[ale] CS Degree necessary?

[Geoffrey]

Bravo to both James and Vernard!  Well said on both counts.

And James you youngin' you, I just turned 45 this past year, and am 
planning to return to school and finish my work on my Masters. :)  Why 
one might ask?

I'm literally past my need for such efforts within my current work 
environment.  25 years at AT&T and pretty much at the top of the heap 
without moving into management or a Nobel Prize winning discovery. 
There's but one more rung on my current ladder and I recognize I don't 
have the 'walk on water without making waves' skills to attain that 
before it's time to move on.  To do so, I would literally need to aquire 
a patent or be published in a few major technical rags.  I do recognize 
my limitations there, both in time and gray matter.

You'll also never find me moving into management for the sake of 
furthering my financial compensation, the pain would not be worth the 
difference.  Not to mention the fact that I recognized long ago, I don't 
like the nasty things managing people requires.

Furthering my education at this point will do little for what's left of 
my career at AT&T.  It's really a selfish thing, as I can get the 
advanced education and AT&T will pick up the tab.  I figure I should be 
able to accomplish this before I leave this company, which will happen 
in no less than 5 years.

So what's the point of all this diatribe??  Point is, if you're going to 
school, or back to school, most of all you must want to do it for that 
selfish reason.  You must want if for yourself.  It took me 8 years to 
get my BS as I went back to school after I had accumulated enough 
responsibilities (family and bills) that necessitated me to continue to 
hold down a full time job.  I'm very proud of my efforts there, but 
would recommend to all, do it right the first time.  Straight out of 
high school, or shortly thereafter.  It's really a pain going to school 
part time.  You don't enjoy it as others do who do the dorm life and 
full time educational gig.

Okay, enough of that..

James P. Kinney III wrote:

> This is one of the best responses I've seen yet to the "degree vs.
> non-degree" discussion. 


Agreed.


> At 18, one has NO CLUE about why all that boring crap they are not
> interested in is important. 


Again agreed. It's interesting the number of very bright students my 
wife sees (elementary school) who struggle with the social part of life.

 
> While the self-taught
> person is often extremely capable in their narrow field, they are often
> lacking in the most important aspect of adult life, communication


So true.  And I will add that in the business world, you're (generally) 
better off being above average communicator and poor at the actual 
execution of your other job responsibilities then the other way around. 
  I'd much rather work with a good communicator who is average or even 
below average coder than a wiz coder who can't/won't communicate.


> Anyone who skips this student process misses out on tens of thousands of
> man years of effort to discern the most effective ways of inducing
> people to voice their misunderstandings and espouse their understandings
> to others. This is important because it is the process that injects the
> literate, communicative people into society where they, in consort with
> others like them, cajole society as a whole to strive for something
> better than they are now. They are the catalysts for progress that sets
> the timber of development that leads to a better world for all.


Damn that's good, worthy of quoting..


> 
> Every one who can perform the difficult should seek a degree if for no
> other reason than the personal gratification of accomplishing an arduous
> task. If by some small chance they discover a way to improve the lot of
> mankind in the process, however minute, then their effort along the
> journey will be remembered by all of those whose lives are directly
> touched by their knowledge and efforts. 
> 
> Those who have the ability to "do well" with out the degree are those
> who will astound the world with their talents while achieving it. 


So, when are you going to write a book?

-- 
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

"...the system (Microsoft passport) carries significant risks to users that
are not made adequately clear in the technical documentation available."
- David P. Kormann and Aviel D. Rubin, AT&T Labs - Research
- http://www.avirubin.com/passport.html


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