Computer Engineering.

[Rxx]

Im thinking about declaring my major as a computer software engineer.

Any thoughts? I just wish I knew more about it. Im just looking for insight I guess.

[MaDDoG]

I wish I could help but good luck which ever way you go!

[MacHeadCase]

I think that if you want to develop or write programs for the Mac platform, you'll have to learn the language on your own free time. Unless the educational curriculum has drastically changed, you will most likely learn programming for Windoze, I've been told.

At least over here this is what is going on.

But then again, I've also been told that once you learn a programming language, it's easier to learn others after that. It's kinda like being bilingual: studies show that for a bilingual person, it's easier to learn more languages than for someone only knowing one language.

MO could probably have some interesting input on this topic...

[Rxx]

Things I do know.

Have to learn lots of programming and math.
Will probably need windows at some point.
Very difficult time consuming major.

Thats about it, and about why I ask around.

Thanks for the luck ether way :coolthumbup:

Basically, I want to make things, whether that be programs, games, OSs, applications, ect. Or whether it be movies, typography, websites, 3D work, visuals, advertisements ect ect. So Im in the "epic" struggle of which major. Digital media and graphic design, or Computer programming/engineer. One is clearly much harder than the other (in their own respective ways) but the payoffs would be better, and thats always a plus I guess. But geez it sounds hard. I take it our member base is to small for me to have a computer engineer to talk to? :tongue:

[mathogre]

I received my BS in 1980, "Computer Applications of Mathematics and Statistics." Basically it's an applied math degree. I learned to program on a DEC 10 (Digital Electronics Corporation) mainframe, with the first programs being done with punch cards. I had courses in FORTRAN IV, BASIC, and COBOL.

Today I program on Linux compute servers (Dell rack mount multiprocessor machines) and my MacBook, mainly using Python. As needed, I also write in C, Awk, and Perl. The one language that remains constant over the years is math. Among other things, I write custom software to analyze air traffic data and to find ways to automate what's done manually today. They say I do well.

Personally I'd say try to learn how to program. Try it. Play with it. Install XCode on your MacBook and play with it. If you have a PC and can install Linux on it, do it. Learn everything you can about it. If you're passionate about it, then you'll probably do fine. Understand though that everything you learn now will be obsolete quickly. You must keep current or you'll be replaced by other young people coming out of college. At 50 y.o., I'm still relevant. I intend to keep current so that when it comes time to retire I'll still be able to keep up with the young people entering the company.

The rewards are proportional to how good you are and whether it's something you love doing. I love what I do, and I try to be the best at what I do.

Hope this helps!

[Rxx]

Thanks for the incredible insight. I will be writing you a PM sometime soon. Hope you dont mind. :coolthumbup:

But for now, its late. Very late. Night

[MaDDoG]

Nice response MO.

[MacHeadCase]

Thanks for the incredible insight. I will be writing you a PM sometime soon. Hope you dont mind. :coolthumbup:

But for now, its late. Very late. Night

See? Even if this is a small forum user base, you got a reply.

Virtual rep to MO! :coolthumbup:

[MacHeadCase]

I dunno if you consider this pertinent to your questions or not, but here is a list of Cocoa developers' blogs at CocoaDev (http://cocoadev.com/index.pl?CocoaWeblogs). Maybe if you look around, you'll se how they think, what their life is like, the questions they have, what they're up to, etc.

And why not take a look at iDevGames (http://macapper.com/forums/showthread.php?t=952)? Maybe you'll get a real sense of what it is writing code for the Mac. :)