EvilSec:
Many computer science students choose the major expecting to learn how to code and are shocked to find that that’s not what it is. So what’s actually involved in a CS major and why is it useful?

CS teaches reasoning about computing:
– what can and can’t be done by computers
– how to get computers to do things efficiently
– breaking down complex problems so they can be tackled by computers
– managing layers of complexity
– what is the role of computing in our society
etc.
To learn to code, the best route is self study rather than CS or any other major. There’s probably no other skill for which there is so much freely available high-quality learning material online. Be wary of coding bootcamps: most of them haven’t lived up to their promises. Even for students majoring in CS, it takes self study to learn to code fluently. Traditionally, this put students with no prior programming experience at a big disadvantage. So CS programs have recently been increasing the emphasis on coding within or alongside the curriculum. In short, CS is a much more abstract set of skills than coding. Not everyone needs it, but it’s extremely helpful for developing algorithms, making long-term decisions about computing technology, or simply to more deeply understand the digital world.
Software engineering isn't the same as either coding or CS. Universities aren’t set up to teach it because they are limited to toy projects that end when the course ends. The only way to learn to wrangle a million-line codebase with hundreds of contributors is to actually do it.

OP have finally said it all

My own input best way to be a programmer

1. Hangout with people that are programmer, just always stay where they hangout

2. Practice.. I say practice don't get stuck in the reading loop

chingle5:


OP have finally said it all

My own input best way to be a programmer

1. Hangout with people that are programmer, just always stay where they hangout

2. Practice.. I say practice don't get stuck in the reading loop

EvilSec:

Well said.

Karleb:
Most people who play down on the importance of CS degree don't have one.

Most CS degree gate keepers are people with CS degrees.

At least, FAANG companies have established the fact that what's important is your ability to learn.

cixak95211:
No, You don't need CS to learn how to code
However, people who studied CS, at least, outside Nigeria, will be far ahead of you.
Top coys like Apple and Google actually go to the best schools to pick the best CS grads, automatic employment opportunities , no stress
You can still get into those companies too, without a CS degree, but then you must work like hell, to learn in a very short period of time
what the CS grads learnt during their whole stay in school, at least 4 years.
Tell me you can learn in just 1 yr what is originally intended to be learnt in 4 yrs.
The answers lies within you.
Would I encourage any coder/programmer/engineer etc to learn CS . . Hell yeah

tensazangetsu20:

They don't pick automatically o. They still need to pass through the data structures and algorithms interviews. Clement founder of algo expert studied maths at UPenn and he had to grind CTCI to get a job at Google. He also worked at Facebook before creating algo expert.

People downplay the importance of a computer science degree. Imho that's the second most important degree in the world after medicine and it's related courses. It's possible to learn coding on your own but computer science goes far more than just coding toy apps. Data structures and algorithms, systems design and discrete mathematics are just few of the things people study in computer science.


I have a useless engineering degree and honestly knowing what I know today if I had the opportunity to go back to the university to start afresh I would do a degree in computer science. I am trying to get in for a master's and it's surprising how restrictive the field is even to fields of engineering.

olalekan9320:
If you don't mind Information Technology, NOUN offers it, and I think they accept Bsc in engineering, mathematics and physics

tensazangetsu20:

I want to move far away from Nigerian education as much as possible.

tensazangetsu20:

They don't pick automatically o. They still need to pass through the data structures and algorithms interviews. Clement founder of algo expert studied maths at UPenn and he had to grind CTCI to get a job at Google. He also worked at Facebook before creating algo expert.

People downplay the importance of a computer science degree. Imho that's the second most important degree in the world after medicine and it's related courses. It's possible to learn coding on your own but computer science goes far more than just coding toy apps. Data structures and algorithms, systems design and discrete mathematics are just few of the things people study in computer science.


I have a useless engineering degree and honestly knowing what I know today if I had the opportunity to go back to the university to start afresh I would do a degree in computer science. I am trying to get in for a master's and it's surprising how restrictive the field is even to fields of engineering.

Karleb:
Most people who play down on the importance of CS degree don't have one.

Most CS degree gate keepers are people with CS degrees.

At least, FAANG companies have established the fact that what's important is your ability to learn.

ThePlainTruth:
If you can code to solve the requirement below without computer science studies or a computer science/ computer engineering/ software engineering degree then I agree that the OP is 100% correct.

You are to loop through this string below with headers and rows to create a valid Json string. You can use any language you prefer.

"Country\tState\tTown\r\nNigeria\tLagos State\tLagos\r\nUSA\tTexas\tDallas\r\n";


Which should produce the Json result below:

[{
"Country": "Nigeria",
"State": "Lagos State",
"Town": "Lagos"
}, {
"Country": "Nigeria",
"State": "Edo State",
"Town": "Benin City"
}]

You can validate your Json result here: http://jsonlint.com

boycasio:

Can you convert JSON to txt?

tensazangetsu20:


People downplay the importance of a computer science degree. Imho that's the second most important degree in the world after medicine and it's related courses. It's possible to learn coding on your own but computer science goes far more than just coding toy apps. Data structures and algorithms, systems design and discrete mathematics are just few of the things people study in computer science.


