also believe that one of the great benefits of an undergraduate degree is teaching someone how to think...a trait so many in society lack.

[The Mad Monk]

I think most schooling is like that -- or should be. Why do you need to study calculus? So you can wrap your brain around other difficult to understand things when they come up.

[Hauldren Collider]

You need to study calculus so you can understand the mathematics behind a great number of engineering and scientific disciplines

[Hauldren Collider]

You don't design microarchitectures with only a BS in electrical engineering, either.

Some of my friends working at Intel would be interested to hear from you that they're not actually designing microarchitectures.

[Hauldren Collider]

I know I shouldn't have said easy. Can't resist taunting the engineers.

Rest of the point still stands though. Computer history is full of enthusiastic self taught amateurs (many of whom of course turned pro), not many Computer Science graduates in the 70s.

You can learn a lot of computer science on your own, but that doesn't mean that the university isn't providing a valuable service. There will probably be significant gaps in your knowledge.

[giblets]

I think there is some truth there. I also believe that one of the great benefits of an undergraduate degree is teaching someone how to think...a trait so many in society lack.

Didn't work so well with Ben...

[The Mad Monk]

I know I shouldn't have said easy. Can't resist taunting the engineers.

But it's so much fun when they get their hackles up! How can you resist?

[rah]

I'll admit that the more technical a field the more likely that school will be more helpful, but it still isn't the ultimate. Experience can trump formal education.

BUT we were talking about a history degree. HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA