From: david@...
Date: 2005-12-03T08:21:29+09:00
Subject: Re: Programming Newbie: Ruby or Java?

Quoting Chris Irish <chris.irish@libertydistribution.com>:

> """the reality is that the real world and universities don't always
> match up."""
>
> I'm a current CS student at ASU (arizona, US) and this statement is 
> SO true. :/
> Besides learning Java, C, & C++... I've had to learn Lisp/Scheme and 
> Prolog.  I mean who uses Prolog??  It's basically dead.
> School teaches theory mostly.
> Experience teaches you the rest I guess.
>

I went to a private college also in Phoenix, AZ - UAT.  There the carriculum
focused almost exclusively on marketable skills with a few theory 
electives and
advanced classes here and there (OS design, compiler design, assembly).  I
graduated having only been exposed to Assembly/C/C++/Java and the MS 
languages.
  On my own I had studied Python and Javascript so I knew there was something
"not C" out there but from the education at this school you never would have
know it.  On my own I've taken the time to learn some Lisp (Scheme really) and
Smalltalk and it has been really useful even though I don't program in either
for "real" work.  I think ASU making Scheme part of the carriculum is 
fantastic
even if you can't see the benefits right at the moment.  Take it from me that
closures and blocks make a lot more sense with a little Lisp/Smalltalk 
mixed in
rather than coming straight from a "practical" language background.

my $.02

David Koontz