I have a useless engineering degree and honestly knowing what I know today if I had the opportunity to go back to the university to start afresh I would do a degree in computer science. I am trying to get in for a master's and it's surprising how restrictive the field is even to fields of engineering.

EvilSec:

Software engineering isn't the same as either coding or CS. Universities aren’t set up to teach it because they are limited to toy projects that end when the course ends.

Studymore123:


Hmmmm,

The OP only reiterated a statement made by many for good reasons. Many of the good programmers out there don't have a degree and CS is a course which one can conveniently study from home. This is one of the reasons the course is undergoing revised curriculum over the years to make it more relevant.

My advise to others is study a course outside of CS and then you can have CS as a 2nd degree/diploma/certificate program. This is based on my experience working with different teams of programmers, part of my job was to educate coders on the design/engineering aspects of projects. The end result was always remarkable. I was a program manager then and many of the managers in core software technology firms like Microsoft, FB don't have a CS degree.

I was even more surprised that you have an Engineering degree which you said was useless. That's very strange to know. Well, I tell most programmers you are doing the easiest job. The most difficult have been done by the "engineering team". Programs don't run in the "air" and so you need brilliant engineers to do the "home work" and when the hardware is effective & efficient then the programmers can give it the best utilization.
Even in today's digital world CS doesn't still make the top 10 of relevant courses. Construction, Elet/Elet, Agriculture, Med/Nursing, Architecture, Mech Engr, Marketing/Bus Magt, Mathematics are more relevant.
But the truth is all these courses now have a component of CS in them and things are so integrated these days.

I will agree with you that CS/coding is lucrative and the reason is every field now need developers. The principle of demand & supply comes in, otherwise Engineering/Design is more tasking. That's why it's easier to get a job at Google, Apple, MS than Boston Dynamics, Tesla, Sphero, Diligent Robotics, Irobot, Fireeye, because in those companies you need to think beyond programming.
I'm been learning coding just like I've spent time learning about Suspensions, Engines, Astronomy and Sound science.

In summary everyone must decide a path that works best for him/her after getting the necessary information. OP makes cool cash from bug bounty and that alone sustains many. My friend left a lucrative IT job for marketing that gives him time and over 6M annually, another for real estate also some have left other sectors for IT, bringing in their wealth of experience from those fields into play. I also left the IT sector for years and just coming back because of some related projects/interests.

If you are a good programmer you will always have jobs but it takes more effort to come up with the ideas you are working on.

Off-topic
If you love Mech Engineering like me Elon Musk has been challenged to bring in his Tesla Cybertruck against the hydrogen-powered Glickenhaus Boot in the 2023 Baja 1000. Let's see what Musk and his team will develop in the next 2 years.

GiftedTitty:


Pls what do you mean by this?

Karleb:
@studymore213

Personally, I don't think I'd do this computer thing for too long.

There are more money in other sectors.
At the ground level, programming pays but when you move up and compare it to other professions, you'll have to have your own startup to earn big.

Take for example, 20 year olds are earning £40K and more per week as footballers somewhere.
What about basketballers, musicians even the local ones, real estate investors and the rest.

My aim is to do this till I'm really tired of it and maybe 10 - 15 yrs later, retire and go full time into stock/forex investment and music.

I don't want to spend my old age working my ass off for pay I can conveniently make sleeping all day.

Plaouse:
Insightful.

I've spent two years out of school (i.e after high school grad)

I applied for Architecture as I wrote Jamb last year.

In the last quarters of 2020 I got my hands of some javaScript (my first encounter with programming ever) and I instantly loved it, as I still do.
I'm interested in the programing field of AI and Robotics.

Now, I plan on changing my course after admission. Changing it to CS

Considering the time I've waisted out of school (as I'm 19 now and will be 20 within this year) and the time it takes to be a good programmer; Should I remain with architecture (with programming by the side) or change my course so that I can have more experience in the programming field?

Ps: Completing Architecture would take 5years.

Plaouse:
Insightful.

I've spent two years out of school (i.e after high school grad)

I applied for Architecture as I wrote Jamb last year.

In the last quarters of 2020 I got my hands of some javaScript (my first encounter with programming ever) and I instantly loved it, as I still do.
I'm interested in the programing field of AI and Robotics.

Now, I plan on changing my course after admission. Changing it to CS

Considering the time I've waisted out of school (as I'm 19 now and will be 20 within this year) and the time it takes to be a good programmer; Should I remain with architecture (with programming by the side) or change my course so that I can have more experience in the programming field?

Ps: Completing Architecture would take 5years.

EvilSec:

One should not be taught in the University (best learnt by self study). One can not be taught in the University (best learnt on a real life project). Only one of them is (should be) taught in the University.