Subj : Re: Question about minimal requirements in programming To : comp.programming From : David Lightstone Date : Wed Jul 06 2005 01:22 am "CTips" wrote in message news:11cm5sdhonrg4cc@corp.supernews.com... > John wrote: >> Hi, >> >> I have been a programmer for 10 years and I don't have a CS degree, I >> didn't even go to university. >> >> I write data-driven Windows & Web business applications developer and >> have never had too much of a problem building anything. I would have >> said I was pretty good at what I do. But after reading the "Mathematics >> for programmers" & "Software Job Market Myths" threads, I must say ... >> I'm feeling kind of inept. >> >> Are the minimal requirements in those threads shared by everybody? >> >> Does everybody here believe you must know Knuth inside and out in order >> to write effective business applications? >> >> Because in all honesty, in all the places I've worked, meeting about 50 >> other programmers. Probably less than half would even know what "know >> Knuth inside and out" means. And nobody I've met has read them. >> >> Sincerely, >> John >> >> > > I'd agree with you about most app programmers. On the other hand, most > systems programmers [people who write compilers, 5-9s systems, operating > systems - stuff like that] generally do have a fairly solid mathematical > foundation, and do have a much higher productivity than the typical app > programmer. > > It, btw, has nothing to do with formal education. One of the best > developers I know is a BS (I think CS) and is mostly self-taught after > that. Another good devleoper is an BS/MS EE, but most of his CS is > self-taught. > > You can develop business apps, possibly successfully, without any of the > mathematical background. > > Note, however, that we'd be willing to pay a *minimum* of $80kloc [+ bonus > + relocation] to someone whose got both solid programming skills and a > good computer-science + mathematical background - typical offers are > higher. I would hope so > > And we still can't find them :( .