Posted by Lil' Viv on July 31, 2001 at 07:26:19:
This may be long (not sure, yet), but I think it's worth a read . . . I'm just like y'all, and was pissed as hell at this damn class and the whole situation . . . and, anyone that is discouraged with the CS program, the classes, or not sure if they can hang . . . might benefit from what I learned the other day when a friend put me in my place for bitching. =P
I'll try to offer a differing perspective to the general "Fuck this class" sentiment.
I had never programmed until I came to UT and signed up for the first CS class, that was the first time, and to date . . . if I know anything about CS . . . I've learned it here.
Well, the other night . . . I was so fucking furious at this class, and that slowly trickled down to me being upset about the major and whatnot . . . that was Saturday night . . . I was unable to do a lot of the code (C++ syntax) that was required to do Project 3 . . . I had to learn so much stuff for the first time, and I started to think that this major catered as a certification process to those who already knew their shit (Aaron, Natalie, etc.), and it didn't teach the necessary skills I (a newbie, so to speak) needed to succeed. I figured UT didn't give a shit about my education and was more concerned with failing out as many people as possible to get a prestigious program in their hands . . .
I've gotten A's in all the other classes ('cept 315, B) . . . and, I started to think, "Man, I'm so fucked in this class, yet I succeeded previously . . . what did I do wrong, or what did the program do wrong?" I was mad that they weren't teaching me what I needed to know and whatnot . . . and then expecting me to know it by surprise later on.
For example, UNIX for one, and C++ stuff like pure/virtual and inheritance and much more . . . I didn't know any of that, nor was I taught it, but then I was expected to use it effectively and fast. I was like, "BULLSHIT!"
I went home and started venting to my friend, who I think is brilliant, but was quite lazy at times, and he failed out of UT and had many chances and is now on Academic Dismissal for 3 years. I bitched with all the above thoughts to him, fuming mad . . . and, showed him the website for the class. He told me how he would just own that class (and I believe him), and he started to point out many good things about it . . .
First thing that really struck me when I was suggesting that DVW doesn't teach anything . . . he said, sometimes, it's what the teacher indirectly teaches you, as in . . . what he forces you to learn somehow. All that stuff I mentioned above, he was like, "You learned it, didn't you?" And, I started to think at the enormous amount of shit I've learned in this class . . . AVL Trees taught me a ton . . . overall data structures as a whole, etc. Remember in CS 315, the Linked List project seemed so challenging for all of us, and I remember not even finishing that project! Today, I was like, "Alright, I gotta write a stack and a linked list behind it, so like 15 to 20 minutes." So, I'm assuming I'm learning something, and since I am not getting my education from anywhere but UT, I'm assuming I'm getting it there . . .
My friend also suggested speed is ridiculously important . . . and, it's important to be able to prepare for an unexpected (DVW's robust) test . . . that we know nothing about. The fact that we even have a script, that is working sometimes . . . at all submitting some type of feedback . . . is a crazy useful tool, although it has pissed me off in the past. =P
Those of you who have put in 50 hours on your AVL tree and a little bit of time on the other projects and everything, whether you finished or not, you know you learned a shitload about . . . debugging, data structures, search times, mistakes, etc. But, to those who aren't motivated to even try to jump those hurdles . . . I guess, won't reap the same benefit.
When Project 1 was due, I didn't have a working tree, which sucked . . . I had it for revisited, and when it was done and all the work paid off, it was a cool feeling. I didn't get the grade, but I learned what I needed to and wanted, and that's why I'm here . . .
Dr. Van Wieren suggested that me (and other students) who succeed through the major will be upset at him for not drilling us harder and making us work harder. I betted against that (I actually did bet him that I don't need to be pushed harder in this class and I'll feel that way in two years =P) . . . We'll see. He said that the industry is unforgiving to unskilled workers nowadays in this economy. You might get a job, but if you're not good . . . you won't keep it. He says he doesn't want to send people into the working world who will ended up "failing out" there. I guess I kinda agree with that part. If I'm not ready or don't have the skills needed to continue, I'd like to find out now instead of later.
I'm just blabbing now and betting nobody read this far, so I'm just a crazy insomniac who is . . . doing nothing. =P Maybe I offered a side nobody's considered before, hope so.